Michael Crawford News

Michael Crawford will return to the West End Stage starring as 'The Wizard' in Andrew Lloyd Webber's new production of THE WIZARD OF OZ in February of 2011. In the meantime, the star is the latest celebrity to now have an official presence on both Twitter and on Facebook.

Four of musical theater's brightest talents offer behind-the-scenes tales and the magical music of a true legend in Broadway Up Close and Personal: A Tribute to Cy Coleman. Beloved songs from Cy Coleman's award-winning shows including Sweet Charity, City of Angels and The Will Rogers Follies and songs such as 'Witchcraft' and 'The Best is Yet to Come' will be performed at the Orange County Performing Arts Center December 9 - 12 in this heartfelt and personal tribute to the life and incredible work of this great American artist. The show features Tony-winning lyricist David Zippel, who collaborated with Coleman on City of Angels; Center favorite Jason Graae, whose special way around a song has taken him to the Metropolitan Opera, the Hollywood Bowl, Birdland and the Rainbow Room; Jenifer Lewis, who has starred in numerous Broadway productions as well as movies and television and the multi-talented Tami Tappan Damiano, who has appeared on stages all over the world.

BroadwayWorld.com is very excited to share with you the third entry in the new THE WIZARD OF OZ Blog that we'll be running on the site, following the show's path down the yellow brick road -- to the stage! In the final part of our video interview with Wizard of Oz Casting Director David Grindrod, he discusses the responsibilities of casting large-scale West End shows - and gives us a mysterious hint about those munchkins...

Show business veteran Ken Lundie will be making his way up the Hudson River Valley from New York City to Hurley, New York in November to see his 15 year old voice student Anne Clare Gibbons-Brown sing the lead role of Christine in Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera" at John A. Coleman Catholic High School.

On Saturday 23rd October, the cast of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA celebrated the show's 10,000th performance in the West End. The audience at today's matinee performance were treated to a special appearance from Andrew Lloyd Webber during the curtain call. Andrew said a few words thanking the audience for their support over the last 10,000 performances before introducing the original Phantom, Michael Crawford. Michael's appearance was accompanied by the familiar strains of The Music of the Night. Andrew and Michael were then presented with a cake to celebrate the landmark performance. Crawford will next be see starring as 'The Wizard' in Andrew Lloyd Webber's upcoming THE WIZARD OF OZ.

In the second part of our video interview with West End Casting Director David Grindrod he gives us a further insight into his work on The Wizard of Oz and Over The Rainbow, the BBC TV search to find a Dorothy for the show - including his thoughts on some of the girls. Watch out for more from David, as he gives us some insights into other aspects of casting a West End show such as The Wizard of Oz.

On Saturday 23rd October, the cast of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA celebrated the show's 10,000th performance in the West End. The audience at today's matinee performance were treated to a special appearance from Andrew Lloyd Webber during the curtain call. Andrew said a few words thanking the audience for their support over the last 10,000 performances before introducing the original Phantom, Michael Crawford. Michael's appearance was accompanied by the familiar strains of The Music of the Night. Andrew and Michael were then presented with a cake to celebrate the landmark performance. Crawford will next be see starring as 'The Wizard' in Andrew Lloyd Webber's upcoming THE WIZARD OF OZ.

On Saturday 23rd October, the cast of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA celebrated the show's 10,000th performance in the West End. The audience at today's matinee performance were treated to a special appearance from Andrew Lloyd Webber during the curtain call. Andrew said a few words thanking the audience for their support over the last 10,000 performances before introducing the original Phantom, Michael Crawford. Michael's appearance was accompanied by the familiar strains of The Music of the Night. Andrew and Michael were then presented with a cake to celebrate the landmark performance.

BroadwayWorld.com is very excited to share with you the first entry in the new THE WIZARD OF OZ Blog that we'll be running on the site, following the show's path down the yellow brick road -- to the stage!

There was one memorably poignant line uttered towards the end of the new play I LOVED LUCY-now playing at the Laguna Playhouse through October 31-that sticks with you: 'Make someone laugh enough, and you will be loved forever.' Perhaps the line best explains why the opening night audience in attendance at the play's world premiere presentation was a bit more forgiving with this rather flawed production: the play's subject, Lucille Ball, truly was loved by many. Even two decades after her passing, this gigantic icon in the entertainment world remains a national treasure, thanks to the eponymous sitcom that showcased her unmistakable comic talents. Unfortunately, this well-meaning but ultimately one-note tribute to a shining star lacks a bit of polish.

