Andrew Lloyd Webber to find new Superstar
February 2, 2012
SOCIAL MEDIA ROUND-UP
Andrew Lloyd Webber has defected from the BBC to ITV for his next TV talent search, this time casting a Jesus and Judas for his new, arena production of Jesus Christ Superstar.
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Jesus Christ Superstar TV talent show
January 8, 2012
It’s no secret that Andrew Lloyd Webber was pretty excited about the new production of Jesus Christ Superstar mounted by the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Canada last year. The show then transferred to the La Jolla Playhouse in California and is now slated for Broadway, opening at the Neil Simon Theatre on 22 March starring Paul Nolan as Jesus and Josh Young as Judas.
Jesus Christ Superstar - coming to Broadway and now London?
But the Great Lord has other plans for the show.
Rumours of a London revival of this Des McAuff production have been circulating for a while, but The Sun has now broken the story that Lloyd Webber is defecting from the BBC to ITV to run another TV talent search, this time to find a Jesus and Judas for his new London production of Superstar.
Lloyd Webber’s TV talent searches have all been for the Beeb, most recently Over The Rainbow which resulted in Danielle Hope being cast in his multi-million pound production of The Wizard of Oz, still playing at the London Palladium.
But ITV is keen to poach Lloyd Webber for its own channel. ITV ran Grease talent search Grease Is The Word in 2007 to cast Danny in Sandy in David Ian’s Grease revival but it was a ratings flop. ITV’s head of programmes Peter Fincham is believed to consider a Lloyd Webber-fronted show would fare much better.
Rumours are also circulating that a UK tour of Lloyd Webb’er s1984 musical Starlight Express, which kicks off at the New Wimbledon Theatre on 10 May 2012 produced by Bill Kenwright, may also come into town at some point.
In other ALW news, excitement is mounting on Broadway for the Michael Grandage helmed production of Evita at the Marquis Theatre starring Ricky Martin and Elena Roger, which starts previews on 12 March 2012.
LINKS
Book tickets to Jesus Christ Superstar at the Neil Simon Theatre in New York
Book tickets to EVITA at the Marquis Theatre in New York
Book tickets to The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium in London
The Phantom of the Opera UK Tour – back to London?
January 5, 2012
Will Andrew Lloyd Webber’s brand new 25th anniversary tour of The Phantom of the Opera make it’s way back to London?
The Phantom of the Opera UK Tour
Cameron Mackintosh pulled off a hat trick for the Les Miserables 25th anniversary by featuring the original London production, the new UK touring production AND a special O2 Arena concert version in London all at the same time.
If the Phantom tour, directed by the Les Mis tour director Laurence Connor rather than the show’s original director Hal Prince, is successful, then maybe Mackintosh, who is the producer of Phantom, will be tempted to bring it in to town.
The Phantom tour kicks off at the Theatre Royal Plymouth in March 2012.
LINKS
Book tickets to The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London
The Phantom of the Opera UK tour website
The Wizard of Oz tickets special offer: Save £22.50 on tickets to see this smash-hit show
December 22, 2011
SPECIAL OFFER: Save up to £22.50 on tickets to see The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium
The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium
At last, we present our first ticket offer on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s major production of The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium. Starring Danielle Hope and Michael Crawford, Westendtheatre.com readers can save up to £22.50 off tickets to see the show this winter.
The multi-million pound production, which features songs from the Oscar-winning movie plus specially written new songs by Lloyd -Webber and Tim Rice, opened on 1 March 2011 and continues to delight audiences of all ages at the Palladium.
The show stars Danielle Hope, winner of the BBC talent show Over the Rainbow as Dorothy in the new production. Also starring in the show is theatre veteran Michael Crawford as The Wizard of Oz, Marianne Benedict (Crazy for You) as the Wicked Witch of the West, Paul Keating (Tommy) as Scarecrow, Edward Baker Duly (Copacabana) as Tin Man, David Ganly (Chicago) as Cowardly Lion and Emily Tierney (All the Fun of the Fair) as Glinda.
The cast also includes Over The Rainbow runner-up Sophie Evans covering the part of Dorothy on Tuesdays and when Ms Hope is on holiday.
The team behind the 2006 revival of The Sound of Music has created the show, including director Jeremy Sams, designer Robert Jones and choreographer Arlene Phillips.
