Initial casting is today announced for the UK tour of the Olivier Award-winning reimagined production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s celebrated musical Jesus Christ Superstar. Ian McIntosh (We Will Rock You, Follies, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical - Olivier nominated for ‘Best Supporting Actor in a Musical) will play Jesus, Shem Omari James (Dreamgirls UK Tour) will play Judas and Hannah Richardson (Sting’s The Last Ship) plays Mary. Further casting to be announced.
Produced by David Ian for Crossroads Live and Work Light Productions who present the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre production, Jesus Christ Superstar embarks on a 2023/24 UK tour opening at Manchester’s Palace Theatre from 11 September 2023. The production comes to Birmingham Hippodrome from Monday 22 – Saturday 27 April 2024.
Featuring lyrics and music by Emmy, GRAMMY, Oscar and Tony winners Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, this production was reimagined by London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre where it originated and is helmed by director Timothy Sheader and choreographer Drew McOnie. Completing the creative team is design by Tom Scutt, lighting design by Lee Curran, sound design by Nick Lidster and music supervision by Tom Deering.
A global phenomenon that has wowed audiences for decades, Jesus Christ Superstar’s iconic 1970s rock score was originally released as a concept album and opened on Broadway in 1971 at the Mark Hellinger Theatre. The original London production ran for over eight years. By the time it closed, after 3,358 performances, it had become the longest-running musical in West End history at that time. Jesus Christ Superstar has been reproduced regularly around the world in the years since its first appearance, with performances including a Broadway revival in 2012, an ITV competition TV show called Superstar that led to casting Ben Forster as Jesus in an arena tour of the show, and a production at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre celebrating 45 years since the musical’s Broadway debut.
Jesus Christ Superstar is set against the backdrop of an extraordinary series of events during the final weeks in the life of Jesus Christ, as seen through the eyes of Judas. Reflecting the rock roots that defined a generation, the legendary score includes ‘I Don’t Know How to Love Him’, ‘Gethsemane’ and ‘Superstar’.
This production of Jesus Christ Superstar won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival and the 2016 Evening Standard Award for Best Musical, selling out two consecutive engagements in 2016 and 2017. The production played a West End engagement at the Barbican in 2019 before returning to Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre in concert version during the summer of 2020. The UK Tour runs in tandem with the hugely successful North America tour of the production which has to date played over 700 performances in over 90 venues since the tour opened in October 2019.
The 2023-2024 UK Tour of Jesus Christ Superstar is produced by David Ian for Crossroads Live and Work Light Productions. The original production was produced by London's Regent's Park Open Air Theatre.
Jesus Christ Superstar will visit Birmingham Hippodrome from Monday 22 – Saturday 27 April 2024. Tickets can be booked at www.birminghamhippodrome.com or by calling 0844 338 5000*
*0844 calls will cost you 4.5p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge.
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