The Phantom of the Opera: new Carlotta and Raoul

Liz McCartney returns to the role of 'Carlotta,' and Sean MacLaughlin assumes the role of 'Raoul' on 6 Dec 2010 in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera; the longest-running show in Broadway history.

McCartney first played the role of the tempestuous opera diva over ten years ago, for nearly 2 years and over 600 performances from June 1999 to April 2001. She had initially joined the Broadway Company in March 1999 as a member of the Ensemble, prior to taking over the role of 'Carlotta' that June.

National Tour star Sean MacLaughlin played 'Raoul' in the final cast of the long-running National Tour of The Phantom of the Opera, which recently ended its record-breaking 18-year run. He first joined the tour in June 2007 as a member of the Ensemble. He assumed the role of 'Raoul' in February 2009, playing it for a year and a half up until the tour's final performance on 31 Oct 2010.

MacLaughlin is the fourteenth actor to be cast as 'Raoul' (not including alternates and understudies). He follows, in order and excluding return engagements: Steve Barton, Kevin Gray, Davis Gaines, Hugh Panaro, Keith Buterbaugh, Ciaran Sheehan, Brad Little, Gary Mauer, Jim Weitzer, Michael Shawn Lewis, John Cudia, Tim Martin Gleason and Ryan Silverman.

McCartney is one of thirteen actresses to have been cast as 'Carlotta' in New York (not including alternates and understudies). In order and excluding return engagements, they are: 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.

McLaughlin succeeds Ryan Silverman. Having taken over the role of 'Raoul' in April 2009, Silverman has performed it on Broadway nearly 600 times. He also previously played the role in the Vegas production.

McCartney succeeds Patricia Phillips. Since first taking over the role of 'Carlotta' in June 2003, she's played four engagements with the Broadway cast with a total of more than 1,600 performances. She was the first person of African-American descent to play the role on Broadway and also previously performed the role as part of both the Toronto Company and on the Canadian tour.

Silverman and Phillips played their final performance on 4 Dec 2010.

The Phantom of the Opera now stars Hugh Panaro (The Phantom), Sara Jean Ford (Christine Daae - played by Marni Raab at some performances), Sean MacLaughlin (Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny), George Lee Andrews (Monsieur Andre), David Cryer (Monsieur Firmin), Liz McCartne (Carlotta Giudicelli), Cristin J. Hubbard (Madame Giry), Evan Harrington (Ubaldo Piangi) and Heather McFadden (Meg Giry).

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.