Jesus Christ Superstar, the enduring rock opera from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, continues its 50th anniversary celebration with a North American tour that stops for eight performances at the Royal Theatre in January.
Tickets to the musical, which runs Jan. 2-7, go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. through the Royal McPherson box office. Seats are expected to be an extremely hot commodity, which has resulted in a blog post on the theatre’s website featuring tips on how patrons can prepare for the ticket-buying process.
Those interested in attending the award-winning performance are asked to enter the online queue at 9:30 a.m., as tickets will be offered on a best-available basis. Guests will not be able to select specific seats.
There’s good reason for the advance concern. A large-scale production of the rock opera has not been staged in Victoria since 2010. Franz Lehrbass, executive director of the Royal & McPherson Theatres Society, said he expects the hit musical “will draw audiences from across Vancouver Island and beyond.”
Jesus Christ Superstar is the latest production from Broadway in Victoria, which brought musicals Mamma Mia!, Stomp, Chicago, and Jersey Boys to the city in recent years. The company’s most recent production, the Tony Award-winning musical Come From Away, sold more than 24,000 tickets during its record-breaking two-week run in May — the most for a single show in the Royal Theatre’s 110-year history.
The version of Jesus Christ Superstar headed to Victoria is an Olivier Award-winning production from Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre in London. Following its 2016 debut, the show extended its run into Lyric Opera of Chicago in 2018, followed by a North American Tour, which continues today. The upcoming 90-minute spectacle is helmed by veteran British director Timothy Sheader and stars U.S. performer Jack Hopewell as Jesus, Elvie Ellis as Judas, and Jaden Dominique as Mary.
Featuring crossover pop hits such as Superstar and I Don’t Know How to Love Him, Jesus Christ Superstar is one of the most popular rock operas in history. The original stage version produced a chart-topping soundtrack in 1970, in addition to an Oscar-nominated film by Norman Jewison in 1973. Jesus Christ Superstar has immense crossover appeal, and often attracts patrons not normally attuned to Broadway productions.
“These shows are a great way to engage our community and introduce new generations to the performing arts and live entertainment,” Lehrbass said.
For more information, phone 250-386-6121 or visit BroadwayInVictoria.com
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