The Phantom of the Opera: Michele McConnell plays Carlotta

Michele McConnell assumes role of 'Carlotta,' on 11 Dec 2011 in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera; the longest-running show in Broadway history. McConnel assumes the role from Liz McCartney who played her final performance on 9 Jul 2011.

Michele McConnell made her Broadway debut in the Ensemble of The Phantom of the Opera. Her credits include the national tour of 'Camelot' starring Robert Goulet; 'Mabel' in 'The Pirates of Penzance' and 'Josephine' in 'HMS Pinafore' (both at City Center); 'Beauty and the Beast' in both Montreal and Las Vegas; as well as appearances with DiCapo Opera, Mobile Opera, Missouri Symphony and Skyline Theatre Company.

McConnell is the fourteenth actress to have been cast as Carlotta in New York (not including understudies). She follows, in order and excluding return engagements: Judy Kaye, Marilyn Caskey, Elena Jeanne Batman, Geena Jeffries, Patricia Hurd, Kelly Ellenwood, Leigh Munro, Liz McCartney, Rebecca Eichenberger, Patricia Phillips, Julie Schmidt, Anne Runolfsson and Kim Stengel.

The Phantom of the Opera now stars Hugh Panaro (The Phantom), Sara Jean Ford (Christine Daae - played by Marni Raab at some performances), Kyle Barisich (Raoul, Vicomte de Chagn), George Lee Andrews (Monsieur Andre), David Cryer (Monsieur Firmin), Michele McConnell (Carlotta Giudicelli), Marilyn Caskey (Madame Giry), Evan Harrington (Ubaldo Piangi), Jessica Bishop (Meg Gir).

The most successful stage musical of all time, the Cameron Mackintosh/Really Useful Group, Inc. production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera, directed by Harold Prince, celebrated its 9000th performance on Broadway on 17 Sep 2009 and its 22nd anniversary on 26 Jan 2010.

In addition to its longevity records, The Phantom of the Opera is also the most successful stage musical of all time, with worldwide grosses to date estimated in excess of $5 billion. The winner of seven 1988 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, the New York production has played over 9,300 performances, been seen by nearly 14 million people and grossed over $780 million.

Worldwide, over 65,000 performances of The Phantom of the Opera have been seen by 100 million people in 27 countries and 144 cities. There are currently seven productions around the world: London, New York, Budapest (Hungary), Nagoya (Japan), Seoul (Korea), the U.S. National Tour (which concludes its run in November 2010) and a revised production in Las Vegas at The Venetian. The original cast-recording, with over 40 million copies sold worldwide, is the best-selling cast recording of all time.

The Phantom of the Opera opened at the Majestic on 26 Jan 1988, following previews from 9 Jan, and went on to sweep the 1988 Tony Awards, winning seven, including Best Musical.

Based on the classic novel Le Fantôme de L'Opéra 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 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 show's roduction design is by the late Maria Björnson, with 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.