Sunday, February 26, 2012

Phantom "Never Dies": Sequel Hits Movie Theatres This Week


While the Andrew Lloyd Webber juggernaut “Phantom of the Opera” may be the longest running Broadway musical in the history of Broadway musicals, its long-awaited sequel “Love Never Dies” has not seen the light of day (or the lights of a Broadway stage). The sequel takes place roughly ten years after the end of the original “Phantom,” as Christine Daae is invited by the legendary masked man to perform at a new attraction in Coney Island.

With music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Glenn Slater and Charles Hart, “Love Never Dies” opened at the Adelphi Theatre in London’s West End in March 2010 to mostly negative reviews. It was originally directed by Old Globe regular Jack O’Brien with choreography by Jerry Mitchell. Lloyd Webber closed the show and did significant reworking of the script and score (including adding new directorial and choreographic touches by a new staff). Despite these efforts, “Love Never Dies” closed in August 2011 after a disappointing run.

A Melbourne-based production of the sequel opened in May 2011 with brand new direction and design by an Australian creative team. This Australian production has been described as “thrilling” and “super-lavish,” featuring 300 costumes and sets lit by 5,000 onstage light bulbs with a cast of 36 accompanied by a 21-piece orchestra. It is this production that was filmed in September and will be released on the big screen at movie theatres across America this Tuesday, February 28 at 7:30pm with an encore screening on March 7 at 7:30pm. The DVD will be released in the US on May 29.

If you want to catch this first ever US showing of “Love Never Dies” (as a Broadway debut looks more and more uncertain), check the Fathom Events webpage for a showing near you:

http://www.fathomevents.com/performingarts/event/loveneverdies.aspx

And for footage and review highlights of the show itself, check out:


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