It will then continue to visit Manchester's Palace Theatre, Bristol Hippodrome, Dublin's Grand Canal Theatre, the Grand Theatre in Leeds, Edinburgh Playhouse, Milton Keynes Theatre, Cardiff's Wales Millennium Centre and Southampton's Mayflower, with further dates to be announced.  

John Owen-Jones, who is the current London Phantom, will share the role at different dates with Earl Carpenter, with Katie Hall as Christine. Featuring a new design and staging that retains Maria Björnson's original costumes, the production is directed by Laurence Connor, with choreography by Scott Ambler, set design by Paul Brown, lighting design by Paule Constable and sound design by Mick Potter. The production is overseen by Cameron Mackintosh and Matthew Bourne.

In a press statement, Mackintosh commented, "After 25 phenomenal years and a glorious celebration of the show's success at the Royal Albert Hall at the start of this month, I'm delighted to  announce that a spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's legendary musical will open its National Tour next March in Plymouth. With an exciting new design and staging, retaining Maria Björnson's amazing costumes, be the first to surrender to the music of the night and fall in love with the Phantom in his new guise all over again."

Owen-Jones, who is is currently playing the role of The Phantom in the original West End production at Her Majesty's, has appeared both in the West End and on Broadway as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, a role he also reprised for the recent 25th anniversary tour of the show. He will play the Phantom for its Plymouth,  Manchester, Bristol, Dublin and Leeds dates, and the first part of the Edinburgh run (from Sept. 19-29).

Carpenter recently played the role of Javert in the West End production of Les Misérables and also played the role in the 25th Anniversary tour of the show. He has also played The Phantom in the West End production of The Phantom of the Opera as well as the role of Darryl Van Horne in The Witches of Eastwick at the Prince of Wales Theatre. On tour, he has played Joe Gillis in Sunset Boulevard. He will play the Phantom for the second part of the Edinburgh run (from Oct. 1-20), then continue in the role for its dates at Milton Keynes, Cardiff and Southampton. Hall was a contestant in the BBC1's "I'd Do Anything" search for a performer to play Nancy in Oliver! and a final round contender for Andrew Lloyd Webber's search for the British Eurovision entry, "Your Country Needs You," also for BBC1. After leaving the "I’d Do Anything" competition, she was immediately cast to cover the role of Christine in The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre and is now the alternate Christine. She also played the role of Cosette in Les Misérables at the Queen’s Theatre in the West End, on the 25th Anniversary tour and also at the O2.

For full details on the tour, visit www.thephantomoftheoperatour.com.