Love Never Dies not arriving on Broadway during 2010 - 2011 season

The New York Times reports that Andrew Lloyd Webber's sequel to Phantom of the Opera - Love Never Dies will not premiere on Broadway this season.

The musical had initially announced that it would have its American premiere on 11 Nov 2010, but later announced the show would not arrive until the Spring. With this latest report from the NY Times, speculation is rising that, despite assurances from Andrew Lloyd Webber, the musical may never arrive on Broadway.

The NY Times reports that two producers who know Jack O'Brien and Jerry Mitchell, the director and choreographer of the London world premiere production of Love Never Dies, told the paper that they "have left the production to focus on their new musical 'Catch Me If You Can.'"

The news of Jack O'Brien and Jerry Mitchell's departure from Love Never Dies has not been officially confirmed, but it is common knowledge that the duo found working with Lloyd Webber difficult, with Michael Riedel of the New York Post reporting that Llord webber blames the pair "for the trouble the show's had in London."

The "trouble" that Andrew Lloyd Webber is referring to is the negative reviews Love Never Dies received. The New York Times chief critic, Ben Brantley, wrote in his review: "this poor sap of a show feels as eager to be walloped as a clown in a carnival dunking booth." And one London theatre blog site nicknamed the show "Paint Never Dries" - a nickname by which many now refer to the musical.

Adrian Bryan-Brown, the press spokesperson for Love Never Dies says the musical is still scheduled to arrive on Broadway in the Spring of 2011 and "we're just waiting for a date."

The news of Jack O'Brien's and Jerry Mitchell's departure from the creative team of Love Never Dies was not unexpected. Back in April it was reported that the duo were not happy with Lloyd Webber's rescheduling of the musical's Broadway Premiere from 11 Nov 2010, to early Spring 2011. The two are working on their next musical "Catch Me If You Can," which is expected to announce dates for its Broadway premiere in 2011 as soon as a suitable theatre becomes available.

According to Riedel of the New York Post, Lloyd Webber is now planning on bringing re-worked versions of Love Never Dies to Toronto and Australia (possibly Sydney), with two different directors working on each show. Craig Revel Horwood is rumored by Riedel to have been choosen to work on the Toronto production, while a director for the Australian production is still being searched for. Lloyd Wbber will then bring one of these new productions to Broadway at some time in the future.

Rumours that the London production of Love Never Dies may already be struggling to draw in theatregoers continue. For a long time after Phantom of the Opera opened in London, one had to wait up to six months to purchase tickets for a Saturday night performance. Just weeks after Love Never Dies opened tickets are readily available. Recently tickets for the show have regurlarly began to appear at London's half-price ticket booth in Leicester Square.

Love Never Dies opened at the Adelphi Theatre on 9 March 2010, following previews from 20 Feb 2010.

The show, directed by Jack O'Brien and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, features Ramin Karimloo as 'The Phantom', Sierra Boggess the role of 'Christine' and Summer Strallen as 'Meg Giry'.

Ten years after the mysterious disappearance of The Phantom from the Paris Opera House, Christine Daae accepts an offer to come to America and perform at New York's fabulous new playground of the world - Coney Island. Christine arrives in New York with her husband Raoul and their son Gustave. She soon discovers the identity of the anonymous impresario who has lured her from France to sing.