Updated Friday 4th May 2012:  We are thrilled to announce that Jason Donovan is set to appear in the cast of Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of The Worlds for The New Generation Tour. Jason returns as Parson Nathaniel, the disturbed holy man driven to insanity by the Martian invasion of earth.

West End star Kerry Ellis will play his wife Beth.  Also confirmed is Kaiser Chiefs’ Ricky Wilson in the role of The Artilleryman.  Hollywood star Liam Neeson will appear in the new production, for the first time, in the holographic role of The Journalist, taking over from Richard Burton’s iconic narration on the original album, and previous tours. 

Jason says “I am delighted and very excited to be going back on tour with The War of The Worlds and taking on the new role of Parson Nathaniel. The New Generation is going to have some fantastic effects and I, for one, can’t wait to see the 3D hologram of Liam Neeson! It’s going to be a whole new show and a whole new experience.”

In addition to a long career in TV, and chart success, Jason has starred in acclaimed productions of Jesus Christ Superstar, The Rocky Horror Show, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Sweeney Todd and Priscilla Queen of the Desert, before joining the tour of The War of The Worlds.

One of the most successful stage shows of recent times, Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, returns to the Motorpoint Arena Sheffield on Sunday 9th December 2012 with a new cast and another technological leap forward.

Ricky Wilson, fresh from a world tour with the Kaiser Chiefs will take on his first EVER performance role as The Artilleryman originally played by David Essex on Jeff Wayne’s classic recording. It is a new challenge for the rock star who grew up listening to Jeff’s album.

 

Sharing the stage, as Beth, is one of the most in demand talents in modern musical theatre - Kerry Ellis. Having received huge acclaim for her roles in West End hits Wicked and We Will Rock You, Kerry is described as the new “First Lady of the West End.” AND last week, she won a What’s On Stage Award for Best Solo performance for her Anthems project and has also recently released her debut album with Queen legend, Brian May. 

 

They will be joining one of the world’s finest actors, Liam Neeson, as The Journalist, taking up the ‘baton’ previously occupied by the late Richard Burton.  Liam’s 3D holograhic performance will be seen in three separate ways, including as the world’s first full body hologram, interacting with live performers on stage.

 ‘The New Generation’ of Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of The Worlds has been launched,  featuring a new interpretation of the classic recording followed by a major international arena tour commencing November 2012.

Internationally acclaimed actor Liam Neeson will be seen in 3D holography  as the story's narrator and leading a new cast.  Neeson will be seen in 3 ways: appearing as the first full body hologram seen on stage interacting with live actors, as an 11-foot high holographic head and shoulders hovering above the stage, and appearing within the 2-hour CGI  film projected onto the incredible 100 foot wide ‘animation wall’ which adds a true epic scale to the production.

After 33 years since its original release, Liam takes over from Richard Burton, whose holographic head had appeared in the show since 2006, using the original narration from Jeff Wayne's classic 1978 album, a sound that has lived long in the memory and deep in the psyche of generations who have heard it.

Over the years, Jeff was often asked how he would approach composing and producing The War of The Worlds in today’s world, rather than the era of the mid 1970s, when disco was king of the dance floor, punk was the revolutionary music of the day and science fiction was being re-discovered in the movies and on TV.

He always answered ‘why fix what isn’t broken?.’ He was proud of the Work and especially of all those who had contributed their varied talents to bring it to life - David Essex, Justin Hayward, Phil Lynott, Chris Thompson, Julie Covington, and of course, Richard Burton. What Jeff never predicted was the extraordinary life his musical interpretation of HG Wells’ visionary and dark Victorian tale would have.  Now some 33 years on and as Jeff approached his sixth year of touring   The War of The Worlds - Alive on Stage! and an animated feature film now in development, this same question kept returning.

 “After long consideration,” says Jeff, “I concluded that for future productions, some of HG Wells’ storylines and characters should be re-explored. It would also give me the chance to re-interpret my compositions with the production techniques of today, exciting from a musician’s point of view.

“But perhaps the greatest opportunity was revisiting the main character of George Herbert, The Journalist who ‘threads’ the story together. And while it may have been the greatest opportunity, it was also the hardest decision to make because I knew that with a re-developed storyline, a new Journalist would need to be sought as Richard Burton’s original performance, was finite.

“And whoever that person might turn out to be, he would have to be of no less stature and quality of voice than that of Richard – an incredibly tough act to follow.

But once again I have been fortunate, and have attracted Liam Neeson to these New Generation productions. He has, so-to-speak, been handed the ‘baton’ from Richard Burton, and I believe audiences and listeners alike will find Liam’s interpretation no less compelling.”

By good fortune, Liam is a huge fan of the original album, having purchased it when it was first released in 1978. And ironically, as the ‘new kid on the block’, he acted in a mini TV series on what turned out to be one of Richard Burton's last roles before his untimely passing.

Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of The Worlds has grown into a true classic, acquiring new generations of devoted followers since its original release.

For anyone of any age, The War of The Worlds – The New Generation is a unique double album and exciting arena show, not to be missed!

Tickets went on general sale Friday 25th November at 9am.

Tickets for Jeff Wayne's The War of The Worlds: The New Generation - Alive on Stage! at Motorpoint Arena on Sunday 9th December are available online at Sheffield Box Office, through the ticket hotline on to 0114 256 55 67 or in person at the Arena Box Office.

For more information about Motorpoint Arena click here.

For more information about how to get to Motorpoint Arena click here.