Jesus Christ Superstar with Sam Ryder releases London Palladium rehearsal photos

Rehearsal photos have been released ahead of Jesus Christ Superstar’s summer run at The London Palladium.

The show tells the story of the final weeks of Jesus’s life, focusing on his relationship with Judas Iscariot and the political and emotional tensions surrounding his crucifixion.

It premiered on Broadway in 1971, with a West End premiere the following year. It was last seen in London at the Barbican Theatre in 2019, with a regional tour in 2024.

After its summer season, the production will play at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Find out more about that here.

Set to star at the Palladium is Sam Ryder, making his official West End debut in the role of Jesus. Joining him are Tyrone Huntley, playing Judas, Desmonda Cathabel playing Mary and David Thaxton as Pilate. Huntley and Thaxton previously starred in the open-air production of the show in Regent’s Park in 2016.

Sharing the role of Herod will be five performers across the run – Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Richard Armitage, Boy George, Layton Williams and Julian Clary.

Joining them will be Bob Harms as Caiaphas, Matty J as Annas, Billy Nevers as Simon/Alternate Judas, and Phil King as Peter. Nevers will play Judas on Wednesdays from 8 July.

The company is completed by Koko Alexandra (also Soul Singer), Jasmine Jules Andrews, Courtney Arango, Amy Barker, Alistair Beattie, Daniel Bowskill, Jahlil M Burke, Martha Burton, Marcelo Cervone, Sarah Freer (also Soul Singer), Sebastian Goffin, Alexander Kranz, Owen Lloyd, Milo McCarthy, Dan Moore, Cherece Richards (also Soul Singer), Kyle Richardson, Olivia Saunders, Toyan Thomas-Browne, Charley Warburton (also Mob Leader), and Lillie-Pearl Wildman.

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Tim Sheader will direct the show. The creative team also includes choreographer Drew McOnie, designer Tom Scutt, musical supervisor Tom Deering (Standing at the Sky’s Edge), lighting designer Lee Curran (A Streetcar Named Desire), sound designer Adam Fisher (Sunset Boulevard), wigs, hair and make-up designers Sam Cox and Maria Johal, fight director Kate Waters (Othello) and casting by Grindrod Burton Casting.

The original London production ran for over eight years from 1972. By the time it closed, after 3,358 performances, it had become the longest-running musical in West End history at that time.

The show runs from 20 June to 5 September at The London Palladium.