Jesus Christ Superstar

Jesus Christ Superstar comes to the Sunderland Empire from 14 to 18 September 2027, with Sam Ryder taking the role of Jesus. It's a one-week stop on a UK tour that opens at Manchester Palace Theatre in February 2027, so there are only a handful of performances to catch it in.

For those who know it, Jesus Christ Superstar is the rock opera Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice wrote back in the day, and this is the acclaimed West End production of it. It played the London Palladium from 20 June to 5 September 2026, then moved to the Theatre Royal Drury Lane from 16 October 2026 to 9 January 2027, before heading out on the road. The score still holds the numbers you'll recognise, like 'Everything's Alright', 'Gethsemane' and 'Superstar'.

This version frames the story as a retelling that looks at struggles and political themes not found in the Bible, with ironic allusions to modern life. Judas is cast as a tragic antihero, and the whole thing is directed by Tim Sheader, with choreography by Drew McOnie and design by Tom Scutt. Sam Ryder takes on the role of Jesus for the first time in the show, a performance producer Michael Harrison described as 'electrifying'.

Tickets start from £16.50, available through ATG Tickets, and the run is just the one week from 14 to 18 September.