Andrew Lloyd Webber spoke with host Jimmy Fallon on the April 17 broadcast of NBC's The Tonight Show, a day after his history-making The Phantom of the Opera ended its 35-year Broadway run.
Lloyd Webber recalled an early idea director Harold Prince had for the musical's premiere London run: "In the dress rehearsal we had, Hal Prince, the great legendary director Hal Prince, had this idea … Some of you may know that in Phantom, we go up to the roof, and he had this idea that pigeons would fly from the roof over the audience. In the dress rehearsal, they made—shall we put it this way, a mess! Yeah. The pigeons left."
READ: Masks, Tears, and Chandeliers: Reflections on the Final Phantom of the Opera Performance
Lloyd Webber also discussed his transition from Cats to dogs, the genesis of his new musical Bad Cinderella, and played a few of his most memorable tunes for the audience. Watch the full interview above.
Ayaka Kamei
Carly Blake Sebouhian
Carly Blake Sebouhian
Xiaoxiao Cao
Giselle O. Alvarez
Tamar Greene and Lindsay Roberts
Raquel Suarez Groen
Raquel Suarez Groen and Leo
Carlton Moe
Nehal Joshi
Janinah Burnett
Julia Udine
Sara Esty
Laird Mackintosh
Laird Mackintosh
Laird Mackintosh and Tommy Tune
Emilie Kouatchou and John Riddle
Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman
Ali Ewoldt
Ali Ewoldt and Mat Hostetler
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Glenn Close
Glenn Close
Jordan Dobson and Linedy Genao
Matthew Murphy and Ryan Scott Oliver
Diane Paulus and family
Gayle King
Tony Marion and David Korins
Derrick Davis
Sierra Boggess
Alan H. Green and Sierra Boggess
Alan H. Green
Chuck Schumer
Erin Davie
Leila Martin
Meghan Picerno
Meghan Picerno
Meghan Picerno
Company of The Phantom Of The Opera
Company of Phantom Of The Opera
Raquel Suarez Groen and the Company of Phantom of the Opera
Emilie Kouatchou
John Riddle and Emilie Kouatchou
John Riddle and Emilie Kouatchou
Laird Mackintosh
Laird Mackintosh
John Riddle, Laird Mackintosh, and Emilie Kouatchou
Cameron Mackintosh and company of The Phantom of the Opera
Full company and crew of The Phantom of the Opera
Sarah Brightman and Judy Kaye at the final Phantom Broadway performance
Andrew Lloyd Webber and company of Phantom of the Opera
Andrew Lloyd Webber and company of Phantom of the Opera
Sarah Brightman and Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Emilie Kouatchou
Company of The Phantom of the Opera
Andrew Lloyd Webber and company of Phantom of the Opera
Company of The Phantom of the Opera
Company of The Phantom of the Opera
