STAR LINE UP OF KING HERODS ANNOUNCED FOR TIM RICE AND ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
AT THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE
MATT BOMER (16 – 31 Oct)
ROB BRYDON (2 – 7 Nov)
REECE SHEARSMITH (9 – 14 Nov)
BOB THE DRAG QUEEN (16 – 21 Nov)
MICHAEL BALL (23 Nov – 5 Dec)
SIMON RUSSELL BEALE (7 – 12 Dec)
OMID DJALILI (14 – 19 Dec)
LAYTON WILLIAMS (21 Dec – 2 Jan)
Joining Sam Ryder as Jesus
for a strictly limited season at Theatre Royal Drury Lane from
Friday 16 October 2026 to Saturday 9 January 2027
following summer season at The London Palladium from
Saturday 20 June to Saturday 5 September 2026
london.jesuschristsuperstar.com
Friday 19 June, London, 2pm: Michael Harrison for Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals is today thrilled to announce further casting for Jesus Christ Superstar at Theatre Royal Drury Lane this autumn. Joining Sam Ryder as Jesus are an all-star line-up of King Herods. They are Matt Bomer from 16 – 31 October; Rob Brydon from 2 – 7 November; Reece Shearsmith from 9 – 14 November; Bob The Drag Queen from 16 – 21 November; Michael Ball from 23 November – 5 December; Simon Russell Beale from 7 – 12 December; Omid Djalili from 14 – 19 December; and Layton Williams from 21 December 2026 to 2 January 2027, who returns to the stage having played 2 weeks at The London Palladium in August. One final King is to be announced for the final week of performances (4 to 9 January 2027).
Jesus Christ Superstar begins preview performances at The London Palladium this week and plays for 11 weeks from Saturday 20 June to Saturday 5 September 2026 with an opening night scheduled for 7 July. The production has extended performances for a limited 12-week engagement at Theatre Royal Drury Lane from Friday 16 October 2026 to Saturday 9 January 2027. Tickets are available via london.jesuschristsuperstar.com.
Matt Bomer is a Golden Globe Award-winning, Emmy Award-nominated actor. He is known for his role as charismatic con artist Neal Caffrey in the hit series White Collar, and for his acclaimed performance in Fellow Travelers. His theatre work includes the Broadway production of The Boys in the Band. Jesus Christ Superstar marks Bomer’s West End debut.
Rob Brydon MBE is an Award-winning actor, comedian and presenter. He is best known for his role as Uncle Bryn in Gavin and Stacey and as host of the comedy panel show Would I Lie to You? He has also starred alongside Steve Coogan in the celebrated series The Trip.
Reece Shearsmith is a BAFTA Award-winning actor, writer and comedian, best known as a member of The League of Gentlemen. He co-created and starred in Psychoville and the nine-series BAFTA Award-winning anthology Inside No. 9. His stage credits include Ghost Stories and the stage adaptation of Inside No. 9 – Stage/Fright.
Bob The Drag Queen / Caldwell Tidicue is an Award-winning comedian, actor and drag performer. Best known for winning Season 8 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, where he was crowned America’s Next Drag Superstar. He co-hosts HBO’s We’re Here and the acclaimed podcast Sibling Rivalry with Monét X Change. Bob made his Broadway debut earlier this year as Harold Zidler in Moulin Rouge! The Musical.
Michael Ball OBE is a double Olivier Award-winning singer, actor and broadcaster. He won the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performances as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray and in the title role of Sweeney Todd. He originated the role of Marius in Les Misérables and Alex in Aspects of Love, the latter of which he also performed on Broadway.
Sir Simon Russell Beale is one of the UK’s most distinguished actors, with three Olivier Awards, two BAFTAs, one Tony Award and a knighthood for services to drama to his name. His screen work includes: The Death of Stalin, Mary Queen of Scots and The Choral.
Omid Djalili is an Award-winning comedian and actor. His film credits include Gladiator, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and The Mummy. His theatre work includes starring as Fagin in Oliver! at Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
Layton Williams is an Olivier Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated actor, singer and dancer, celebrated for his performances in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Cabaret and Titanique, the latter earning him an Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical in 2025 and a Tony Award-nomination in 2026. He is also widely known for reaching the final of Strictly Come Dancing and for his role as Stephen in TV series Bad Education.
Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic global phenomenon is directed by Tim Sheader with choreography by Olivier Award-winner Drew McOnie and design by Tony and Olivier Award-winner Tom Scutt. This reunites the creative team of the 2016 production 10 years on to create a unique staging of their Olivier award-winning, worldwide smash-hit production. The production which was originally created and produced at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, will play a limited 11-week season at The London Palladium followed by a 12-week season at Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
Jesus Christ Superstar follows the events of the last days of the life of Jesus Christ, as seen through the eyes of Judas. Reflecting the rock roots that defined a generation, the legendary score includes ‘I Don’t Know How to Love Him’, ‘Gethsemane’ and the iconic title number ‘Superstar’.
Originally released as an album, Jesus Christ Superstar opened on Broadway in 1971, at the Mark Hellinger Theatre, where it was nominated for five Tony Awards including Best Original Score. The original London production ran for over eight years. By the time it closed, after 3,358 performances, it had become the longest-running musical in West End history at that time.
Sam Ryder’s brand-new recordings of Gethsemane and What’s The Buzz? are now available to listen to on all streaming platforms. With lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the record was produced by music legend Fraser T. Smith (Adele, Raye, Dave) alongside Andrew Lloyd Webber and Sam Ryder, recorded live to tape at British Grove Studios earlier this year.
Joining director Tim Sheader, choreographer Drew McOnie and designer Tom Scutt on the creative team are musical supervisor Tom Deering,lighting designer Lee Curran, sound designer Adam Fisher, wigs, hair and makeup designers Sam Cox & Maria Johal, fight director Kate Waters and casting directors Grindrod Burton Casting.
Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals’ recent productions include the smash hit double Olivier-Award winning Evita at The London Palladium last summer which transfers to Broadway in spring 2027, the seven-time Olivier-Award and three-time Tony-Award winning revival of SUNSET BLVD. and the award-winning Starlight Express, which will embark on a World Tour in spring 2027 after recently concluding its London run. They have just opened CATS: The Jellicle Ball on Broadway to huge critical acclaim and three Tony-Award wins; and this summer bring a brand-new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s global sensation CATS to Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre ahead of a major UK Tour.
Michael Harrison for Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals presents the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre production by arrangement with LW Entertainment.