JESUS Christ Superstar, the stellar 1970 rock opera movie and Broadway hit, is slated for Jamaica during the Easter season.

The show is expected to play at the Iberostar Rose Hall hotel in Montego Bay from April 13-14. It moves to Kingston on May 18 and 19 at the Courtleigh Auditorium.

A media launch is planned for Hard Rock Cafe in Montego Bay on Thursday. Playwright/director David Tulloch is director for the project.

“It’s iconic to have a Broadway musical of this nature here in Jamaica. Jesus Christ Superstar is (one of) Andrew Lloyd Webber’s biggest hits and it’s still doing the rounds today,” Tulloch told the Jamaica Observer yesterday. “To be part of this project is an honour.”

According to the director, sisters Jody-Marie and Sheri-Lee Smith of First Dance Studios and Montego Bay businessman Andre Dixon, purchased the license to stage the musical locally.

Tulloch was tight-lipped about the cast.

“We are assembling an extremely talented cast,” he said. “Things could, however, change by Thursday. But what I can say is that it’s gonna be great and colourful… one for the books,” he said.

In a media release, Smith said,

“We have an immense amount of talent in Jamaica and in particular within the west, so there is absolutely no need to look outside of local soil to execute a world-class production, and we aim to prove this.”

Tulloch is a multiple Actor Boy Award-winning playwright. His plays include Not My Child, Bad Breed, Jamaica Sweet and At The Barricade (Les Miserables).

The Actor Boy Award recognises excellence in Jamaican theatre.

With music by Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice, Jesus Christ Superstar is a masterpiece. The story is based on th e Bible’s account of the last week of Jesus Christ’s life, beginning with preparation for his arrival along with his disciples in Jerusalem, and ending with his crucifixion. It also depicts political and interpersonal struggles between Jesus and Judas Iscariot that are not in the Bible.