In a recent LA Stage Times article, previous Phantoms including Michael Crawford and Tim Martin Gleason, talked about the end of the PHANTOM OF THE OPERA tour, which will close on Halloween night at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles.

Stephanie J. Block, Broadway star of '9 to 5: The Musical,' 'Wicked,' 'The Pirate Queen,' and 'The Boy From Oz,' will star opposite Jason Alexander, Artistic Director of Reprise Theatre Company, in 'They're Playing Our Song,' the opening production of the company's 2010-2011 season, playing September 28 to October 10 (press opening September 29) at UCLA's Freud Playhouse.

John A. Coleman Catholic High School in Hurley, New York is among the first schools to acquire the rights to produce Andrew Lloyd Webber's Broadway classic 'The Phantom of the Opera,' the longest running show in Broadway history.

Interviewed this week on Sir Terry Wogan's Weekend Wogan was composer Andrew Lloyd Webber who gave a special interview live from the London Palladium (soon to be home to THE WIZARD OF OZ) in which he talked about a wide range of subjects, including the upcoming show and his recent knack for casting in television hunts. Here's what was said:

After his early triumph in some truly troubled musicals - among them the most notorious of twenty-first century cult Broadway musicals, the infamous DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES - this dashing and terrifically talented Broadway leading man went on to star in the most successful production to date of Stephen Schwartz's delicate Gallic musical THE BAKER'S WIFE - causing even the WICKED composer himself to be taken aback by the sheer power of this tenor's voice - and is now singing the most talked about song of the New York Musical Theater Festival - from the new musical THE HISTORY OF WAR - the captivatingly charming and charismatic Max Von Essen. In this thorough discussion we go into his experiences working with Jim Steinman, Roman Polanski, Michael Crawford, John Rando, Mandy Gonzalez and the rest of the cast and creative team of DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES and how that flash of brilliance of a Broadway debut prepared him for the plight of the working actor making his way on Broadway today. We also discuss the details of his new NYMF musical and singing his star-making solo and adding another notable entry to his pristine performance record. Additionally, we talk about playing Enjorlas in the LES MISERABLES revival co-starring Lea Michele and Daphne Rubin Vega as well as his upcoming appearances and events - such as BROADWAY UNPLUGGED - plus how he keeps his voice in shape to traverse the treacherous vocal territory required of the tenor rock ballads he excels at enacting in song - and thoroughly slaughtering.(He'd be the last to admit he has cords of steel, but he does.) He may be known for 'For Sarah', but this interview is all Max.

Juggling both film and stage careers, Michael Crawford had established himself as one of theatre's finest leading men long before he opened as 'the Phantom' in Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, beginning one of the most widely acclaimed and memorable performances in theatre history. Few stars are as widely connected to a single role as Crawford is to 'the Phantom.' His Los Angeles and Broadway performances earned an astonishing catalogue of critical recognition including the Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards, and the Los Angeles Dramalogue Award and Drama Critics Award. Since leaving PHANTOM after nearly four years in the role in London, New York and Los Angeles; Crawford has become a multi-platinum recording artist and one of the world's most sought after concert and stage performers, playing to sold-out venues around the globe. In addition to his recent concert work, stage credits in London and on Broadway include Billy, Flowers for Algernon, Black Comedy, Dance of the Vampires, The Woman in White, and Barnum. It was announced late last night that he will make his eagerly awaited return to the stage alongside Danielle Hope, winner of the BBC's smash hit Over The Rainbow, when the show opens at the LONDON PALLADIUM next year. We checked in with the star to get the first scoop!

Michael Crawford is to star as The Wizard in ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER's new production of THE WIZARD OF OZ.

It's just been announced in the UK Daily Telegraph that Michael Crawford will return to the West End Stage starring as The Wizard in Andrew Lloyd Webber's new production of THE WIZARD OF OZ.

Elaine Paige OBE, the beloved star of both West End and Broadway musical theatre, celebrated 40 years on stage in September 2008. To mark the occasion, the UK's Oberon Books published Memories, with a foreword by Andrew Lloyd Webber, in which Elaine, in her own words, tells the story of her remarkable stage career and shows why she remains an enduringly popular international star.

Elaine Paige OBE, the beloved star of both West End and Broadway musical theatre, celebrated 40 years on stage in September 2008. To mark the occasion, the UK's Oberon Books published Memories, with a foreword by Andrew Lloyd Webber, in which Elaine, in her own words, tells the story of her remarkable stage career and shows why she remains an enduringly popular international star.