Charles Hart News

Producers Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group announced today three principal cast changes for Broadway's blockbuster phenomenon, Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, directed by theater legend, the late Harold Prince.

Before Wednesday night's performance of Broadway's longest-running musical, The Phantom of the Opera, the show's original music director, David Caddick, made a poignant speech about the show's beloved director Hal Prince, who passed away on Wednesday morning. Be sure to check out the full tribute.

The Phantom of the Opera is inside our mind, and up on the marquee! The legendary musical The Phantom of the Opera just received a new look with its marquee at Broadway's Majestic Theatre! Take a peek with the photos of the theatre; that's all we ask of you.

As THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA heads in to its 34th year in the West End, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh are delighted to announce that Australian singer and performer Josh Piterman will play 'The Phantom' from 9 September 2019.

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh are delighted to announce that the UK and Ireland tour of the brilliant original production of The Phantom of the Opera will come to Birmingham Hippodrome from 29 July - 12 September 2020. Tickets will go on sale to Birmingham Hippodrome Friends and Patron scheme members on Tuesday 10 September at 11am.

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh announce a UK and Ireland tour of the brilliant original production of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA opening at Curve, Leicester on 24 February 2020 where it will run until 21 March 2020 ahead of visiting Manchester Palace Theatre (26 March - 30 May 2020), Bord Gais Energy Theatre Dublin (10 June - 18 July 2020), Birmingham Hippodrome (29 July - 12 September 2020) and Edinburgh Festival Theatre (23 September - 31 October 2020). Venue details and on sale dates below. Further dates and full casting to be announced soon.

The Acting Company (Founded by John Houseman and Margot Harley; Ian Belknap, Artistic Director; Elisa Spencer-Kaplan, Executive Director) announced casting today for the next reading in the 23rd John McDonald Salon Reading Series, Jessica Swale's Olivier Award-winning, music-filled comedy Nell Gwynn. The reading will take place on Monday, June 24 at 7 PM at the Mainstage Theater at Playwrights Horizons (416 W. 42nd Street, New York, NY). Tickets are available now online at www.theactingcompany.org.

Winners of the 13th annual Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year (SSSSPOTY) and the 12th annual Stiles + Drewe Best New Song Prize were announced last night at a gala held at Theatre Royal Haymarket, hosted by Joanna Riding. The gala saw twelve student competitors each perform a Stephen Sondheim song, and a Best New Song Prize entrant written by members of Mercury Musical Developments. The winner of this year's SSSSPOTY award was Stuart Thompson from LAMDA, who performed Franklin Shepard, Inc and My Thing. Theo Jamieson was awarded the Stiles + Drewe Prize for his original song Words/Amazing.

We're taking a peek at this special throwback to The Phantom of the Opera's original Christine and Raoul, Sarah Brightman and Steve Barton, performing the show's classic 'All I Ask Of You' on the rooftop of the Paris Opera House back in 1988!

The Stephen Sondheim Society and Mercury Musical Developments today announce West End Musical Director Gareth Valentine as the final judge for the 2019 Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year (SSSSPOTY), alongside the previously announced Julia McKenzie, Peter Polycarpou, and Edward Seckerson. Lyricist Charles Hart and Olivier Award-winner Jenna Russell join Nkeki Obi-Melekwe and Stiles + Drewe to complete the judging panel for the Stiles + Drewe Best New Song Prize. Winners will be announced at Theatre Royal Haymarket on Sunday 9 June.

Get ready to hear the music of the night because BroadwayWorld is giving you a chance to win tickets to the national tour of The Phantom of the Opera at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre! The winner will receive two tickets to the June 9th performance at 6:30pm. The contest will run now through June 2nd, at 11:59 PM EST. Enter for your chance to win TODAY, that's all we ask of you!

BroadwayWorld has an inside look at THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA World Tour, led by Jonathan Roxmouth and Meghan Picerno! Check out the video below!

Go back in time to 1665 and learn about the theatre world in London.

The performance of Alison Luff in the title role is nothing short of miraculous; her transformation from a trash-talking orange-monger to a star of the stage is unforgettable, and for theatre-goers to neglect this rare gem would border on criminal negligence.

When the new world tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's behemoth, 'The Phantom of the Opera,' kicks off in Manila, Philippines this February 20, 2019, the production will transport you back to the original London production (still playing!), which opened at Her Majesty's Theatre on October 9, 1986.

Behold the year of the woman: 1665. Folger Theatrecontinues its 2018/19 season of characters who 'shake the world' with Nell Gwynn, the Olivier Award-winning 2016 comedy from London about one of the first women to perform on the English stage. Written by British playwright Jessica Swale (Blue Stockings), Nell Gwynn was commissioned by Shakespeare's Globe where it premiered, followed by a celebrated 2016 run on the West End that earned an Olivier Award for Best New Comedy. Robert Richmond (Macbeth, Timon of Athens, Henry V at the Folger) will direct the East Coast premiere of the play at Folger Theatre in Washington, D.C.

In honor of 31 years of The Phantom of the Opera giving us the music of the night, we're throwing it back to 2011 when the show celebrated its 23rd anniversary at the Majestic Theatre!

Producers Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group have announced that Broadway's blockbuster phenomenon, Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, directed by Harold Prince, will continue making history with two upcoming milestones. The musical will first celebrate its 31st Anniversary this Saturday, January 26, 2019. The production is next on track to reach an unprecedented 13,000 performances in April. Both are feats achieved by no other Broadway show.

London is never short of temptations, whether splashy West End shows, epic dramas or bold fringe offerings. From Cate Blanchett's UK stage debut to a reborn Andrew Lloyd Webber, here are some of this month's most eye-catching openings. Don't forget to check back for BroadwayWorld's reviews, interviews and features!

Behold the year of the woman: 1665. Folger Theatre continues its 2018/19 season of characters who "shake the world" with Nell Gwynn, the Olivier Award-winning 2016 comedy from London about one of the first women to perform on the English stage.