Love Never Dies, but Continuity Sure Does

A few years ago, it was announced Andrew Lloyd Webber was going forward with a sequel to his megahit “The Phantom of the Opera.” The theater community was…intrigued, yet cautious. It had been so long and the show was (is) so beloved. Also, Andrew Lloyd Webber hasn’t really had a hit on Broadway since Phantom opened. “The Woman in White” closed before the Tonys! So, we kept our ears open for news. And got a laugh when it was reported one of Webber’s cats deleted the score.

But it seemed Webber was serious about pushing forward with it. At a festival held on his estate, Webber debuted the first act. The reviews were positive though fans continued to remain cautious. Especially when it seemed Webber would follow the plot of Frederick Forsyth’s novel, “Phantom of Manhattan.” (It is a “sequel” to the book musical). Most shuddered when they considered that. But things pushed forward. Webber announced plans to debut the show simultaneously in London, New York and Hong Kong. As time grew closer, though, those plans were dropped for an opening only in London with plans for other productions to be determined.