David Cullen News

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 ingénue 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. (more...)

Producers Hal Luftig and Scott Sanders announced today that the Tony Award Nominated Best Revival of a Musical, Tim RiceÂ’s and Andrew Lloyd WebberÂ’s EVITA, will launch a first national tour in the fall of 2013 at Providence Performing Arts Center in Providence, Rhode Island. Casting and additional information will be announced at a later date. (more...)

Under the MASTERWORKS BROADWAY label, the New Broadway Cast Recording of Evita was recorded in April in anticipation of a June 19th 2012 release. The album is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com. The album cover art has just been released and BroadwayWorld brings you a first look below! (more...)

Ricky Martin and the cast of Broadway's EVITA performed "And the Money Kept Rolling In" live today on ABC's "The View." View the performance below! (more...)

Ricky Martin and the cast of Broadway's EVITA performed live today on ABC's "The View." Directed by Tony and Olivier Award-winner Michael Grandage and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Rob Ashford, EVITA opened April 5, 2012 at The Marquis Theatre. (more...)

Outspoken and always opinionated radio "shock jock" Howard Stern, the newly appointed judge of "America's Got Talent," makes his first guest appearance on THE VIEW live, MAY 10. Stern is the show's sole featured guest for the entire hour and will be seated alongside all five co-hosts. (more...)

MASTERWORKS BROADWAY has announced details of the release of 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, will be released on June 26, 2012. Visit MasterworksBroadway.com for more information as it develops. (more...)

EVITA and Swarovski create Eva's iconic ball gown in the behind the scenes video below! (more...)

The cast of EVITA, including Ricky Martin, Michael Cerveris and Elena Roger performed 'Buenos Aires' and 'High Flying Adored' on this morning's 'Good Morning America'. Directed by Tony and Olivier Award-winner Michael Grandage and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Rob Ashford, EVITA opened April 5, 2012 at The Marquis Theatre. (more...)

The cast of EVITA, including Ricky Martin, Michael Cerveris and Elena Roger performed 'Buenos Aires' and 'High Flying Adored' on this morning's 'Good Morning America'. Directed by Tony and Olivier Award-winner Michael Grandage and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Rob Ashford, EVITA opened April 5, 2012 at The Marquis Theatre. (more...)

MASTERWORKS BROADWAY has just announced the signing of the New Broadway Cast Recording of Evita. The album will be recorded in April in anticipation of a June 19th 2012 release and is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com. (more...)

Ricky Martin, Elena Roger, Michael Cerveris and the cast of EVITA will perform two numbers from the show and discuss the highly-anticipated return of Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim RiceÂ’s iconic musical on GOOD MORNING AMERICA on THURSDAY, APRIL 12 from 8:30-9:00 a.m. on ABC, live from Times Square. (more...)

Read more about EVITA's opening night here, and check out full coverage of the Gypsy Robe ceremony below! (more...)

Thanks to our very perceptive BroadwayWorld message boarders, we have learned that it seems the new revival cast of EVITA, which took their opening night bows last night, April 5, at the Marquee Theatre, will be recording a cast album. (more...)

Something extra para los lectores de BroadwayWorld Spain! Directo de la fiesta después del estreno de Evita en Broadway, el bailarín, actor y director que introdujo a Ricky Martin en el mundo de los musicales, Richard Jay-Alexander sends us a greeting, a very special greeting, para los fans hispano-parlantes. Don't you miss it! (more...)

BroadwayWorld was on the red carpet of EVITA's opening night after party last night, April 5, to celebrate with the company at the Marquis Theatre. The show is back on Broadway for the first time in more than 30 years and BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was on hand to talk all about the big revival with EVITA leads Ricky Martin, Elena Roger, Michael Cerveris and more! (more...)

EVITA opened last night, April 5, at the Marquis Theatre! We've got photos of the curtain call featuring Ricky Martin, Elena Roger and Michael Cerveris as well as Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. Check out the show's just-released television commercial below! (more...)

EVITA opened last night, April 5, at the Marquis Theatre and hosted a star-studded after party following the curtain. The company of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's landmark musical is led by Ricky Martin as Che, Elena Roger in her Broadway debut as Eva Perón and Michael Cerveris as Juan Perón, along with Max von Essen as Migaldi and Rachel Potter as the Mistress. (more...)

A long-standing opening night tradition on the Great White Way, the fabled Gypsy Robe is bestowed upon a veteran Broadway chorus member for each opening production. In what has now become a theatrical ritual, originating on Broadway 60 years ago, the latest recipient was EVITA cast member Matt Wall at EVITA's opening night, last night, April 5, at the Marquis Theatre. (more...)