Upset Tim Rice Calls Andrew Lloyd Webber's Superstar TV Talent Hunt 'Tacky'

Tim Rice isn’t pleased to hear about writing partner Andrew Lloyd Webber’s latest reality casting show, Superstar, according to the Daily Mail. The reality competition, which will air on ITV, will cast the lead in an upcoming arena production of Webber and Rice’s rock musical Jesus Christ Superstar and Rice has been vocal with his disapproval. “I’ve had several meetings with Andrew and said that I don’t want this done, but now it appears it’s been signed and sealed,” he said.

Superstar will be Webber’s fifth foray into the reality casting world. He has previously found stars for West End productions of The Sound of Music, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Oliver! and The Wizard of Oz. While Rice is “fully behind an arena show,” he objects to using the reality show casting vehicle for this musical in particular. "Andrew wants to rehash things all the time, but I really don’t think Superstar needs that tasteless reality television treatment,” he said. “Those shows are relentlessly downmarket, which is fine if the show is a lightweight bit of fluff."

Rice elaborated on his qualms. "It opens up a lot of opportunities for spoofs and I think it would be ill-advised to have people voting for who should be Jesus," Rice said. "It’s just possible that it might be the most sophisticated, tasteful show hosted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, but I doubt it. It sounds tacky and I really don’t think Andrew should do it."

A separate production of Jesus Christ Superstar arrives at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre on March 1, starring Paul Nolan as the title messiah.