BOOK NOW
SPECIAL OFFER: Save up to £22.50 on tickets to see The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium
VIDEO: Promo for Evita on Broadway starring Ricky Martin and Elena Roger
October 30, 2011
Tickets are now on sale for the Broadway production of Evita, which starts previews on 12 March 2012 at the Marquis Theatre in New York.
Ricky Martin as Che in Evita
Produced by Hal Luftig and Scott Sanders, the classic musical by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber will star world renowned music artist Ricky Martin as Che, Olivier Award-winning Argentinean actress Elena Roger as Eva Perón and Tony Award-winner Michael Cerveris as Juan Perón.
Michael Grandage will direct the show, joined by Tony Award-winner Rob Ashford who will choreograph the musical. Grandage will shortly step down as artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse in London and returns to Evita after directing an acclaimed production in London in 2006, also starring Elena Roger.
VIDEO
Evita on Broadway – promotional video
PHOTOS
LINKS
Hal Prince happy with new Phantom touring show?
October 29, 2011
We would love to know how Hal Prince feels about Cameron Mackintosh’s new touring production of The Phantom of the Opera, celebrating the show’s 25th anniversary.
Hal Prince
Hal directed the original 1986 production of Lloyd-Webber’s show, which is still playing in London and New York and has grossed over $5 billion worldwide.
If you cast your mind back to 2010, Mackintosh suffered a very public falling-out with Trevor Nunn over the “re-imagining” of the 25th anniversary touring production of Les Miserables. Nunn, co-director John Caird and designer John Napier were said to be furious that new directors, Laurence Connor and James Powell, and designer Matt Kinleywere, hired to give the show a touring makeover, including ditching the revolving barricades as these were too costly and complex to tour. Presumably the same will happen to the falling chandelier in Phantom.
As with the Les Mis tour, Mackintosh has recruited director Laurence Connor to stage the new version of Phantom and has even cast his Les Mis touring leads, John Owen-Jones and Earl Carpenter, to share the role of the Phantom.
The Phantom of the Opera UK tour poster
Mackintosh has been careful to suggest in the press that the tour has Prince’s blessing, with Variety in March revealing than an “agreement” had been struck with Prince for the all-new version. But a September interview with Prince in the Huffington Post asked him whether he would change anything about the show if he had the chance to revisit it. “No, I would leave it alone”, he said, “it works”.
The UK touring production, directed by Laurence Connor, will feature choreography by Scott Ambler, set design by Paul Brown and costume design by original designer Maria Björnson. The production will be overseen by Cameron Mackintosh and Matthew Bourne and will premiere at the Theatre Royal Plymouth in March 2012. In addition to John Owen-Jones and Earl Carpenter sharing the Phantom role, Katie Hall will play Christine.
LINKS
Book tickets to The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre
The Phantom of the Opera UK tour information
Michael Crawford To Continue As The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz!
July 30, 2011
MICHAEL CRAWFORD is to continue in his starring role of The Wizard in ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’s new production of THE WIZARD OF OZ.
Michael has been thrilling audiences since the show opened at the LONDON PALLADIUM on 1 March 2011 and now he will star in the iconic role until Sunday 5 February 2012.
In addition to the eponymous role, Michael also plays the characters of The Wizard in disguise as both the doorman and the tour guide in the Emerald City, as well as Professor Marvel, for whom a new song has been specially written, The Wonders of the World. This is one of several brand new songs by ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER and TIM RICE, which also include Red Shoes Blues, a solo for The Wicked Witch of the West and Dorothy’s opening number Nobody Understands Me.
THE WIZARD OF OZ combines these new musical numbers, which mark the first time Andrew and Tim have worked together in over 30 years on a new production, with all the much-loved songs from the Oscar-winning movie score.
MICHAEL CRAWFORD is internationally renowned for originating the title role in The Phantom of the Opera and loved by millions for his role as the hapless Frank Spencer in the classic British sitcom, Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em. His hugely successful career spans four decades, and includes his triumphant performance in the hit show Barnum at the London Palladium. He is a multi Olivier and Tony-award winning star whose acclaim encompasses theatre, television and film and he was appointed an OBE in 1988.
Michael stars alongside DANIELLE HOPE, the winner of the BBC smash hit talent show Over The Rainbow, who is Dorothy, EDWARD BAKER-DULY (Tin Man), DAVID GANLY (Lion), PAUL KEATING (Scarecrow), EMILY TIERNEY (Glinda) and HANNAH WADDINGHAM (as The Wicked Witch of the West).
The Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum is directed by Jeremy Sams, choreographed by Arlene Phillips, music and lyrics by Harold Arlen and E Y Harburg, with additional music and lyrics by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, set and costumes designs by Robert Jones, and produced by Bill Kenwright and the Really Useful Group.
Release issued by: Target Live
LINKS
Book tickets to The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium
Andrew Lloyd-Webber: “Anything I get involved with seems to go wrong”
July 20, 2011
Andrew Lloyd-Webber told the New York Times’s Patrick Healy last week that the failure of Love Never Dies in the UK – and more notably the success of a new production of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario, has led him to consider that, “what I might do is to have nothing to do with my shows for the foreseeable future.”
He admits in the interview that “anything I get involved with seems to go wrong… I’ve come to this new conclusion. I’ll just smile and turn up at opening nights.”
Read the interview with Lord Lloyd Webber in the New York Times
Celebrating 25 Years, Cameron Mackintosh Presents Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom Of The Opera At The Royal Albert Hall On Saturday 1st And Sunday 2nd October 2011
July 1, 2011
RAMIN KARIMLOO AND SIERRA BOGGESS LEAD A CAST AND ORCHESTRA OF OVER 200 TICKETS ON SALE MONDAY 4TH JULY AT 10.00AM
Cameron Mackintosh is delighted to present Andrew Lloyd Webber’s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday 1st October at 7.30pm and Sunday 2nd October at 1.30pm and 7.00pm. Tickets for “Phantom of the Opera at the Albert Hall” go on sale on Monday 4 July at 10.00am and are available on 0845 401 5045 or at www.phantom25th.com
This lavish, fully staged production of “Phantom of the Opera at the Albert Hall” will star Ramin Karimloo as ‘The Phantom’ and Sierra Boggess as ‘Christine’. They will be joined by Barry James as ‘Monsieur Firmin’, Gareth Snook as ‘Monsieur André’, Liz Robertson as ‘Madame Giry’ and Wynne Evans as ‘Piangi’ together with a cast and orchestra of over 200 and some special guest appearances.
“Phantom of the Opera at the Albert Hall” will be directed by Laurence Connor with Musical Staging and Choreography by Gillian Lynne. The Royal Albert Hall will be transformed with a spectacular and unique design by Matt Kinley inspired by Maria Björnson’s original design. Lighting is by Patrick Woodroffe and Andrew Bridge and Sound by Mick Potter. The original London production was directed by Hal Prince.
Ramin Karimloo’s theatre credits include, leading roles in “Love Never Dies” (2011 Olivier Award Nominee and Winner of the 2011 What’s On Stage Award, both for ‘Best Actor in a Musical’), “The Phantom of the Opera” (Theatre Goers’ Choice Award Nomination) “Les Misérables”, “Miss Saigon”, “The Pirates of Penzance” and “Sunset Boulevard”.
Ramin had the privilege of performing as ‘Enjolras’ in “Les Misérables – A Special Concert at Windsor Castle” to celebrate the centenary of the Entente Cordiale, in front of Her Majesty The Queen and also reprised the role for the 25th Anniversary celebration of “Les Misérables at The 02”. Recordings include: his own album “Within the Six Square Inch” and the première symphonic recording of “Love Never Dies”. Ramin has signed with a major label and is currently recording his
first solo album.
Sierra Boggess is currently starring opposite Tyne Daly in the Broadway revival of Terrence McNally’s “Master Class”. Prior to that, she starred in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Love Never Dies” in the West End. For her performance as ‘Christine Daae,’ Sierra received a 2011 Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. Sierra’s other NY theatre credits include starring as the title character in the Broadway production of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” (Drama Desk and Drama League nominations and Broadway.com award for Favourite Breakthrough Performance) and in the City Centre Encores! production of “Music in the Air”. She starred as ‘Christine’ in “Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular” and has been seen in the national tours of “Les Misérables” and “West Side Story”. Recordings include the Symphonic Recording of “Love Never Dies” and the Original Cast Album for Disney’s “The Little Mermaid”.
Sir Cameron Mackintosh said “It is amazing to think that the extraordinary success of The Phantom
of the Opera is about to celebrate 25 years.
From the very first performance, audiences have fallen in love with the unique alchemy of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s gorgeous score and Maria Björnson’s fabulously beautiful design, so brilliantly staged by Hal Prince and Gillian Lynne.
The success of the show has become the stuff of theatrical legend so Andrew and I felt we needed to create a really special performance to celebrate the 25th anniversary.
