Jesus Christ Superstar will embark on a UK and Ireland tour in 2027, with singer Sam Ryder taking on the role of Jesus. This new production follows successful runs in London and reteams the creative team behind the acclaimed 2016 Regent’s Park staging.

The 2027 tour of Jesus Christ Superstar will open at Manchester’s Palace Theatre on 11 February before visiting venues across the UK and Ireland. Sam Ryder, known for his music career, has been confirmed as Jesus for this production featuring Andrew Lloyd Webber’s music and Tim Rice’s lyrics.

This staging reunites director Tim Sheader, choreographer Drew McOnie, and designer Tom Scutt, who previously collaborated on the 2016 Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre production. The creative team also includes musical supervisor Tom Deering, lighting designer Lee Curran, and sound designer Adam Fisher.

Additional production roles include wigs, hair and makeup designers Sam Cox and Maria Johal, fight director Kate Waters, and casting directors Grindrod Burton Casting. The musical explores the final days of Jesus Christ through Judas’s perspective and includes iconic songs such as “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” and “Superstar”.

The tour follows the current London Palladium run, which continues until 5 September 2026, and a subsequent engagement at Theatre Royal Drury Lane from October 2026 to January 2027. Producer Michael Harrison said the tour responds to the “phenomenal” audience reaction and aims to bring the production to wider audiences outside London.

Jesus Christ Superstar was originally released as a concept album before its 1971 Broadway premiere, with the original London production running for more than eight years. Casting beyond Sam Ryder has yet to be announced.