New Andrew Lloyd Webber announcement — Page 2

CT2NYC said: "Coincidentally, just yesterday I received an email from Broadway Direct, with a link to a survey. In a nutshell, the survey asked me if I had seen PHANTOM, and asked how interested I would be in seeing LOVE NEVER DIES, if it came to Broadway."

Another one! I can't figure out why I still haven't received this email.

He's going into rehab?

It's not based on the book; it just has the same title. However confusing that is.

LizzieCurry said: "It's not based on the book; it just has the same title. However confusing that is."

The Paper Mill press release says “based on his recently released autobiography, Unmasked offers an intimate look at Lloyd Webber’s five decades in the spotlight and beyond...”

So yes, based on the book.

Just catching up on this thread so bear with me for a minute:
1 - Did someone seriously believe that Phantom might close for LND or was that sarcasm? It's hard to decipher serious thoughts from snark on here every so often, so I wasn't quite sure. If that was a serious question, despite the fact I have no connection to ALW, RUG or anything with the Phantom of the Opera investors or producers - I can definitively say - No - that will never happen.

2 - Does ALW still have a hit in him? Uhh - yeah - School of Rock has been a bona-fide hit on both sides of the Atlantic and on tour. The problem for ALW is that Cats and Phantom put him in a stratosphere which prior to ALW never had happened. An original production running over 30 years and still in the million dollar gross range consistently? The man is a genus and gifted composer - but even he would admit that Cats and Phantom were like hitting the Lotto twice. everything came together so perfectly that those shows became mega, mega hits. So now a legitimate hit like School of Rock is almost overlooked and every other show that doesn't recoup the entire investment (like Sunset) - even though it came close (I think the initial production was over 80% recouped) and generated millions of dollars in grosses - is considered a "flop"

3- The cool thing with the 70th Birthday celebrations/memoir release is that it has generated a new found renaissance for his works. JCS looks like it's going to be a pretty epic production on NBC with John Legend, Sarah Berellis et al. (And I believe I read JCS will begin a new US tour next year) Theres the Hal Prince international tour of Evita with rumblings of a return to NY...I had read that they were going to do something for Joseph in London (but that had quieted down so much, I thought that had gone away) - but perhaps it will be a Christmas presentation in London (ala Cats initially was at the Palladium) Anyway, it's just cool to see ALW finally getting some of the respect he has not received most of his career.

4 - LND - thats a mystery to me. He has said in interviews that he believes this is one of his finest scores - and the Phantom/LND characters are probably closest to his heart in many, many ways. THat being said the World Premiere/Jack O'Brien production was a disaster and the US critics have been mixed-to-negative. So I'm sure they're really debating whether to bring it to NY or let it quietly finish its US Tour. I mean - they went through the trouble of releasing the new cast recording (which was the DVD soundtrack; but with pretty substantial revisions to orchestrations and The Beauty Underneath) - so he did that, but it's been a bit of a challenge to purchase. So you get the sense they really are being cautious with LND.

My guess, if a theatre opens up (Maybe Anastassia wraps up this summer?) then LND can announce a limited 16-week run or something and see what happens.

5 - Don't forget he did those workshops of Starlight Express a few months ago in London, so perhaps thats coming soon... For me - I'd love to see an Aspects of Love revival.

I saw an interview of ALW and he said he's working on an new show about 'someone who's still alive'.

A Hollywood film of the Phantom of the Opera with actual singing in it?

chernjam said: "Just catching up on this thread so bear with me for a minute..."

chernjam, I agree with everything you said, except that "the [LND] World Premiere/Jack O'Brien production was a disaster". If you meant critically, you're right, but I loved it (more so than the touring version).

Any rumors for cast of the Umasked Revue? Pretty sure the lab is in early April

Updated On: 3/26/18 at 11:40 AM