Trisha Yearwood is taking a page out of fellow country music superstar Carrie Underwood’s book and taking on a leading role in a broadcast network’s live musical.
Yearwood has been tapped to star as Mary in Fox’s live religious musical event The Passion, the network announced on Friday at the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour. Additionally, multi-platinum recording artist Prince Royce is set to play the disciple Peter.
Hosted and narrated by Tyler Perry, The Passion tells the 2,000-year-old story of the last hours of Jesus Christ’s life on earth through a variety of popular music, sung by the cast, which includes Yearwood and Royce and is arranged by executive producer Adam Anders (Glee). Set in modern-day, the event follows the dramatic and inspirational story of Jesus of Nazareth, as he presides over the Last Supper, and then is betrayed by Judas, put on trial by Pontius Pilate, convicted, crucified and resurrected. As Mary follows her son into Jerusalem, she already has witnessed Jesus struggle with opposition from other religious leaders, but bolsters him with the boundless depth of a mother’s love. Peter, meanwhile, remains one of Jesus’ closest confidantes, but his loyalty will be sternly tested.
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The event will unfold live at some of New Orleans’ most iconic locations and feature a procession of hundreds of people carrying a 20-foot, illuminated cross from outside the Superdome to the live stage at Woldenburg Park on the banks of the Mississippi River.
Yearwood, who follows Underwood’s role in NBC’s live The Sound of Music production, is a platinum-selling Grammy winner who has authored three New York Times best-selling cookbooks. She also hosts Trisha’s Southern Kitchen. She’s repped by WME.
Royce released his debut album in 2010 and saw it go triple platinum. He has scored 11 No. 1 hits on the Latin and Tropical charts, won 20 Latin Billboard Awards and eight Latin Grammy nominations. His music has collected more than 1 billion online streams. He’s also with WME.
