Casting Announced for Andrew Lloyd Webber's International Award-Winning Musical, The Phantom of the Opera
Directed by Harold Prince, the longest-running show in Broadway history returns to The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford April 22-May 10, 2009.
The Cameron Mackintosh/Really Useful Theatre Company, Inc. production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, directed by Harold Prince, returning to The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford has announced casting for the production. Tickets for all performances are currently on sale at The Bushnell Box Office, 166 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, online at www.bushnell.org or by calling (860) 987-5900. Discounts for groups of 20 or more are available by calling (860) 987-5959. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is being welcomed by Farmington Savings Bank.
John Cudia heads the 36-member company as The Phantom, with Trista Moldovan as the young soprano, Christine, and Sean MacLaughlin as Raoul. Also featured will be Kim Stengel as Carlotta Giudicelli, D.C. Anderson as Monsieur André, Michael McCoy as Monsieur Firmin, Nancy Hess as Madame Giry, John Whitney as Ubaldo Piangi and Jessi Ehrlich as Meg. At certain performances, Kelly Jeanne Grant plays the role of Christine.
JOHN CUDIA (The Phantom of the Opera) returns to the National Tour after recently completing a successful run as The Phantom on Broadway. His Broadway credits include both Phantom and Les Miserables. In fact, John holds the distinct honor of being the first and only actor to have performed as both The Phantom and Jean Valjean on Broadway. John recently played Jean Valjean in the highly successful production of Les Misérables at The Marriott Theatre in Chicago, where his performance earned him a Joseph Jefferson Award nomination. John earned his BA from Fordham University. His resume includes leading roles at The Paper Mill Playhouse, North Shore Music Theater, Pioneer Theater, Portland Stage, St. Louis Reparatory, Casa Manana, Westchester Broadway and The Carousel Theatre. In concert, John has made several appearances in The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber for Jeffrey Finn Productions and was a featured tenor soloist with the Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea in his home state of New Jersey. John is happily married to Broadway actress Kathy Voytko.
TRISTA MOLDOVAN (Christine Daaé) is delighted to join the U. S. National Tour of The Phantom of the Opera. Most recently, she had the honor of working with Julie Andrews in the John Bucchino musical Simeon’s Gift. She also appeared as ‘Cosette’ in the regional premiere of Les Misérables at the Pioneer Theater Company. Off-Broadway/NYC: Sally in Me and My Girl (Musicals Tonight), Rachel in Paul Revere (Theatreworks) and Seffa in Faces of War (Makor Center). Regional credits: Gypsy (Louise), Nine (Carla), Born Yesterday (Billie Dawn), Carousel (Julie) and Cabaret (Sally). Television: “The Guiding Light,” “All My Children” and “As the World Turns.” Trista is a proud graduate of the Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory of Music.
SEAN MacLAUGHLIN (Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny) is proud to perform the role of Raoul. Broadway: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Woman in White. Performed the roles of Vikram in Bombay Dreams and Armand in Elton John’s Lestat; Off-Broadway: The Audience and Requiem for William. Some favorite regional credits include: The Kennedy Center productions of The Sondheim Celebration: Merrily We Roll Along and Ken Ludwig’s re-tooling of Tom Sawyer; Signature Theatre: the workshop of Michael John LaChiusa’s The Highest Yellow, Forum (Hero), Into The Woods (Rapunzel’s Prince), The Rink (Dino), Grand Hotel (Erik); Flat Rock Theatre: Thoroughly Modern Millie (Jimmy), The Rainmaker (Starbuck), Children of Eden (Cain /Japheth), I Love You, You’re Perfect…( Man 2); Hangar Theater: My Fair Lady (Freddy). TV/Film: HBO’s “Something the Lord Made” (Dr Swedlin) and appeared in PBS’ Great Performances “South Pacific : In Concert from Carnegie Hall”. Sean thanks his family for their constant love and support. Member of Actors’ Equity since 1999.
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and is directed by Harold Prince. Lyrics are by Charles Hart (with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe) and the book is by Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Production design is by Maria Bjornson, lighting by Andrew Bridge and sound by Martin Levan. Musical staging and choreography is by Gillian Lynne. Orchestrations are by David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Based on the classic novel Le Fantôme de l’Opéra by Gaston Leroux, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA tells the story of a masked figure who lurks beneath the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it. He falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine, and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her extraordinary talents and by employing all of the devious methods at his command.
With total worldwide grosses estimated at over $5 billion, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is the most successful entertainment venture of the twentieth century, surpassing such blockbuster films as Titanic, Lord of the Rings, Jurassic Park and Star Wars. The show had its world premiere on October 9, 1986 at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London, winning every major British theatre award including the Olivier and Evening Standard Awards. The New York production opened on January 26, 1988 where it won seven 1988 Tony® Awards, including Best Musical.
Over 80 million people in 124 cities in 25 countries have seen THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. Worldwide, the show consistently plays to larger audiences and in longer engagements than any other musical in history. On January 9, 2006, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA became the longest-running show in Broadway history surpassing Cats’ record-holding run of 7,485 performances. The show celebrated an unprecedented milestone on January 26, 2008 when it reached its twentieth anniversary on Broadway.
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA will play Wednesday, April 22, 2009 through Sunday, May 10, 2009. Performances are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Friday evenings at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. There will be a matinee performance on Thursday, April 23, 2009 at 1 p.m. Ticket prices range from $28 to $82 and are currently on sale at The Bushnell Box Office, 166 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, online at www.bushnell.org or by calling (860) 987-5900. Discounts for groups of 20 or more are available by calling (860) 987-5959.
The Hartford engagement of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is presented by arrangement with The Bushnell and is welcomed by Farmington Savings Bank. Visit the official THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA website at www.thephantomoftheopera.com.
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