Nicholas famously created the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Jesus Christ Superstar, a role he returned to in 1992 when he co-produced a 20th anniversary concert tour and recording of the show. Nicholas will co-produce Jekyll. After running on Broadway for 1,543 performances — with a production whose leading men included David Hasselhoff, Robert Cuccioli, Jack Wagner and Sebastian Bach — Jekyll and Hyde has been seen in various countries. Other planned productions in 2004 include runs in Budapest (at the Stefanian, with performances on April 24 and 25 and May 30); Victoria, Australia (at the Nunawading Whitehorse Centre between Oct. 15 and 30); and Houston, Texas (where The Theatre Under The Stars, which co-produced the first American tour of the show, is presenting a tenth anniversary production from April 22 until May 9). A production in Cologne, Germany, has seen its run extended and is now due to close on April 25, after running for 13 months.

The Paul Nicholas production will play London in early 2005. Before that, however, a warm-up UK tour is scheduled, during which the show will visit Eastbourne (Aug. 24–Sept. 4), Dartford (Sept. 6–11), Sheffield (Sept. 13 for a week), Glasgow (Sept. 27–Oct. 2), Wimbledon (Oct. 4–9), Hull (Oct. 1 for a week), Manchester (Oct. 19–23), Malvern (Oct. 25 for a week), Edinburgh (Nov. 1 for a week), Liverpool (Nov. 8 for a week), Birmingham (Nov. 15 for a week) and High Wycombe (Nov. 22 for a week).

Wildhorn is busy at the moment, and heavily into the world of Victorian Gothic horror.Not only is Jekyll set to reach London, his Dracula is being readied for Broadway’s Belasco Theatre, with an opening set for Aug. 5 (previews from July 12). The show has lyrics by Don Black, it’s directed by Des McAnuff and Tom Hewitt is to play the vamp.