Showing posts with label Michael Crawford. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michael Crawford. Show all posts

Sunday, November 25

Michael Crawford Ultimate Collection CD

Michael Crawford has most recently been seen on the London stage  playing the title role in The Wizard of Oz.

He is now releasing his Ultimate Collection album which is a double CD featuring 28 of his most acclaimed performances including selections from musicals The Phantom Of The Opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Les Miserables plus a selection of classics.

It is due for release tomorrow, Monday 26th November,  and can be ordered from Amazon for £9.99

The tracklisting is: The Music Of The Night: Any Dream Will Do:All I Ask Of You: When I Fall In Love:The Story Of My Life:West Side Story Medley: Maria/Tonight/Somewhere: When You Wish Upon A Star: Unexpected Song: If: Gethsemane: Come Rain or Come Shine: Stormy Weather: Before The Parade Passes By:You'll Never Walk Alone: The Phantom Of The Opera:  I Dreamed A Dream:  The Lion King Medley: Can You Feel The Love Tonight/Circle Of Life/He Lives In You/Shadowland: Memory: Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again: Only You: The Power of Love:Tell Me On A Sunday: Since You Stayed Here: On Eagle's Wings: Bring Him Home: You'll Be In My Heart: In The Still Of The Night and Love Changes Everything.

is most acclaimed performances on his "Ultimate Collection" album. Including selections from The Phantom Of The Opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Les Miserables, the CD will also feature a selection of pop songs. Watch the TV commercial below!
Most recently seen on the West End stage in The Wizard of Oz, and long overdue for a Broadway return, Crawford had established himself as one of London's finest leading men long before he opened as "the Phantom" in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera beginning one of the most widely acclaimed and memorable performances in theatre history. Few stars are as widely connected to a single role as Crawford is to "the Phantom." His Los Angeles and Broadway performances earned an astonishing catalogue of critical recognition including the Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards, and the Los Angeles Dramalogue Award and Drama Critics Award.
Since leaving "Phantom" after nearly four years in the role in London, New York and Los Angeles; Crawford has become a multi-platinum recording artist and one of the worlds's most sought after concert and stage performers, playing to sold-out venues around the globe. In addition to his recent concert work, stage credits in London and on Broadway include Billy, Flowers for Algernon, Black Comedy, Dance of the Vampires and Barnum.


Read more: http://westend.broadwayworld.com/article/STAGE-TUBE-Michael-Crawfords-ULTIMATE-COLLECTION-Album-TV-Commercial-20121123#ixzz2DFN1GrxR

Friday, July 29

Michael Crawford playing Wizard of Oz until next year

The original contract that Michael Crawford had for playing the Wizard in Andrew Lloyd Webber's new version of The Wizard of Oz was due to end on 4th September of this year.  But obviously Crawford is enjoying his return to the West End as he has now extended his run at the London Palladium until 5th February 2012.

Thursday, February 10

Michael Crawford on his “Balloon Problems” as The Wizard of Oz

The Mystery Guest on the Chris Evans Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2 this morning was Michael Crawford who is currently appearing in London's West End as the Wizard of Oz.

Chris had to do an off the cuff interview over the telephone which lasted for three minutes.  He managed to find out that Crawford  had been in New Zealand for the past  4 years to recuperate from a debilitating illness which meant  he couldn’t stay awake after 4:00 pm in the afternoon! It was the right thing to do because NZ is so peaceful he stared to relax, and with the new stress free lifestyle and the help of his grandchildren he made a steady recovery.

Andrew Lloyd Webber called him just as he was boarding a train to Bruges which was the start of journey  eventually ending up in Sicily with his family. He said he thought about the offer for 4 weeks and felt so refreshed after spending time with his grandchildren decided it was good idea as the Wizard is not a massive role. (Crawford modestly says he’s one of most unimportant people in the show!)  I saw him earlier this week at the Palladium and think he is marvellous in the role.

