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Beck, Bailey, James, Snook and More Join Cast of London's Phantom Sept. 8
By Mark Shenton
08 Sep 2008
The original West End production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera sees major cast changes Sept. 8.
Gina Beck becomes the new Christine, and Simon Bailey steps into the role of Raoul. The duo join a cast that features Ramin Karimloo as the Phantom and Heather Jackson as Madame Giry. Robyn North also continues to play the role of Christine at certain performances.
Also joining the show anew are Barry James and Gareth Snook as Monsieur Firman and André, respectively, and Kate Radmilovic and Tori Jones, both making their West End debuts as Carlotta and Meg Giry, respectively. Rohan Tickell also returns to the role of Piangi.
Beck previously played the role of Cosette in Les Misérables. Bailey is a member of classical "boy band" Teatro, whose eponymous debut album achieved gold record status within four weeks of its release. His previous West End credits include appearances in Les Misérables and We Will Rock You. James was most recently seen as Herr Schultz in the West End revival of Cabaret at the Lyric, and previously appeared in the Menier production of Little Shop of Horrors that transferred to the Duke of York's and New Ambassadors. Other shows he has appeared in include Jesus Christ Superstar, Beauty and the Beast and Chicago. Snook created the role of Artie Green in the original production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard, and he has also appeared at the Donmar Warehouse in Assassins and Company. Radmilovic's operatic roles have included Violetta in La Traviata, Mimi in La Bohème and Elvira in Don Giovanni. Jones trained at the Royal Ballet School. Tickell has previously appeared in the West End in Mamma Mia! and Whistle Down the Wind.
The Phantom of the Opera will celebrate its 22nd birthday in the West End on Oct. 9, 2009. It is second only to Les Miserables in terms of being the longest-running musical of all time in the West End; it became the longest-running show in Broadway history on Jan. 9, 2006, when it celebrated its 7,486th performance, surpassing the previous record holder, Cats.
The show has won over 50 major theatre awards, including seven Tonys on Broadway and three Olivier Awards in the West End. Worldwide, it has grossed over £1.7 billion – higher than any other film or stage play in history, including "Titanic," "ET" and "Star Wars." It has been seen in 124 cities in 25 countries and played to over 100 million people. In addition to the current London and Broadway showings, it can also currently be found in Budapest, Las Vegas, Sinagore and Osaka; there are also touring editions in venues in the U.S. and Australia.
The London production is currently booking to April 25, 2009. To book tickets, contact the box office at 0870 890 1106 or visit www.thephantomoftheopera.com.
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