New cast announced for return of The Phantom Of The Opera to London’s West End

The Phantom Of The Opera will return to London’s Her Majesty’s Theatre with Lucy St Louis in the role of Christine and Rhys Whitfield as Raoul, it has been announced.

It was previously announced that Killian Donnelly will play The Phantom in the production.

The show, featuring music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, is due to reopen in the theatre of its origin on July 27, following the Government’s announcement of the road map out of lockdown which says full audiences will not be allowed to return to the theatre until June 21 at the earliest.

Lord Lloyd-Webber previously confirmed that the show would return with an entirely new cast for the first time in  35 years, following uncertainty about its future.

Last year producer Cameron Mackintosh announced that the West End production of the long-running show has permanently closed.

However, Lord Lloyd-Webber, who owns the theatre that houses the show, said: “Phantom will be back.”

St Louis previously starred as Diana Ross in the West End production of Motown The Musical and has also appeared in Beautiful The Carole King Musical and The Book Of Mormon, as well as Ragtime at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and Man Of La Mancha at the London Coliseum.

Whitfield most recently played the role of Raoul in the national tour of Phantom and has also appeared in Summer And Smoke, Jesus Christ Superstar, Close To You and and the UK tour of The Commitments.

Lord Lloyd-Webber said: “I am thrilled to announce our first entirely new cast for The Phantom of the Opera in London in over 35 years.

“This cast includes some wonderful performers with whom I have worked in the past, such as Killian and Rhys as well as the hugely exciting Lucy St Louis in the role of Christine Daae.

“Lucy first sang for me in between lockdowns one and two and I was utterly bewitched.

“I am also very proud to welcome Beatrice Penny-Toure, Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation Arts Ed scholarship graduate, to the Phantom family in her first professional role.”

Mackintosh added: “Putting the new version of the original Phantom production back into its perfect home Her Majesty’s Theatre, 35 years after its premiere, is an unexpected thrill.

“None of us had any idea The Phantom would be haunting the stage for so long.

“Although many of our brilliant original creative colleagues including Hal Prince, Maria Bjornson and Gillian Lynne are sadly no longer with us, their work lives on inspiring our new creative team to stage the Phantom afresh, as if it was a brand new production.

“This time around Her Majesty’s Theatre will take even more of a starring role alongside our brilliant new cast.

“Andrew and I cannot wait for our opera to begin again on July 27, a few weeks before it opens at the Sydney Opera House and ahead of its return to Broadway.”

Tickets will go back on sale on May 4, with priority booking from April 30.