Love Never Dies Delays Broadway Opening Due to Andrew Lloyd Webber's Health

The Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom sequel Love Never Dies is being delayed. The show, directed by Jack O’Brien and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, was announced to open on November 11, 2010. It is now expected to open at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre in the spring of 2011 due to Lloyd Webber’s health problems.

The composer was diagnosed with prostate cancer but declared to the press that he was “cancer-free” in January 2010. “Although the cancer has been eradicated, there have been post-operative problems,” the Love Never Dies producers said in a statement. “These have been aggravated by recent air travel and Lloyd Webber’s doctors have requested that he does not take any further long-haul flights for the time being and until the problem has been investigated. This prevents him attending auditions and being part of the pre-production process in New York on the original schedule.”

“I am extremely frustrated that I cannot travel to New York for the time being,” Lloyd Webber said in a statement. “I will be focusing my time on producing The Wizard of Oz in London now, and plan to be available for the creative process of bringing Love Never Dies to Broadway as soon as possible. I’m grateful that Jack and Jerry’s schedules can allow me to do this juggling act.”

Love Never Dies carries on the story of The Phantom of the Opera’s titular character, who has moved from his lair in the Paris Opera House to haunt the fairgrounds of Coney Island, far across the Atlantic. Set 10 years after the mysterious disappearance of the Phantom from Paris, the show is described as a rollercoaster ride of obsession and intrigue in which music and memory can play cruel tricks, and the title character sets out to prove that “love never dies.”

The West End production of the new musical opened on March 9, 2010 at London’s Adelphi Theatre, where it continues to play. It stars Ramin Karimloo, Sierra Boggess and Joseph Millson.

The Nederlander Organization is holding the Neil Simon Theatre for the production on Broadway, and casting, ticket sales will start later this year. The planned roll-out of the production to Australia and Asia later in 2011 is unaffected by the Broadway delay.