Heaven On Their Minds

Austin premieres 50th anniversary tour of legendary Jesus Christ Superstar

Hot on the heels of the Grammy-winning live TV special starring John Legend and Sara Bareilles, a North American tour of the musical Jesus Christ Superstar has been announced — and it kicks off in Austin.

The 50th anniversary tour will play Bass Concert Hall October 8-13, 2019, before heading out to 70 other markets across the country. Those other cities, like casting for the rock opera, haven't been announced yet, but the producers did release a music video (below) to help stoke excitement.

"Theater fans across the world have been listening to Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's iconic music for 50 years, and this spectacular new production is the perfect way to celebrate this milestone," says Lauren Reid, COO of The John Gore Organization, in a release. "Broadway Across America, along with our partners at Texas Performing Arts, are proud to launch this tour at Bass Concert Hall, giving Austin audiences the first chance to experience this classic music live on stage."

This touring production got its start in 2016 at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in London, winning the Olivier Award for best musical revival and later transferring to Lyric Opera of Chicago and London's Barbican Theatre.

2019 marks 50 years since Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's concept album was released, detailing the final weeks in the life of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of Judas and employing a rock opera score that includes such iconic songs as "I Don't Know How to Love Him," "Gethsemane," "What's the Buzz," "Everything's Alright," and "Superstar."

"Dropping the needle on that iconic brown album was a defining moment for me as a kid growing up in the '70s," says producer Stephen Gabriel. "This production of Superstar embodies all of the power and excitement captured in that music."

Helmed by acclaimed director Timothy Sheader and cutting-edge choreographer Drew McOnie, the production's additional creative team includes set and costume design by 2016 Tony Award nominee Tom Scutt, lighting design by Lee Curran, and music supervision by Tom Deering.

The national tour of Jesus Christ Superstar will start in Austin.

Photo by Evan Zimmerman, MurphyMade

The national tour of Jesus Christ Superstar will start in Austin.

New

Historic Austin museum will close for more than a year for restoration

Photo courtesy of the City of Austin

The Elisabet Ney Museum will close at the end of 2024 and reopen in mid-2026.

Every building needs some maintenance here or there, and the historic Elisabet Ney Museum needs some extra-special care. Formerly the art studio and residence of its namesake, it's been standing since 1892. It'll spend 2025 in relative solitude, as it undergoes renovation for a year and a half with no visitors allowed.

The museum will close to the public December 30, 2024, and open again in the summer of 2026 if all goes according to plan, a news release from the City of Austin shares. It'll be a quiet period compared to the 21,000 people visiting from around the world each year.

According to a museum overview on the city's website, Elisabet Ney, a European portrait sculptor, bought the property and called her new studio Formosa. She worked on sculptures depicting important Texans like Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston, and collected works of European contemporaries.

The building at 304 East 44th St. includes 3,700 square feet of museum space, which was converted by Ney's friends after her death in 1907. It retains its unique look that juxtaposes a Neo-Classical main studio from 1892 with a later addition from 1902 including a tower for her husband, Edmund, to write in. It is also on 2.5 acres of land, which has largely been restored to its natural state with native species.

A press release lists these tasks (verbatim) within the scope of the new work, referred to as the Capital Improvement Project (CIP):

Restoration of original exterior wood doors and windows
Upgrades and replacement of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system
Replacement of the exhibit and general lighting systems
Repairs to the roof, masonry, plumbing, and interior finishes.

There will also be work to do outside of the building. Workers will replace the pedestrian bridge across Waller Creek, stabilize a 20,000-square-foot portion of the bank, and make the grounds more accessible by adding new pathways.

Funding comes from several sources, according to a release: "the 2012 Bond, Proposition 14, the Parkland Dedication Fund, the Historic Preservation Fund, Partners in Preservation through the National Trust, and contributions from the Friends of the Elisabet Ney Museum."

museums galleries history texas