Andrew Lloyd Webber’s next musical teased by producer Michael Harrison

Producer Michael Harrison is having one of the busiest summers of his incredibly successful career.

In the last month alone, he’s opened Starlight Express and Hello, Dolly! – two of the biggest musical revivals of the year – while he’s due to add a third in the form of The Wizard of Oz when it opens in the West End early next month.

Later this year, he’s also got his annual pantomime (this year Robin Hood) back at its home at The London Palladium for Christmas, Sunset Boulevard opening on Broadway and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat commencing a new tour in Edinburgh.

But, chatting at the opening night of Hello, Dolly!, Harrison teased some very exciting plans in the pipeline. He revealed that Starlight Express, currently playing in the tailor-made space at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre “will go around the world”, while he’s also preparing to sail the cult classic Celine Dion musical Titanique to the UK.

Harrison also revealed that he’ll be collaborating once more with Andrew Lloyd Webber on the Cats and Evita composer’s latest musical, as part of his Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals company: “There is a new Lloyd Webber musical, I’m producing it, we’re not ready to say exactly what it is yet but it’s thrilling – he’s writing phenomenal melody – it’s really really exciting.”

The company, according to Lloyd Webber, will oversee all manner of productions going forwards, after a strong start with Sunset Boulevard and Starlight Express. 

As for when audiences will get further details, it seems as though whatever’s on the horizon isn’t too far away: “We’ll probably announce something later in the year. I’ll tell you one thing: it’s not on roller blades.” Other reports have also suggested it will be performed in a more conventional theatre. We previously reported on this musical earlier this year.

Speaking of roller blades, Starlight Express continues its blockbuster run into 2025. Hello, Dolly! will complete its limited season at The London Palladium on 14 September 2024.