Tim Howar Is London's New Phantom of the Opera; Kimberly Blake & Ross Dawes Will Also Join Cast

As Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera heads into its 33rd year in London's West End, the production has announced that acclaimed star Tim Howar will take over the title role at Her Majesty's Theatre beginning on September 3. Howar will replace current star Ben Lewis.

Most known for his vocals as frontman of Mike + the Mechanics, Howar's West End credits include Peggy Sue Got Married, Rent and Rock of Ages. He recently led the cast of the West End return of Chess.

Also joining the Phantom cast on September 3 will be Kimberly Blake (Aspects of Love) as Carlotta Giudicelli and Ross Dawes (The Rink) as Monsieur Firmin, taking over for Lara Martins and Siôn Lloyd, respectively. They join current cast members Kelly Mathieson as Christine Daaé, Jeremy Taylor as Raoul, Amy Manford as the alternate Christine Daaé, Mark Oxtoby as Monsieur Andre, Jacinta Mulcahy as Madame Giry, Paul Ettore Tabone as Ubaldo Piangi, Georgia Ware as Meg Giry and Scott Davies as the standby Phantom.

In October 2016, the London production of The Phantom of the Opera celebrated its 30th anniversary with a special gala performance at Her Majesty's Theatre. In October 2011, the West End mounting toasted its 25th anniversary with a special staging titled The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall, which was screened live in cinemas all over the world and subsequently released on DVD. The production has now been playing for more than 32 years.