Picture: Johan Persson
Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre will be among the first major theatres to welcome back audiences by staging 70 live performances in August and September 2020 including a special concert version of the venue’s multi-award-winning production of Jesus Christ Superstar.
Running for six weeks from 14 August until 27 September, Jesus Christ Superstar: The Concert will feature alongside a series of one-off comedy shows under the title MOREoutdoor Mondays.
Announcing the programme which will employ a total of 140 people including 70 performers and freelancers, executive director William Village said: “Following the government’s announcement last week that outdoor theatres may reopen, we have been working around the clock to find a way to open in August and September this year.
“With social distancing, seating capacity has been dramatically reduced to 390 seats (down from 1,256). This makes producing any large-scale show economically extremely challenging, particularly as we are an unfunded organisation. Nevertheless, both for us as a venue, and the industry as a whole, we believe it is incumbent upon us to do everything possible to reopen this year, and we’re delighted to announce this special concert staging of our award-winning production of Jesus Christ Superstar.
“Of course, the safety of our audience, performers and staff remains of paramount importance to us. We will follow government guidance meticulously; measures to be introduced at the entirely open air venue include: reduced capacity, distanced performers, enhanced cleaning, one-way systems, mandatory face coverings, temperature checks, paperless and cashless systems and multiple hand sanitiser stations. All information will be set out clearly on our website and communicated with audiences in advance of their arrival.”
With the popular venue reopening at 30% of its usual capacity, tickets are likely to be at a premium when public booking opens for Jesus Christ Superstar: The Concert at 11am on 21 July with public booking for MOREoutdoor Mondays opening at 11am on 23 July.
Following on from two sell-out runs at the Open Air Theatre, the audience and crowd-pleasing original production of Jesus Christ Superstar played successful seasons at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and London’s Barbican before embarking on a three-year tour of North America.
With casting to be announced soon, the concert version of the show will feature the original creative team led by the show’s director, the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s artistic director Timothy Sheader. Design is by Tom Scutt, with choreography by Drew McOnie, musical supervision by Tom Deering, lighting design by Lee Curran and sound design by Nick Lidster for Autograph. Barbara Houseman is the production’s associate director, voice and text, Kate Waters is the fight director, Denzel Westley Sanderson will co-direct and casting is by Will Burton.
Commenting on the production, Sheader said: “It has been, and continues to be, an incredibly challenging time for everyone working in the theatre industry. Whilst the arts sector awaits details of how the government’s support package will be disseminated, I’m heartened that we have been able to start work again with a number of our colleagues and to employ over 140 people including 70 performers and freelancers, at least for a brief period this summer.
“However, a clear and specific timeframe for the re-opening of the rest of our industry, together with the complete and safe removal of social distancing measures in all venues, remains critical to secure the future of the arts in the UK.”
The Regent’s Park production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s much-loved musical was a spectacular success when it debuted in 2016. The production went on to win the Evening Standard Award for Best Musical and the Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival. It also received a further five Olivier Award nominations, for Best Theatre Choreography, Best Lighting, Best Sound, Outstanding Achievement in Music and Best Actor in a Musical (for Tyrone Huntley).
Jesus Christ Superstar: The Concert is produced by William Village and Timothy Sheader for Regent’s Park Theatre Ltd by special arrangement with The Really Useful Group Limited.
Magic Radio’s Magic at the Musicals will be celebrating Jesus Christ Superstar: The Concert with a day dedicated to the music from the show on 24 July.
The MOREoutdoor Mondays series will begin with Rob Beckett on 17 August. The series will also include shows featuring Russell Brand, Jimmy Carr, Kerry Godliman, Judi Love and Russell Kane. Mischief Theatre, the award-winning company behind hits including The Play That Goes Wrong, will present Mischief Movie Night on 31 August. The series will also include an all-star comedy fundraiser Canned Laughter. Presented by Berk’s Nest, the show on 7 September will raise money for London’s food banks.
As previously announced Regent’s Park Open Air Theatres 2020 productions, including the newly commissioned musical 101 Dalmatians and Rodgers and Hammerstein classic Carousel, have been rescheduled for the summer of 2021.
Angela Thomas
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