The Phantom of the Opera, Kim Stengel is to make her Broadway debut playing Carlotta

From 27 Mar 2008, Kim Stengel, the actress who has played the role of the outrageous opera diva �Carlotta� in The Phantom of the Opera more than any other actress worldwide, will join the Broadway production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, directed by Harold Prince, at The Majestic Theatre. This will mark Ms. Stengel�s Broadway debut.

Ms. Stengel has played the role over 4,500 times in several productions, playing across the U.S., Canada and Asia. Her first experience with the show was on the Canadian National Tour, which she joined in 1994. This production took her across Canada, to Alaska and Hawaii and became the musical�s first Asian Tour, taking her to Singapore and Hong Kong in 1995. She joined the Toronto Company in October 1995, playing the role for four years. She joined the U.S. National Tour in July 2002 and has played the role for nearly six years, up until earlier this month.

Ms. Stengel is the 12th actress to be cast in the role on Broadway, and replaces another history-maker, Patricia Phillips, who was the first person of African-American descent to play the role in the New York production. Ms. Phillips will play her final performance on 22 Mar 2008, and return to the role on 19 May 2008. (Understudies will cover the role March 24-26.) Ms. Stengel�s two-month engagement with the Broadway cast will run through to 17 May 2008.

Ms. Stengel joins the New York production direct from the National Tour, and follows another touring cast member who recently joined the Broadway cast. Rebecca Judd, who originated the role of �Madame Giry� when the Third National Tour premiered in December 1992, assumed the role in New York on 20 Feb 2008. She previously played the role on Broadway last summer (from 25 Jun to 28 Jul 2007), filling in for longtime Broadway �Madame Giry� Marilyn Caskey, while she played the role of �Electra� in the City Center production of Gypsy.

Ms. Judd�s return to the Broadway cast again enables Ms. Caskey to play in the Broadway revival of Gypsy. Ms. Caskey will return to the Broadway Company of The Phantom of the Opera at a later date to be determined.

The winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, the Broadway production of The Phantom of the Opera has been seen by over 12.5 million people and grossed over $675 million. On 4 Apr 2007 it became the first show in Broadway history to reach 8,000 performances (it has since played over 8,300), and earlier this year, on January 26, 2008, it became the first show in Broadway history to celebrate 20 years.

The Phantom of the Opera had its world premiere on 9 Oct 1986 at Her Majesty�s Theatre in London, winning every major British theatre award including the Olivier and Evening Standard Awards.

The Broadway production opened at the Majestic on 26 Jan 1988, following previews from 9 Jan and is urrently booking through to 13 Sep 2008.

The musical went on to sweep the 1988 Tony Awards, winning seven, including Best Musical.

Based on the classic novel Le Fant�me de L�Op�ra by Gaston Leroux, The Phantom of the Opera tells the story of a masked figure who lurks beneath the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it. He falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine, and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her extraordinary talents and by employing all of the devious methods at his command.

The Phantom of the Opera stars Howard McGillin in the tile role with Jennifer Hope Wills as Christine and Tim Martin Gleason as Raoul. Having donned the mask in over 2,000 times, Mr. McGillin has performed the title role more than any other actor in the Broadway production.

The musical also co-stars George Lee Andrews (Monsieur Andr�; Mr. Andrews is the only cast member to have been with the Broadway production for the entire run), David Cryer (Monsieur Firmin), Patricia Phillips (Carlotta), Marilyn Caskey (Madame Giry), Wayne Hobbs (Piangi) and Heather McFadden (Meg Giry). (At certain performances, Elizabeth Loyacano plays Christine.)

The Phantom of the Opera has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and is directed by Harold Prince. Lyrics are by Charles Hart (with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe) and the book is by Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

The Phantom of the Opera has production design by the late Maria Bj�rnson, lighting by Andrew Bridge and sound by Martin Levan. Musical staging and choreography is by Gillian Lynne. Orchestrations are by David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber.