For centuries the English city of Newcastle was a hard-scrabble industrial powerhouse that built ships. It was also the hometown of the rock musician Sting, who as a young man witnessed the city’s shipbuilding business dry up. He’s paid homage to his town’s heritage by writing and starring in a musical, “The Last Ship,” which he’s now taking on an international tour. He talks with Mark Phillips about his long career, and why he can’t stop working.
