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.@OfficialALW’s spellbinding sequel to the beloved The Phantom of the Opera, @loveneverdies makes its #BWYPHL premiere at the Academy of Music from Oct 2-7! More info @kimmelcenter.org!
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Lisa Jefferson
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THE SPELLBINDING SEQUEL TO THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA,
ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S LOVE NEVER DIES
MAKES PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
ON KIMMEL CENTER CULTURAL CAMPUS
OCTOBER 2 – 7, 2018
“Beautiful and haunting.” – Daily Mail
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Philadelphia, PA, September 5, 2018) –– Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies will make its Philadelphia premiere on the Kimmel Center Cultural Campus October, 2 – 7, 2018. Eight dazzling performances will take place at the Academy of Music for the spellbinding continuation of the ultimate love story – The Phantom of the Opera –one of the most successful musicals of all time. The new touring production of Love Never Dies will reflect an extensive re-working of the material by an Australian creative team for the original Australian premiere in 2011. Described by Chris Boyd in The Australian as “The best thing Lloyd Webber has written in the quarter century since The Phantom of the Opera”.
“We are thrilled to welcome the Philadelphia premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s enthralling sequel Love Never Dies to our Cultural Campus,” said Anne Ewers, President and CEO of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. “The lavish, haunting continuation of The Phantom of the Opera is nothing short of a musical masterpiece, combining a dazzling set, soaring vocals, and a moving storyline that pays homage to its beloved predecessor. This production emulates Andrew Lloyd Webber’s acclaimed talent for blending passionate storytelling with poignant scores.”
The year is 1907. It is 10 years after The Phantom’s disappearance from the Paris Opera House and he has escaped to a new life in New York where he lives amongst the screaming joy rides and freak shows of Coney Island. In this new, electrically charged world, he has finally found a place for his music to soar, but he has never stopped yearning for his one true love and musical protégée Christine Daaé.
Now, one of the world’s finest sopranos, Christine accepts an invitation to travel from Paris to New York to perform at a renowned opera house. Christine's marriage to Raoul is suffering at the hands of his drinking and gambling, and they desperately need the financial rewards that America can give them.
In a final bid to win back Christine’s love, The Phantom lures her, Raoul, and their young son Gustave, from Manhattan to the glittering and glorious world of Coney Island - not knowing what is in store for them.
Directed by Simon Phillips (Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical) with new set and costume designs by Gabriela Tylesova, choreography by 2011 Astaire Awards winner Graeme Murphy, lighting design by Nick Schlieper, and sound design by Mick Potter, the show is one of the few instances of a major West End musical being given a complete makeover for subsequent productions.
Lloyd Webber said he knew about five minutes into seeing its first run-through that he and the new production team had achieved something special. “I have the great joy of being able to say that I think this production is probably the finest one I could ever, ever hope for.”
Since its premiere in 2010, Love Never Dies has enjoyed productions worldwide in London, Australia, Denmark, Japan, and Germany, as well as multiple recordings including a concept album and a London cast recording. A DVD release of the Australian production has delighted fans globally, and now the North American tour brings the musical to the U.S. for the first time.
Other featured upcoming performances on the Kimmel Center Cultural Campus include: Fiddler on the Roof (October 23 – 28, 2018, Academy of Music), Roald Dahl’s Charlie & The Chocolate Factory (November 6 – 18, Academy of Music), and How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical (December 19 – 29, Merriam Theater).
LOVE NEVER DIES
Academy of Music
Tuesday, October 2, 2018, 7:30 pm
Wednesday, October 3, 2018, 7:30 pm
Thursday, October 4, 2018, 7:30 pm
Friday, October 5, 2018, 8:00 pm
Saturday, October 6, 2018, 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm
Sunday, October 7, 2018, 1:00 pm and 6:30 pm
Tickets
Tickets are on sale to the public now and start at $20.00. Tickets can be purchased by calling (215) 893-1999, visiting kimmelcenter.org, or at the Kimmel Center Box Office. Group sales are available for groups of 10 or more and can be purchased by calling 215-790-5883. More information at www.kimmelculturalcampus.org.
The Shubert Organization
For more than 100 years, The Shubert Organization has been in the forefront of the American theatre. Under the leadership of Philip J. Smith, Chairman, and Robert E. Wankel, President, the Shubert
Organization owns and operates 17 Broadway theatres and six Off-Broadway venues, as well as the Forrest Theatre in Philadelphia. The company has produced and co-produced hundreds of plays and musicals, including the original Broadway production of CATS, Dreamgirls, Sunday in the Park with George, Amadeus, The Real Thing, The Grapes of Wrath, Equus, The Elephant Man, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, School of Rock The Musical, and The Humans. The Shubert Organization is proud of its ongoing refurbishment program for its theatres, seeking to preserve the historic character while modernizing them to accommodate the needs of today’s audiences.
Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
Located in the heart of Center City, Philadelphia, The Kimmel Center’s mission is to operate a world-class
performing arts center that engages and serves a broad audience through diverse programming, arts education, and community outreach. The Kimmel Center campus is comprised of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts (Verizon Hall, Perelman Theater, SEI Innovation Studio, and the Merck Arts Education Center), the Academy of Music (owned by the Philadelphia Orchestra Association), and the Merriam Theater. The Kimmel Center is also home to eight Resident Companies: The Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera Philadelphia, The Pennsylvania Ballet, The Philly POPS, PHILADANCO, The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society and Curtis Institute of Music. TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is the season sponsor of the Kimmel Center’s 2018-2019 Season. American Airlines is the official airline of Broadway Philadelphia. For additional information, visit kimmelcenter.org.
For more information, please visit www.loveneverdies.com.
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For photography, please visit https://kcpress.smugmug.com/
For a PDF version of this press release, click here.