Anne Runolfsson will step into the role of opera diva Carlotta Giudicelli in The Phantom of the Opera on November 16. She will be the 11th actress to assume the role, succeeding Julie Schmidt, who will play her final performance on November 13.
Runolfsson is known for having performed the title role in the musical Victor/Victoria over 120 times as the standby for Julie Andrews, Liza Minnelli and Raquel Welch. She went on to star in the national tour of the tuner. Also on Broadway, she created the role of Roxanne in Cyrano-The Musical, performed the role of Gretta Conroy in James Joyce's The Dead, played the Factory Girl and understudied the role of Fantine in Les Misérables and appeared in the original company of Aspects of Love. Her other theatrical credits include The Secret Garden, Listen to My Heart, Rags, Jack's Holiday, Cather County, A Little Night Music, Showboat and Funny Girl.
The Phantom of the Opera also stars Hugh Panaro, Sandra Joseph, John Cudia, Jeff Keller, George Lee Andrews, Marilyn Caskey, Larry Wayne Morbitt, Heather McFadden and Julie Hanson who plays Christine at certain performances.