Celebrated rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar will take to the Gaiety Theatre stage this month with support from SMP Partners.

The leading corporate service provider is not only sponsoring Douglas Choral Union’s production of the popular musical, it is also supplying two cast members!

The show runs from 15th to 23rd April and will be a chance for Isle of Man audiences to see the iconic Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. The highly respected Tony Finnegan, who brought the previous DCU hit My Fair Lady to the Gaiety stage in 2011, once again takes the helm as director.

Jesus Christ Superstar tells the story of the last seven days in the life of Jesus through an extraordinary, ground-breaking score. As compelling today as it was when it exploded onto the musical scene in 1971, Jesus Christ Superstar features some of musical theatre’s most well-known songs, including I Don’t Know How to Love Him, Everything’s Alright, Gethsemane and, of course, Superstar.

Lloyd Webber’s original ‘Superstar’ musical has become a global phenomenon, recently enjoying another star-studded tour and a high profile TV show tie-in where it was reimagined as a rock spectacular, selling out major arenas.

Joining the cast will be Nick Saunders from SMP’s Trust team, as well as Managing Director Mark Denton.

Mark said: ‘SMP Partners has been supporting musical theatre in the Isle of Man for several years, sponsoring recent shows like The Wizard of Oz, Miss Saigon, The Phantom of the Opera, and many more. These productions not only give Manx audiences the opportunity to enjoy the hit shows here in our own beautiful theatre but are also a chance for people to get involved, whether it is on stage or behind-the-scenes. They bring together a wide range of people with a diverse set of talents and allow them to develop skills, build confidence and understand the value of teamwork.

‘The shows we have helped local amateur groups put on have been spectacular, both in terms of performance and staging. In fact, as a fan of musical theatre, I have found the commitment infectious and was inspired to audition for Superstar. This has allowed me to see first-hand the amount of work that goes into each show, how everyone has the common aim of staging the best show they can, and the outstanding talent this Island has.

On 20th April, SMP Partners will host a corporate night at the show with a bucket collection taking place for the company’s Charity of the Year Crossroads Young Carers.

DCU Chairman Tony Jones said: ‘With the generous assistance of SMP Partners we are able to bring the Isle of Man public the high quality theatre productions that have become synonymous with Douglas Choral Union. Everyone is looking forward to Jesus Christ Superstar and I’d like to thank SMP for the continued support.’

Jesus Christ Superstar runs at the Gaiety Theatre from April 15th to the 23rd. Tickets, priced from ?23, are available by calling 600555, visiting the Welcome Centre or Villa Marina box office or online at www.villagaiety.com.