David Cullen News

At that time, it was announced as well that the should would be announcing new stars and the production would be continuing its run. Now, they have revealed that the show will play its final performance on Saturday, January 26, 2013, after 26 previews and 337 regular performances.

This record-breaking, Tony-nominated production of Tim Rice's and Andrew Lloyd Webber's landmark musical will continue its open-ended run following the original stars' departure. The new stars will be announced at a later date.

'Niemand will ein Musical über Katzen sehen.' Diesen Satz mussten sich Komponist Andrew Lloyd Webber und Produzent Cameron Mackintosh von vielen, möglichen Finanzgebern gefallen lassen. Nun ist CATS wieder zurück auf Tournee durch Deutschland.

The longest-running show in Broadway history, Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, directed by Harold Prince and produced by Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Company, Inc., will proudly welcome Broadway and West End star Sierra Boggess to the New York cast in January 2013 for a limited engagement as leading lady Christine Daae. Ms. Boggess, whose long history with the musical began when she originated the role in the revised Las Vegas production in 2006, has been specifically chosen by the creative team to join the cast in time for the production becoming the first Broadway show ever to celebrate 25 Years.

The longest-running show in Broadway history, Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, directed by Harold Prince and produced by Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Company, Inc., will once again make theater history when it becomes the first Broadway show ever to celebrate its 25th Anniversary on Saturday, January 26, 2013. The unprecedented milestone will be marked by a Special Gala Performance that night. While many of the evening's details are being kept under wraps, the special night will begin with an early 6:30 PM performance at The Majestic Theatre (247 West 44th Street), the musical's home for its entire run. Details for the historic performance and celebration will be announced in the coming weeks.

Beginning Monday, September 3, 2012, Ricky Martin's performance schedule as Che in the hit production of EVITA will be Tuesdays at 7pm, Wednesdays at 2pm & 8pm, Thursdays at 8pm, Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 2pm & 8pm. Max von Essen and Daniel Torres will alternate in the role of Che at Monday evening performances. The schedule change is part of a slight restructuring of Mr. Martin's appearance agreement with producers and will not change his overall number of performances in EVITA.

Broadway star Ricky Martin appeared on last night's LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON to talk about his starring role as 'Che' in EVITA and his development deal with NBC to write, produce and star in a new TV series. 'I'm really looking forward to it,' said Martin of the upcoming project. The actor also revealed his love of Twitter and his new habit of tweeting 'intermission pictures' from backstage to give fans a behind-the-scenes peek. Check out the clips from Martin's appearance below!

While Latin hearthrob Ricky Martin is signed to star in EVITA through the end of the year, with a Spring 2013 contract extension possible as well, Michael Riedel reports in today's New York Post that producers are already on the hunt for replacement stars as 'Che' to ensure the show continues when Martin departs.

EVITA's Ricky Martin will appear on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon this Thursday, August 16, 2012.

According to Perez Hilton, EVITA star Ricky Martin is staying in New York to continue his Broadway career. 'Do I want to come back to Broadway? I would love to do Broadway the rest of my life! Because it's challenging, because it makes me grow as an actor, as an entertainer, as an artist, and that's what I need, that's what I'm hooked on,' Martin told reporters. 'I AM staying here in New York! Those are my plans.'

MASTERWORKS BROADWAY announces that the New Broadway Cast Recording of Evita hasdebuted at #1 on Billboard's Cast Album chart. Produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Nigel Wright with Tim Rice as Executive Producer, this is the first complete English language stage recording of the show since the original 1979 Broadway cast album.

Check out this behind-the-scenes look at Ricky Martin and Elena Roger recording 'High Flying Adored' for the complete New Broadway Cast Recording of EVITA. The video will be released everywhere tomorrow, June 26, where you will then be able to watch it below. But to view it now, visit the AOL Music Blog (http://blog.music.aol.com/2012/06/25/ricky-martin-high-flying-adored-video-premiere-exclusive/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed)!

