Photos of the unveiling of the Alan Jay Lerner memorial plaque at St Paul’s Church Covent Garden by Liz Robertson

Alan Jay Lerner memorial plaque unveiled at St Paul’s Church, Covent Garden.

My Fair Lady composer Alan Jay Lerner was honoured this Wednesday, 14 June 2011, with the unveiling of a plaque in St Paul’s Church, Covent Garden.

Twenty-five years after his death, the plaque was unveiled by his widow, Love Never Dies actress Liz Robertson, during a service which celebrated the successful composer’s life and work.

Friends and family attended the ceremony, including a number of theatre names including lyricists Don Black and Tim Rice, and actors Anthony Andrews, Russ Abbott, Jasper Britton and Tony Britton.

The venue, which is informally known as the Actor’s Church, was especially appropriate given than Alan Jay Lerner’s most famous musical, My Fair Lady, opens with Eliza Doolittle selling flowers from the portico of St Paul’s Church. My Fair Lady was based on the George Bernard Shaw play Pygmalion, which is currently running at the Garrick Theatre in London.

In a touching moment during the ceremony, six actress who have all played Eliza in the past, including Alan Jay Lerner’s wife Liz Robertson and Katie Knight-Adams, Jill Martin, Jean Scott, Amy Nuttall and Sally Ann Howes, all came together to sing ‘Wouldn’t it be Loverly’.

Alan Jay Lerner’s work includes Brigadoon, Paint Your Wagon, Camelot, Gigi and On A Clear Day You Can See Forever. Liz Robertson is currently starring as Madame Giry in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies.

Photos by Roy Tan.

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New Casting Announced For “Love Never Dies” Recently Nominated In 7 Major Categories For The 2011 Laurence Olivier Awards Now Winner Of Two 2011 Whatsonstage.Com Awards

Hot on the heels of garnering 7 major nominations for the 2011 Laurence Oliver Awards, with two wins at the 2011 Whatsonstage.com awards, and following the show’s recent redirection and ensuing critical acclaim, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical “LOVE NEVER DIES” today announces new casting.

Ramin Karimloo, nominated for Best Actor in a Musical Olivier, will continue to star as ‘The Phantom’, with Tam Mutu as his alternate. Celia Graham will take over the role of ‘Christine’ from Sierra Boggess, nominated for Best Actress in a Musical. Liz Robertson will continue to star as ‘Madame Giry’, and Haley Flaherty will join to star as ‘Meg Giry’. David Thaxton, also nominated the Best Actor in a Musical for his recent role in ‘Passion’ at the Donmar Warehouse will star as ‘Raoul’. Adam Pearce will continue to play ‘Squelch’ and Tracey Penn will join as ‘Fleck’ and Charles Brunton as ‘Gangle’, with Jack Costello, Daniel Dowling and Harry Polden sharing the role of ‘Gustave’.

The company also includes Nick Blair, Dale Branston, Abigail Brodie, Kieran Brown, Nick Crossley, Natalie Edmunds, Chris Gage, Lucy Van Gasse, Mirela Golinska, Daniel Gourlay, Simon Ray Harvey, Grace Holdstock, Lucinda Lawrence, Vanessa Leagh-Hicks, Louisa Lydell, Lisa Mathieson, David McMullan, Colette Morrow, Ashley Nottingham, Mira Ormala, Rae Piper, Alexa-Jayne Robinson, Andrew Rothwell, Simon Storey, Tim Walton and Zara Warren.

The winners of the 2011 Whatsonstage.com Awards were announced at the Awards Concert in the West End on Sunday 20 February. Ramin Karimloo won Best Actor in a Musical, and Joseph Millson won Best Supporting Actor in a Musical. “LOVE NEVER DIES” has also gained Olivier Award nominations in the following categories: Best Performance in a Supporting Role for Summer Strallen, Best Lighting Design for Paul Constable, Best Set Design and Best Costume Design for Bob Crowley.

Andrew Lloyd Webber said, “I’m absolutely thrilled that “LOVE NEVER DIES” has finally been recognised in this way. I would like to pay tribute to our wonderful company, who have worked so hard throughout and have embraced the changes to the show, which have proved so successful. I’d also like to thank our loyal ‘Phans’, who have been so supportive of the show since it opened. I’m particularly happy about the timing of this announcement, given that my new show, “THE WIZARD OF OZ”, has just started previews.”

“LOVE NEVER DIES” continues the story of ‘The Phantom’, who has moved from his lair in the Paris Opera House to haunt the fairgrounds of Coney Island, far across the Atlantic. Set ten years after the mysterious disappearance of ‘The Phantom’ from Paris, this show is a rollercoaster ride of obsession and intrigue…in which music and memory can play cruel tricks…and ‘The Phantom’ sets out to prove that, indeed, “LOVE NEVER DIES”.

