Sam Ryder to Lead Jesus Christ Superstar at Theatre Royal Plymouth on UK Tour

Eurovision star Sam Ryder will bring Jesus Christ Superstar to Theatre Royal Plymouth as part of a major UK tour of the hit musical.

Ryder, who finished runner-up for the United Kingdom at the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest, will play the title role in the celebrated Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical. The tour will arrive in Plymouth from Tuesday, August 3, to Saturday, August 14, 2027.

The new tour follows the production’s West End run, with Ryder appearing at the London Palladium through September before moving with the show to Theatre Royal Drury Lane from October to January.

Producer Michael Harrison said the team was delighted to take the production around the country after an enthusiastic response from London audiences. He said the reaction to the show’s first performance at the London Palladium showed the enduring power of the musical, adding that regional audiences would now have the chance to experience it.

Jesus Christ Superstar retells the final days of Jesus through a rock opera score that includes songs such as “I Don’t Know How to Love Him,” “Gethsemane” and “Superstar.” Since its original stage success, the musical has become one of Lloyd Webber and Rice’s most recognisable works, returning regularly in major revivals and touring productions.

Ryder rose to international fame with his Eurovision performance of “Space Man,” which earned the UK its best result in years. Since then, he has continued to build a career across music and live performance, with his move into musical theatre marking a new chapter for the singer.

The Plymouth engagement will give audiences in the South West the chance to see Ryder in one of musical theatre’s most demanding leading roles when the tour arrives in 2027.

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