Sam Ryder to star as Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar at The Bristol Hippodrome
Posted on: 23 Jun 2026Jesus Christ Superstar arrives at The Bristol Hippodrome from 19-23 October 2027 and Sam Ryder has been confirmed to play Jesus.
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Michael Harrison for Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals is today delighted to announce Jesus Christ Superstar will tour the UK following the conclusion of its West End engagements at The London Palladium (now playing until Saturday 5 September 2026) and Theatre Royal Drury Lane (Friday 16 October 2026 to Saturday 9 January 2027). Sam Ryder brings his highly anticipated take on the iconic role of Jesus to theatres across the UK for the first time. The tour will begin at the Palace Theatre Manchester from Thursday 11 to Saturday 27 February 2027.
Following Manchester the production will go on to visit Cardiff (Wales Millennium Centre); Newcastle (Theatre Royal); Edinburgh (Playhouse); Oxford (New Theatre Oxford); Norwich (Norwich Theatre Royal); Southend (Cliffs Pavilion); Blackpool (Winter Gardens); Birmingham (Hippodrome); Belfast (Grand Opera House); Bradford (Alhambra); Nottingham (Theatre Royal); Woking (Theatre); Milton Keynes (Theatre); Plymouth (Theatre Royal Plymouth); Glasgow (King’s Theatre); Southampton (Mayflower Theatre); Sunderland (Empire); Liverpool (Empire); Aberdeen (His Majesty’s Theatre); Hull (New Theatre) and Bristol (Hippodrome).
Producer Michael Harrison said
“We are absolutely delighted that Jesus Christ Superstar will embark on a major UK tour following the phenomenal response to this extraordinary new production. The tremendous buzz generated by Saturday night’s first performance at The London Palladium underlines just how special this iconic musical remains, and we are thrilled that audiences across the country will now have the opportunity to experience Tim Sheader’s visionary staging, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s legendary score, and Sam Ryder’s electrifying performance.
This is fantastic news for touring theatre and audiences throughout the UK, ensuring that this remarkable production can be enjoyed by many more people following our seasons at The London Palladium and Theatre Royal Drury Lane.”
Full casting will be announced at a later date.
Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic global phenomenon is directed by Tim Sheader with choreography by Olivier Award-winner Drew McOnie and design by Tony and Olivier Award-winner Tom Scutt. Reuniting the creative team of the 2016 production to create a unique staging of their Olivier award-winning, worldwide smash-hit production. The production which was originally created and produced at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, heads out on a tour of the UK following an 11-week season at The London Palladium and a 12-week season at Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
Jesus Christ Superstar follows the events of the last days of 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 the iconic title number ‘Superstar’.
Originally released as an album, Jesus Christ Superstar opened on Broadway in 1971, at the Mark Hellinger Theatre, where it was nominated for five Tony Awards including Best Original Score. 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.
Joining Tim Sheader, choreographer Drew McOnie and designer Tom Scutt on the creative team are musical supervisor Tom Deering, lighting designer Lee Curran, sound designer Adam Fisher, wigs, hair and makeup designers Sam Cox & Maria Johal, fight director Kate Waters and casting directors Grindrod Burton Casting.
Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals’ recent productions include the smash hit double Olivier-Award winning Evita at The London Palladium last summer which transfers to Broadway in spring 2027, the seven-time Olivier-Award and three-time Tony-Award winning revival of SUNSET BLVD. and the award-winning Starlight Express, which will embark on a World Tour in spring 2027 after recently concluding its London run. They have just opened CATS: The Jellicle Ball on Broadway to huge critical acclaim and three Tony-Award wins; and this summer bring a brand-new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s global sensation CATS to Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre ahead of a major UK Tour.
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