Following huge acclaim and sold-out seasons in London as well as an extensive tour of North America, the Olivier Award-winning reimagined production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s celebrated musical Jesus Christ Superstar will arrive in Australia later this year.
Produced by John Frost and David Ian for Crossroads Live, in association with Work Light Productions, this celebrated rock musical will open in November 2024 at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre, where the original Australian production began in 1972, ahead of a national tour. Auditions for the cast will begin shortly.
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.
Producer John Frost said:
“I am thrilled to be bringing this award-winning production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s much loved musical JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR to Australia this year. Australia has deep affection for this show, from the original concept album which was played in every household, to the original production starring Trevor White and Jon English, through to the sold out-arena performances starring John Farnham as Jesus.
“Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre has created a fresh and bold new version of a beloved classic which will enthrall both longtime fans of the show and delight those seeing it for the very first time.”
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. The original Australian production opened at the Capitol Theatre Sydney in May 1972, followed by seasons at the Palais Theatre, Melbourne and other cities, playing for more than 700 performances. 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 for 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. An Australian arena tour featuring John Farnham, Jon Stevens, Kate Ceberano, Angry Anderson, Russell Morris and John Waters toured Australia in 1992 to sell-out performances.
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.
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