Michael Ball To Headline The Woman In White On Broadway

By: Aug. 30, 2005
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Michael Ball, the preeminent leading man of the British musical, returns to Broadway in London's smash hit musical, THE WOMAN IN WHITE, opening Thursday, November 17th at the Marquis Theatre (211 W 45th St). Produced by Boyett Ostar Productions, Nederlander Presentations Inc., Sonia Friedman Productions Ltd. and The Really Useful Theatre Company Ltd. and directed by Trevor Nunn (Nicholas Nickleby, Cats, Les Miserables), THE WOMAN IN WHITE features music by Andrew Lloyd Webber (Cats, The Phantom of the Opera), lyrics by David Zippel (City of Angels) and a book by Charlotte Jones (Humble Boy).  Preview performances begin Friday, October 28th.

Ball has indelibly created roles in some of the landmark London musicals of the last 20 years, including Les Miserables, Aspects of Love (in which he later made his Broadway debut) and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  Beyond his stage work, he has enjoyed enormous success in the world of recording, with all eleven of his solo albums going gold within weeks of their release. THE WOMAN IN WHITE marks Michael's return to Broadway for the first time in 15 years.

THE WOMAN IN WHITE will mark the first-ever Broadway pairing of the two leading stars of the London musical stage: Michael Ball and Maria Friedman, who will repeat her Olivier-nominated performance at Marian Halcombe.  They starred together in the show for three months earlier this year in London.

The production will also feature Angela Christian (Thoroughly Modern Millie) as Anne Catherick, Jill Paice as Laura Fairlie, - both from the original London cast- along with Adam Brazier (Into the Woods) as Walter Hartright, Ron Bohmer (The Scarlet Pimpernel) as Sir Percival Glyde and Walter Charles (Aspects of Love) as Mr. Farlie.

Michael Ball (Count Fosco).  Michael Ball, the British musical's reigning leading man, has starred on Broadway and dominated the marquees on many of the leading West End shows for more than a decade.  A proven and varied talent, Michael won acclaim and the hearts of the public with his numerous performances on stage, film and television.  All of Michael's eleven solo albums have held commanding positions in the UK charts, all rapidly going gold within weeks of their release. In July 1999 Michael was presented with the Theatregoers Club of Great Britain's award for Most Popular Musical Actor over the last 21 years.  Michael's theatre career to date boasts roles such as Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance; Marius in Cameron Mackintosh and the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Les Miserables at the Palace Theatre in London; Raoul in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's Theatre in London; Alex in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Aspects of Love at the Prince of Wales Theatre, London and on Broadway; Giorgio in Stephen Sondheim's musical Passion at the Queen's Theatre, London and Count Fosco in The Woman in White. He made his acclaimed Broadway debut in Aspects of Love in 1990 and will be seen in the New York City Opera's production of Gilbert & Sullivan's Patience beginning September 10th.


THE WOMAN IN WHITE opened to rave notices in London, where John Peter of the Sunday Times wrote, "THE WOMAN IN WHITE is more than a musical, it is a big, powerful popular opera, both romantic and spectacular, a thriller, a swaggering, flamboyant Victorian melodrama, a visual feast, a tempestuous story of love and intrigue and a great arching narrative, brilliantly told. This is a big, big triumph, a very palpable hit, no question." Sheridan Morley writing for the Daily Express said, "A dazzling white hit. Lloyd Webber and Nunn have delivered exactly what the West End needs - a soaring, lyrical, romantic drama whose every scene lends itself, as if my magic, to precisely the kind of music that Lloyd Webber writes best." The Mail on Sunday's Georgina Brown raved, "An irresistible feast - luscious, lavish, sensual and romantic."

Tickets for THE WOMAN IN WHITE go on-sale September 10, 2005 and the Marquisbox office opens Monday, September 12th.  Visit Ticketmaster.com, call 307-4100 or visit http://www.womaninwhitethemusical.com.
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