Andrew Lloyd Webber has confirmed an opening date for the world premiere of his new musical The Illusionist.
Adapted from the hit movie, The Illusionist musical will be directed by award-winner Jamie Lloyd (Evita, Sunset Boulevard), and produced with Lloyd Webber’s long-term producing partner Michael Harrison (Hello, Dolly!, The Wizard of Oz, Starlight Express).
The world premiere has been confirmed for London’s West End, which has long been the preferred choice of Michael Harrison; with the show set to premiere in September 2026.
Specific dates and London venue for The Illusionist are to be announced.
The book for the new show is by Oscar-winning screenwriter Chris Terrio (Argo, Justice League, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice), with British songwriter Bruno Major also contributing to the musical.
The stage adaptation of The Illusionist is based on the novella ‘Eisenheim the Illusionist’ featured in The Barnum Museum by Steven Millhauser, and in turn the 2006 movie directed by Neil Burger and starring Edward Norton and Jessica Biel.
The story is set in Vienna in 1900, where an illusionist called Eisenheim creates increasingly elaborate illusions, causing mayhem in the city. Songs in the show include ‘Invincible’, ‘I Only Came To Say Goodbye’, and ‘Always Everything To Me’.
Andrew Lloyd Webber revealed the news to press at last Sunday’s Tony Awards 2025 in New York.
The night was a success for Lloyd Webber, Harrison and Lloyd, with Jamie Lloyd’s Olivier Award-winning revival of Sunset Boulevard starring Nicole Scherzinger picking up three Tony Awards, including Best Musical Revival, and best actress for Scherzinger.
Read more about this year’s Tony Awards, including all winners.
Sunset Boulevard is currently in its final weeks on Broadway, closing on 20 July 2025. There are rumours that a movie version of the stage production, or a proshot film, may be in pre-production, although no official statement has been made.
Opening this week in London is another Lloyd Webber-Harrison-Lloyd production, this time a revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s hit musical Evita.
Evita is playing the London Palladium from 14 June to 6 September 2025, starring Rachel Zegler (West Side Story) as Eva Perón, Diego Andres Rodriguez (Sunset Blvd.) as Che, and James Olivas (American Idiot) as Juan Perón.
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s shows currently playing in London include long-runner The Phantom of the Opera at His Majesty’s Theatre, and a new immersive production of Starlight Express at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre.
More about The Illusionist tickets & news
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