Chris Evans asked him if anything has gone wrong in the previews which started at the beginning of this week. Crawford said he has an interesting exit in a balloon which has caused some problems.  One night a bit fell off it narrowly missing people on the stage (luckily they saw it coming and scattered), and last night he pushed it in wrong direction and crashed into the set.

Hopefully Crawford will be fully in control of his balloon when The Wizard of Oz has its opening night at the London Palladium on 1st March

Sunday, January 16

Michael Crawford on creating his Wizard of Oz

Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s latest musical The Wizard of Oz is well into rehearsal and due to open at the London Palladium on 1st March (previews start on 7th February).  He is transforming the theatre into the Emerald City and it certainly promises to be a spectacular production with a very strong cast led by West End star Michael Crawford in what is a small role compared to those of  Barnum and The Phantom.

In an interview in the Sunday Mail Crawford says that when he was offered the part the role intrigued him because the Wizard appears in so many guises as a doorman, carriage-driver and the fortune-telling Professor Marvel.  Each of them morphs out of the Wizard's character during fantasy sequences with their own distinct personality. In his inimitable style he has made the parts his own with the carriage-driver as a spiv, the doorman brass buttons and white gloves efficiency, Professor Marvel is a dear old fellow and the Wizard himself is all sorts of marvellous things.

Crawford says he will need to be on top form because the songs are demanding. Andrew and Tim Rice have got together again after 30 years to reunited to write a great song for Professor Marvel about the wonders of the world, which he says he is looking forward to performing but because Tim's lyrics are clever they can be difficult to learn. Apparently he has them written on a piece of paper that I carries everywhere so that he can rehears at every opportunity, being  both terrified and exhilarated by the challenge.

Crawford says that his Wizard is just a little bit more physical than the one in the 1939 film because he wants to play characters who express their personalities through physical quirks.

I heave heard some amazing things about this production from friends working on the show and am really looking forward to it.

Friday, October 22

Michael Crawford and Andrew Lloyd Webber attending Phantom's 10,000th performance on Saturday

If you are going to this Saturday's matinee performance of The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London’s West End, don’t be surprised if you see Lord Lloyd Webber and the original Phantom Michael Crawford in the audience to mark the show’s 10,000 performance.

Scott Davies is currently playing the ghostly apparition with John Owen-Jones (who most recently played Jean Valjean in Les Miserables’  25th Anniversary Tour) due to take over the role on 1st November.



Michael Crawford is soon to work with Andrew Lloyd Webber again playing the Wizard in The Wizard of Oz which opens at the London Palladium next February,

Saturday, October 9

Happy Birthday to the Phantom of the Opera

Today is the 24th Anniversary of the Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre.  October is obviously a good month to open a large scale musical as it was Les Miserables’ 25th Birthday yesterday.

When the show opened in 1986 Michael Crawford played the Phantom with Sarah Brightman as Christine and Steve Barton as Raoul. John Owen-Jones is the next Phantom and is due to join the cast on 1st November.

Crawford is soon to return to London’s West End at the London Palladium playing the Wizard in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s production of The Wizard of Oz.

Friday, September 24

Michael Crawford playing Wizard of Oz at Palladium

Andrew Lloyd Webber's original Phantom of the Opera is returning to the West End Stage.

Michael Crawford is to play the Wizard in The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium which which is currently booking from 7th February to Sunday 4th September 2011. Press night is 1st March.

This reunion of Crawford and Lord Lloyd Webber is 24 years after he played  the Phantom of the Opera in an award-winning role which lasted three years and 1,300 performances.

Crawford last appeared in London's West End seven years ago.  Again this was in a Lloyd Webber production when he played Count Fosco in the Woman In White. 

Crawford has a reputation for being a complete perfectionist so you can be sure his performance and characterisation of the Wizard of Oz will be honed to perfection before the production opens and he will keep on working on it. Well worth seeing!