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LIVE ON STAGE…

Casting Announced For The Fort Lauderdale/>/> Engagement of

Andrew Lloyd Webber's International Award-Winning Musical

The Phantom of the Opera

Directed by Harold Prince

 

at the Broward/> Center/>/>

5 Weeks Only!  September 28 – October 29, 2005/>

FORT LAUDERDALE/> --- Casting has been announced for the Fort Lauderdale/>/> engagement of the Cameron Mackintosh/Really Useful Theatre Company, Inc. production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera, directed by Harold Prince. The five-week engagement will appear live on stage beginning Wednesday, September 28 through Saturday, October 29 at the Broward/> Center/>/> for the Performing Arts.  This will mark the musical's third engagement in Fort Lauderdale/>, FL./>/> 

Gary Mauer heads the 36-member company as The Phantom, with Marie Danvers/>/> as the young soprano, Christine, and John Cudia as Raoul.  Also featured will be Kim Stengel as Carlotta Giudicelli, David Cryer as Monsieur Firmin, D.C. Anderson as Monsieur André, Patti Davidson-Gorbea as Madame Giry, John Whitney as Ubaldo Piangi and Kate Wray as Meg. At certain performances, Elizabeth Southard plays the role of Christine. 

GARY MAUER (The Phantom) most recently starred in the Broadway production of The Phantom of the Opera, playing the leading role of Raoul.  Broadway and National Tour credits include Les Misérables and The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber.  He was fortunate enough to be cast opposite his wife, Elizabeth Southard, in the National Tour of Harold Prince's Show Boat.  She happily appears opposite Gary/>/> in this National Tour. Other favorite roles include Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar, Anthony in Sweeney Todd and Frederick in Pirates of Penzance. Gary/> was born in Phoenix/>, Arizona/> and earned a Bachelor's degree in Musical Theatre from The University of Arizona in Tucson/>/>.  He has sung "All I Ask of You" on ABC's "LIVE with Regis and Kathy Lee" and "The View" as well as NBC's "The Today Show."  As part of the popular "Bravo Broadway!" concert series, Gary/>/> has sung with numerous symphonies across the country, and is featured on two CDs entitled "Bravo Broadway!" 

 

MARIE DANVERS/>/> (Christine Daaé) is happy to resume with this company of Phantom after having appeared with the LA and Broadway companies.  She has also toured internationally as Maria in West Side Story, Christine in the Yeston/Kopit's Phantom, and in The Fantasticks starring Robert Goulet.  She has played leading roles in House and Garden Off-Broadway with The Manhattan Theater Club, The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Pioneer Theater, Salt Lake City/>), Prince and the Pauper (Kansas City Starlight), The Mikado and Company (Huntington Theater, Boston/>), A Chorus Line (Candlelight Dinner Theater, Chicago), Lend Me a Tenor (Royal/> George/> Theater/>, Chicago/>/>) and many others.  In concert she appeared with the "Broadway by the Year" series at the Town Hall in New York/>, with the Delaware Symphony Orchestra and in five productions with City Center Encores in New York City/>/>.  On television she portrayed Mrs. Havelock on "As the World Turns." She is a graduate of Oklahoma City/> University/> and is on staff as adjunct professor of theater at Suffolk/> County/> Community College/> in Long Island/>, New York/>/>, where she made her directorial debut last fall with The Fantasticks. 

JOHN CUDIA (Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny) returns to Phantom directly from the Broadway Company. As Raoul, he was twice nominated for a National Broadway Theatre Award. He made his Broadway debut in Les Misérables, playing such roles as Enjolras and Jean Valjean and proudly holds the honor of being the first actor to have performed both roles - Jean Valjean and The Phantom - on Broadway. Regional credits include Tony in West Side Story, Lt. Cable in South Pacific, Freddy in My Fair Lady, Anthony in Master Class and Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar at Paper Mill, St. Louis Rep., Pioneer Theatre Co. and Portland Stage. John was a featured soloist with the Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea in his home state of New Jersey/>/>. He received his B.A. from Fordham, where he studies opera.

                                               

With worldwide box office sales of over $3 billion, The Phantom of the Opera is the most successful entertainment venture of the twentieth century, surpassing such blockbuster films as Titanic, E.T., and Star Wars.  The winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, it celebrated its seventeenth anniversary on Broadway on January 26, 2005/> and is the longest-running show currently on Broadway having played over 7,000 performances.  Worldwide, The Phantom of the Opera consistently plays to larger audiences and in longer engagements than any other musical in history.  On January 9, 2006/>, The Phantom of the Opera will become the longest-running show in Broadway history surpassing Cats' record-holding run of 7,485 performances.

Based on the classic novel Le Fantôme de l'Opéra by Gaston Leroux, The Phantom of the Opera tells the story of a masked figure who lurks beneath the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it.  He falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine, and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her extraordinary talents and by employing all of the devious methods at his command.

The Phantom of the Opera had its world premiere on October 9, 1986/> at Her Majesty's Theatre in London/>/>, winning every major British theatre award including the Olivier and Evening Standard Awards. 

The New York/>/> production opened on January 26, 1988/> with a then-record advance of $18 million.  The musical also won seven Drama Desk Awards and three Outer Critics Circle Awards. Worldwide, The Phantom of the Opera has had over 50,000 performances and has been seen by over 100 million people in 20 countries and 107 cities.  It is currently playing in London/>, New York/>, Budapest/> (Hungary/>) and Shanghai/> (China/>/>). 

 

The Phantom of the Opera will play Wednesday, September 28, 2005/>/> through Saturday, October 29, 2005/>/>. Tickets are now on sale. Performances are Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8:00 p.m.; Sunday evenings at 7:30PM/>; Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00p.m.; and additional performances Thursday, September 29 at 2p.m., Monday, October 24 at 8p.m. and Thursday, October 27 at 2p.m. Tickets can be purchased in person at the Broward Center AutoNation Box Office and by phone and internet at 954-462-0222/> or www.browardcenter.org, and TicketMaster phones at 954-523-3309/> in Broward, 305-358-5885/> in Dade, and 561-966-3309/> in Palm Beach or at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available through TicketMaster outlets. Orders for groups of 20 or more may be placed by calling the Broward/> Center/>/> at 954-468-3326/> or Broadway Across America at 1-800-6GROUPS (647-6877/>).

The Fort Lauderdale/> engagement of The Phantom of the Opera is presented in arrangement with Florida Theatrical Association, a non-profit civic organization with a volunteer board of trustees established to ensure the continued presentation of quality national touring Broadway productions in the state of Florida/>/> and is a "Special" offering of Broadway In South Florida.