Donald Rice will direct dad Tim Rice's Jesus Christ Superstar at the REV Theatre Company in Auburn, New York, later this year.
The musical, featuring lyrics by Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, will be presented May 28-June 17 at the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse. Phil Colgan will choreograph with musical direction by Alexander Tom. Casting will be announced at a later date.
Donald Rice, a London-based writer, director, and producer, has previously collaborated on a number of projects with his father including From Here to Eternity, which The REV premiered and produced in 2016. Additional credits include the feature film Cheerful Weather for the Wedding (with Mary Henely Magill) and the short films I Am Bob (starring Bob Geldof) and Traffic Warden (starring David Tennant). He produced Blondel at the Union Theatre and Tim Rice: A Life in Song for BBC Television. He is currently adapting Eva Rice鈥檚 novel The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets for Moonage Pictures.
In a statement director Rice said, 鈥淚'm absolutely delighted to be returning to Auburn and The REV. It's been 10 years since I was last there when I was working on our outstanding production of From Here to Eternity, and I'm absolutely delighted and honored to be directing their production of Jesus Christ Superstar. It's a particular thrill because this musical has a very big place in my heart and my family's heart. It's the ultimate shape-shifting musical: It's a concept album, it's a rock opera, but it's also such a fluid and dynamic show that each production, each director, each cast brings something fresh and new. I'm very, very excited to be working at The REV again and I can't wait to get going.鈥�
Tim Rice added, 鈥淚'm more than delighted that my son Donald is directing Jesus Christ Superstar for The REV. He's directed and produced quite a few works on film and stage in the U.K., so I'm confident the 55 year-old rock opera (considerably older than him) is in very safe hands.鈥�
Jesus Christ Superstar, initially released as a concept album in 1970, premiered on Broadway in 1971 and was nominated for five Tony Awards, including Best Original Score for Lloyd Webber and Rice. The show was subsequently revived in 1977, 2000, and 2012. A long-running London production debuted in 1972.
Norman Jewison directed the 1973 film version starring Ted Neeley, Carl Anderson, and Yvonne Elliman. NBC's Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert premiered in April 2018 with John Legend, Sara Bareilles, Brandon Victor Dixon, Norm Lewis, and more.
Jesus Christ Superstar is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of The Really Useful Group.
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Yvonne Elliman, Jeff Fenholt in the original 1971 Broadway production
