TIM MINCHIN TO PLAY ‘JUDAS ISCARIOT’, MELANIE C CONFIRMED AS ‘MARY MAGDALENE’ AND CHRIS MOYLES ANNOUNCED AS ‘KING HEROD’
THE PUBLIC TO CAST THE ROLE OF ‘JESUS’
16 May 2012
The Really Useful Group and AEG Live today announce the first ever UK arena tour of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s legendary rock classic Jesus Christ Superstar.
Award-winning musical comedian Tim Minchin – also the co-writer of West End smash musical Matilda – is confirmed for the role of ‘Judas Iscariot’. Three million album selling pop icon and former Spice Girl Melanie C will take the only female lead as ‘Mary Magdalene’, and BBC Radio 1’s Breakfast Show host Chris Moyles will make his major stage debut as ‘King Herod’, in what is set to be one of the biggest and most impressive arena tours to hit the UK.
The ITV primetime show ‘Superstar’ will give the UK public the chance to decide who will play the starring role of ‘Jesus’, with a panel of live show judges led by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Celebrating 40 years since it first opened in London’s West End, the Jesus Christ Superstar arena tour kicks off in London on 21 September before visiting Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester, Cardiff, Birmingham, Belfast, Dublin, Liverpool and Nottingham. The tour culminates in Sheffield on 21 October.
Tickets for the UK tour go on sale at 9.00am on Friday 18 May. Register now for Jesus Christ Superstar VIP Ticket Packages
Jesus Christ Superstar UK Tour Dates 2012
Friday 21 September London O2 Arena
Tuesday 25 September Glasgow SECC
Friday 28 September Newcastle Metro Radio Arena
Sunday 30 September Manchester Arena
Tuesday 2 October Cardiff Motorpoint
Thursday 4 October Birmingham NIA
Tuesday 9 October Belfast Odyssey
Friday 12 October Dublin O2
Tuesday 16 October Liverpool Echo Arena
Friday 19 October Nottingham Capital FM Arena
Sunday 21 October Sheffield Motorpoint
The show opened on 12th October 1971 at the Mark Hellinger Theatre, New York with the London production opening on 9th August 1972 with Paul Nicholas (Jesus), Stephen Tate (Judas) and Dana Gillespie (Mary Magdalene). By the time it closed, after some eight years and 3,358 performances, it had become the longest-running musical in West End history.
The recording of the score of the show, with Ian Gillan (Jesus), Murray Head (Judas) and Yvonne Elliman (Mary Magdalene), topped the American album charts three times.
Jesus Christ Superstar has been reproduced regularly around the world in the years since its first appearance, with performances including a series of vastly successful Harry M Miller staged concerts in Australia.
Currently Des McAnuff’s production of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR is currently playing on Broadway at the Broadway (Neil Simon Theatre) - New York
Since its Broadway debut, this spectacular musical phenomenon has thrilled millions of theatregoers worldwide: mesmerizing them with its passion, captivating them with its story and entrancing them with its anthemic title song. And now, two-time Tony Award®-winning director Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys, The Who's Tommy) brings a bold,new vision to the classic rock opera by Tony®, Grammy® and Academy Award® winners Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.
After winning rave reviews at The Stratford Shakespeare Festival and the La Jolla Playhouse, this thrilling new production of one of the most popular musicals of all time gets ready to rock Broadway like never before.
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Jesus Christ Superstar was the first musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice to be produced for the professional stage.