Jesus Christ Superstar to Play Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre in London This Summer

Praise be! Following the announcement that outdoor performances in the U.K. can resume with a limited and socially distanced audience due to COVID-19 guidelines, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre will be the first London theater to welcome back audiences a special concert staging of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar in August and September. The six-week run will open on August 14.

In addition to new safety protocols, the venue has been reduced to 390 seats—30 percent of its usual capacity. Timothy Sheader will direct the production, which will be choreographed by Drew McOnie. Casting will be announced later.

"Of course, the safety of our audience, performers and staff remains of paramount importance to us,” said Executive Director William Village in a statement. "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 sanitizer stations. All information will be set out clearly on our website and communicated with audiences in advance of their arrival"

In addition to this special concert presentation, all productions originally scheduled for 2020 have been postponed to summer 2021. Up first will be the new musical 101 Dalmatians (May 15 – June 20, 2021); tuner is based on Dodie Smith’s iconic story set in the heart of Regent’s Park, with a book by Zinnie Harris and music and lyrics by Douglas Hodge. This will be followed by Romeo and Juliet (June 26 – July 24) and then Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel (July 30 – September 18).