One of the great strengths of The Phantom of the Opera is that being set in an opera house, its production is totally theatrical. So we felt that there could be no better 19th Century theatrical auditorium in London for this occasion than the Royal Albert Hall. With its Victorian red plush and celebrated magnificent organ it is the perfect place for The Phantom to haunt. Though this special staging will naturally be drawn from the brilliant original, it will be both a spectacular and unique
production with a cast and orchestra of over 200 headed by Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess. Both artists have been an outstanding ‘Phantom’ and ‘Christine’ in recent productions and have also enjoyed huge success together as the stars of Love Never Dies.
I have no doubt that these three performances at the Royal Albert Hall will be a thrilling celebration of the Music of the Night.”
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA became the longest running show in Broadway history on 9 January 2006 when it celebrated its 7,486th performance, surpassing the previous record holder “Cats”. This coincided with the Broadway and the US national touring company celebrating an unprecedented 20,000 performances in the United States. In October 2010 the London production celebrated its 10,000th performance.
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has won over 50 major theatre awards, including seven Tonys on Broadway and three Olivier Awards in the West End. It won the ‘Most Popular Musical Audience Award’, voted by the public, in the 2002 Laurence Olivier Awards. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, which opened at Her Majesty’s Theatre on 9 October 1986 starred Michael Crawford as ‘The Phantom’ and Sarah Brightman as ‘Christine.’ It is produced by Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Theatre Company Limited.
Worldwide, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has grossed over £3.2 billion. The box office revenues are higher than any film or stage play in history, including “Titanic”, “ET” and “Star Wars”. It has been seen in 145 cities in 27 countries and played to over 100 million people. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is currently showing in London, New York, Budapest, Las Vegas, and Kyoto.
Release issued by: Raw PR
LINKS
Book tickets to the Phantom 25th Anniversary at The Royal Albert Hall
Book tickets to The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London
Karimloo and Boggess confirmed for Phantom of the Opera 25th anniversary celebrations at the Royal Albert Hall
July 1, 2011
Cameron Mackintosh has confirmed the leads for the 25th anniversary celebration of The Phantom of the Opera, to be held at the Royal Albert Hall on 1 and 2 of October 2011.
Stars of the Phantom 25th anniversary show, Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess (pictured in Love Never Dies)
Ramin Karimloo, who is currently playing the Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies, which runs at the Adelphi Theatre until 27 August, will star in the title role, joined by Sierra Boggess as Christine. Both stars have enjoyed extensive periods playing the roles in both the original show and Love Never Dies.
Tickets will go on sale for the Royal Albert Hall show on Monday 4 July at 10am.
A cast and orchestra of over 200 will feature in the three special performances, which promises to be a lavishly staged new interpretation of the musical, directed by Laurence Connor with musical staging and choreography by the show’s original choreographer Gillian Lynne. A brand new set will feature in the Royal Albert Hall production by Matt Kinley inspired by Maria Björnson’s original designs.
Other cast will include Barry James as Monsieur Firmin, Gareth Snook as Monsieur André, Liz Robertson as Madame Giry and Wynne Evans as Piangi.
Sir Cameron Mackintosh, who produces the original show, said “From the very first performance, audiences have fallen in love with the unique alchemy of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s gorgeous score and Maria Björnson’s fabulously beautiful design, so brilliantly staged by Hal Prince and Gillian Lynne. The success of the show has become the stuff of theatrical legend so Andrew and I felt we needed to create a really special performance to celebrate the 25th anniversary.”
The last celebration for The Phantom of the Opera took place on 23 October last year, to mark the 10,000th performance of the show.
Speculation over a concert or special performance of Phantom had been fuelled by Ramin Karimloo posting on Twitter in March that he would be appearing in the 25th anniversary celebrations, and by an Ebay auction held in aid of Comic Relief, to win ”two great tickets to the Celebration of Phantom’s 25th Birthday in October 2011 – when he [Karimloo] will don the mask as the original Phantom one more time”.
Michael Crawford, currently playing the Wizard in Lloyd Webber’s new production of The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium, originated the role of the Phantom, alongside Sarah Brightman as Christine. It is still unconfirmed whether Crawford and Brightman will play any part in the celebrations for the show.
The Phantom of the Opera originally opened at Her Majesty’s Theatre on 9 October 1986 directed by Harold Prince and has won over 50 major theatre awards, including seven Tonys on Broadway and three Olivier Awards in the West End, and has grossed over £3.2 billion worldwide.
LINKS
Book tickets to the Phantom 25th Anniversary at The Royal Albert Hall
Book tickets to The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London
