Julia Udine News

Cameron Mackintosh and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group announced today that Chris Mann, Katie Travis, Storm Lineberger and Anne Kanengeiser will join the cast of the spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA currently on national tour.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: Two more shows begin off-Broadway, JERSEY BOYS welcomes two new cast members on tour, and two stars -- Susan Boyle and Billy Crystal -- release their latest projects!

Producers Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group today announced principal cast changes for the Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, directed by Harold Prince. The longest-running show in Broadway history and one of the most successful stage productions of all-time, PHANTOM this year surpassed 11,000 performances in New York - an unprecedented feat achieved by no other Broadway show. The Broadway production has played to more than 16 million people at The Majestic Theatre (247 West 44th Street), the musical's home for more than 26 record-breaking years.

When Gaston Leroux published THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA back in 1911, little did he realize the numerous chandeliers that would come crashing down through the decades, and I've witnessed a good number of them. First, in 1925, there was 'the Man of a Thousand Faces,' Lon Chaney, Sr., who frightened poor Mary Philbin (a well-done version, even IF the film was silent); then, for Universal in 1941, Claude Rains (Bette Davis' favorite co-star) was a more subdued vocal coach for soprano Susanna Foster (a wooden Nelson Eddy, alas, is a greater impending horror as 'Raoul'). I could go on - even Herbert Lom, the actor who was the harried police superior to Peter Sellers' 'Inspector Clousseau,' took a swing on the old light fixture. (And let us not forget diminutive Paul Williams in the slightly askew PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE.) All of these pale, of course, in comparison to the legendary interpretation by Michael Crawford in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, which first brought the audience to its feet in 1986.

In celebration of The Orpheum Theatre's upcoming engagement of Cameron Mackintosh's spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera, the Orpheum, in partnership with Carriage Crossing and the Phantom North American Tour, is hosting a special limited-time free exhibit of selected Phantom costumes by the late Tony Award-winning designer Maria Björnson. Björnson's sketches as well as costumes from the production will be on display in Suite 555 at Carriage Crossing (4675 Merchants Park Cir., Collierville, TN) September 12-21, Mon-Sat 10am-6pm and Sun 1pm-5pm. These exquisite original designs will be featured in the spectacular new touring production playing at The Orpheum Theatre September 24 – October 5.

Producers Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group today announced several principal cast changes for the Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, directed by Harold Prince. The longest-running show in Broadway history and the most successful stage production of all-time, PHANTOM recently surpassed the milestone of performance #11,000 in New York – an unprecedented feat achieved by no other Broadway show. The Broadway production has played to more than 16 million people at The Majestic Theatre (247 West 44th Street), the musical's home for more than 26 record-breaking years.

Cameron Mackintosh and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group's spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, the most successful musical of all time, will go on sale September 12, 2014 at 10a.m. for the Fort Lauderdale engagement at Broward Center for the Performing Arts.

The longest-running musical in Broadway history and the world's most successful entertainment, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA celebrates audiences continually going wild for the production with a new audience reaction featurette now available to view.

In celebration of its 25 years on Broadway, Cameron Mackintosh brought forth a new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA for a North American Tour, now in its Boston premiere at the ornate Boston Opera House. Directed by Laurence Connor, with choreography by Scott Ambler, impressive set design by Paul Brown, Maria Bjornson's Tony Award-winning original costume design, and evocative lighting design by Paule Constable, the show is a visual spectacle that has enough magical effects to transport the audience to the Paris Opera House in the late 19th century.

Following an acclaimed sold-out tour of the United Kingdom, Cameron Mackintosh's spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's phenomenal musical success, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, sets out on a brand new North American Tour. Critics are raving that this breathtaking production is 'bigger and better than ever before.'

The 2014 Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards ceremony took place at Paper Mill Playhouse on Tuesday, June 3rd at 7:30pm with an audience of over 1,200. Princeton Day School came out on top, winning Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical for their production of Urinetown. A total of 29 awards were presented along with five scholarships and other cash prizes.

As one of the nation's leading regional theaters and producing partners for Broadway, Paper Mill Playhouse has a well-earned reputation for launching both performers and shows for Broadway. Since their inception in 1996, the Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theatre have ignited the careers of many notable performers, all of whom attended high school in New Jersey.

The national tour of 'Phantom of the Opera' is dynamic and captivating, not better than the original, just different.

Phantom is consistent and apparently is a show that parents or grandparents want to experience with their children. My second question was am I going to enjoy the show after having already seen it once on stage and the movie (which has to be the most literal stage to screen translation ever) multiple times? I did enjoy it. As much as I did the first time I saw it, no but this tour added new and interesting elements that kept this reviewer's attention.

As one of the nation's leading regional theaters and producing partners for Broadway, Paper Mill Playhouse has a well-earned reputation for launching both performers and shows for Broadway. Since their inception in 1996, the Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theatre have ignited the careers of many notable performers, all of whom attended high school in New Jersey.

Philadelphia theatergoers will have one final week to get their tickets to Cameron Mackintosh and Andrew Lloyd Webber's spectacular new production of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. PHANTOM plays at the Academy of Music through Saturday, April 12 only.

Long-running Broadway champ THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is currently touring the country via a new US tour and leads Ben Jacoby and Julia Udine perform a memorable musical moment from the show in a new clip.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has just made its Philadelphia premiere at the Academy of Music. With newly reinvented staging and stunning scenic design, this new version of PHANTOM, the most successful musical of all-time, is performed by a cast and orchestra of 52, making this one of the largest productions on tour in North America. In the video below, Ben Jacoby and Julia Udine perform 'All I Ask of You' on CBS Philly.

The producers of the spectacular new national touring production of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA announced today that Tony Award nominee Brad Oscar will assume the role of 'Monsieur Firmin' when he joins the production in Philadelphia at the Academy of Music, beginning Monday, April 7. He joins Cooper Grodin as 'The Phantom,' Julia Udine as 'Christine Daae,' Ben Jacoby as 'Raoul,' Jacquelynne Fontaine as 'Carlotta Giudicelli,' Edward Staudenmayer as 'Monsieur Andre,'Linda Balgord as 'Madame Giry,' Frank Viveros as 'Ubaldo Piangi' and Hannah Florence as 'Meg Giry'. Mr. Oscar succeeds original cast member Craig Bennett in the role.