ADELPHI THEATRE. “LOVE NEVER DIES” is now booking until January 2012. The first performance of the new company will be on Monday 7 March at the Adelphi Theatre. The 2011 Laurence Olivier Awards, sponsored by MasterCard, will take place on Sunday 13 March at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

Release issued by: Peter Thompson Associates

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Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies – Ticket Offer Save £29.50

Our first offer on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s multi-million pound spectacular LOVE NEVER DIES

SPECIAL OFFER: Save £29.50 on tickets to Love Never Dies at the Adelphi Theatre

Westendtheatre.com is proud to present our first ticket offer on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sequel to The Phantom of the Opera – LOVE NEVER DIES.

This spectacular, multi-million pound show is a roller coaster ride of obsession and intrigue starring an acclaimed cast including Ramin Karimloo as The Phantom, Celia Graham as Christine, David Thaxton as Raoul, Liz Robertson as Madame Giry and Haley Flaherty as Meg.

Ten years after the mysterious disappearance of The Phantom from the Paris Opera House, Christine Daaé accepts an offer to come to America and perform at New York’s fabulous new playground of the world – Coney Island.

Arriving in New York with her husband Raoul and their son Gustave, Christine soon discovers the identity of the anonymous impresario who has lured her from France to sing.

Music and memory can play cruel tricks… and The Phantom sets out to prove that, indeed, LOVE NEVER DIES.

“This is Lloyd Webber’s finest show since the original Phantom, with a score blessed with superbly haunting melodies and a yearning romanticism that sent shivers racing down my spine.” (Daily Telegraph)

 

SPECIAL OFFER: Save £29.50 on tickets to Love Never Dies at the Adelphi Theatre

Love Never Dies – Free Dinner

Love Never Dies – Enjoy a free Dinner in November when booking top price tickets

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Selected dates in November 2010. Free dinner at the Palm Court restaurant, pre or post theatre.

Love Never Dies is Andrew Lloyd Webber’s spectacular sequel to The Phantom of the Opera. Now open at the Adelphi Theatre in London, the show is a rollercoaster ride of obsession and intrigue with a swirling, romantic new score by Lloyd Webber.

Ten years after the mysterious disappearance of The Phantom from the Paris Opera House, Christine Daaé accepts an offer to come to America and perform at New York’s fabulous new playground of the world – Coney Island. Christine arrives in New York with her husband Raoul and their son Gustave. But she soon discovers the identity of the anonymous impresario who has lured her from France to sing.

A talented cast includes Ramin Karimloo as the Phantom, Sierra Boggess as Christine Daaé, Joseph Millson as Raoul, Liz Robertson as Madame Giry and Summer Strallen as Meg.

“Andrew Lloyd Webber’s finest show since the original” (The Telegraph).

“The splendour of the orchestra pours forth Lloyd Webber’s dark-hued, yearning melodies as if its life depended on them” (The Independent).

SPECIAL OFFER: Love Never Dies – Enjoy a free Dinner in November when booking top price tickets

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Love Never Dies – Starts tonight

Editors update since this article was first posted: See a round-up of Love Never Dies reveiews from critics following last night’s world premiere at the Adelphi Theatre in London

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s brand new musical Love Never Dies will start previewing tonight at the Adelphi Theatre in London.

And to say there is some anticipation is an understatement.

The show is directed by legendary Broadway director Jack O’Brien, responsible for big Broadway hits The Full Monty and Hairspray.

The first preview performance was originally scheduled for Saturday 20 February but had to be cancelled to give the cast and crew more time to rehearse.

The multi-million pound new musical, which has already taken more than £8 million at the box-office, follows the story of Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, this time setting the show on Coney Island in New York at the turn of the last century.

The original musical has been seen by over 100 million people worldwide, so the pressure is on to create a new work that lives up to the incredible legacy of the original.

The new show is based on a novel by Frederick Forsyth called The Phantom Of Manhattan, and adapted initially by Ben Elton (We Will Rock You), who was responsible for reintroducing some of the original characters including Christine and Raoul.

A strong launch cast includes Ramin Karimloo as the Phantom, Sierra Boggess as Christine, Liz Robertson as Madame Giry, Summer Strallen as her daughter Meg,  Joseph Millson as Raoul, Niamh Perry as Fleck, Adam Pearce as Squelch and Jami Reid-Quarrell as Gangle.

The show’s World Premiere will be on Tuesday 9 March 2010, followed by New York on Thursday 11 November and Australia in 2011.

In the musical, the story continues with the Phantom moving from his lair in the Paris Opera House to haunt the fairgrounds of Coney Island in New York. Set ten years after the mysterious disappearance of the Phantom from Paris, the show works on the themes of obsession and intrigue, promising a number of shocking plot twists and large-scale spectacles.

LOVE NEVER DIES – CREATIVE TEAM:

Director – Jack O’Brien (Hairspray, The Full Monty, Catch Me If You Can)

Music – Andrew Lloyd Webber (The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Evita)

Lyricist – Glenn Slater(The Little Mermaid, Sister Act)

Set and costume designer – Bob Crowley (Phèdre, The History Boys, Mary Poppins)

Choreographer-  Jerry Mitchell (Legally Blonde, Hairspray, The Full Monty)

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Hotel and theatre breaks to see Love Never Dies