Masterworks Broadway will release the complete New Broadway Cast Recording of Evita, the first complete English language stage recording of the show since the original 1979 Broadway cast album. The two-CD set, produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Nigel Wright, with Tim Rice as Executive Producer, is set for release June 26, 2012. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you photos of Ricky Martin, Elena Roger, Michael Cerveris, Michael Grandage and the cast of EVITA in the recording studio!

As previously reported, the Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, the longest-running show in Broadway history, welcomes Kara Klein to the show from today, June 18, in the role of Meg. Produced by Cameron Mackintosh/Really Useful Group, Inc. and directed by Harold Prince, the musical phenomenon is in its unprecedented 25th year in New York, playing at The Majestic Theatre (247 West 44th Street).

MASTERWORKS BROADWAY will release the New Broadway Cast Recording of Evita on June 19. It is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.com. The track-list for the album is as follows:

MASTERWORKS BROADWAY will release the New Broadway Cast Recording of Evita, set be be available on June 19. It is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.com. Go inside the recording studio with the cast of the musical in the video below!

A principal cast change has been announced for the Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. Current cast member Kara Klein will return to the role of inquisitive ballerina Meg Giry beginning Monday, June 18. Longtime cast member and 'Phan' favorite Heather McFadden will play her final performance as Meg this coming Saturday, June 16.

A new commercial for EVITA, featuring scenes from the Broadway production starring Ricky Martin, Elena Roger and Michael Cerveris has just been released. Check it out below!

Check out the new trailer for EVITA on Broadway, starring Ricky Martin, Elena Roger and Michael Cerveris! Watch the video below.

In honor of this week's US release of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL on DVD/Blu-ray - PHANTOM 25 for short - today we are focusing on the multitude of attributes that have made Andrew Lloyd Webber's unforgettable gothic musical the most successful entertainment of all time, now in its 25th year onstage and about to reach 10,000 performances on Broadway, where it is the reigning longest running show of all time. The gargantuan excitement generated by and the enthusiastic reception enjoyed by PHANTOM for audiences worldwide is unprecedented, yet, the new ultimate presentation of the show - PHANTOM 25 - is even more spectacular and thrilling than any iteration of PHANTOM on any stage or screen thus far. Bringing together the cast of a lifetime with the electricity of a live audience, the HD preservation of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL is positively peerless in its sleekness, precision and polish of presentation. Never before - not even in the vaunted hands and cords of original show stars Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford - has the show been this contemporary, sexual and hypnotizing. Ramin Karimloo as the Phantom brings a rawness and austerity to the role that commands attention and Sierra Boggess is, in a word, supreme, as the young ingenue under the Phantom's watchful musical tutelage. So, too, does Hadley Fraser's perfectly painted Raoul hit the right mark, as do the rest of the exceptional cast in their commitment to making clear-cut, strong and colorful impressions in their roles. The LED-enhanced set is an imaginative reworking of the designs by Maria Bjornson and the musical staging is smooth and assured thanks to original show choreographer Gillian Lynne. Yet, the star of PHANTOM 25 is, unquestionably, Andrew Lloyd Webber's rapturous, rich and enveloping score. Bringing together an impressive and inspired assortment of genres in creating the quintessential pop opera, Lloyd Webber employs elements of grand opera, opera bouffe, operetta and musical theatre, as well as incorporates a diverse range of musical styles - even a little heavy metal guitar in the title song, as we shall see (and hear). The score of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's finest achievements and stands tall alongside his other classic scores for JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, EVITA, CATS, SUNSET BOULEVARD among many other international hit shows. Indeed, the story and score of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is so very complex and decadent as to allow for a continuation of the story, score, characters and overall themes in the form of the new musical, LOVE NEVER DIES, which premiered in a new version in Australia last year and whose story traces the relationship of the Phantom, Christine and Raoul from the end of the original show all the way from Paris to Coney Island ten years later where PHANTASMA is the show everyone must experience thanks to a mysterious figure lurking in the shadows beyond the carousel. In today's celebration of PHANTOM 25, we will take a look at the original music videos, the legendary Hal Prince production on Broadway and in the West End, the forthcoming LOVE NEVER DIES - coming to Fathom-equipped theaters nationwide later this month - all with a special spotlight on the most phantastic anniversary concert of all time, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL.