Hairspray Director & Rhydian Join Phantom 2???

The Daily Mail reported on Friday that the critically acclaimed director of Hairspray, Jack O’Brien, is now attached to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom 2 project – a musical sequel to his blockbuster hit currently in development for 2009 – as director. Lloyd Webber has apparently already written a lot of the music for the show, but the book and lyrics still have quite a long way to go after a draft penned by Ben Elton “didn’t excite.” With O’Brien at the helm, the creative team are slowly being brought together with Bob Crowley, who worked with O’Brien on Tom Stoppard’s Coast of Utopia and Girl Friday at the National, already on board to design the sets and costumes.

Casting is yet to be announced but rumours are flying that the X Factor’s Rhydian, who sang the title song from The Phantom of the Opera on one of the live Saturday night shows, is being lined up to star in the sequel. In an interview with Wales on Sunday, Rhydian, who is Welsh, said: “Andrew and I have communicated. I just hope that one day I can be in one of his shows. Nothing’s set in stone yet, but my ambition is to play the Phantom 2 at the end of next year.”

According to Baz Bamigboye in the Daily Mail, “the story would be set 15 years after the events of the first show, which is still running in London. The Phantom has slipped away to New York and has set up a fairground world on Coney Island, along with Madame Giry and her daughter, Meg. He organises a concert in Manhattan for Christine, the object of his desire. Christine travels to the U.S. with her husband Raoul and their teenage son, who happens to be a musical genius…just like the Phantom. I’ll go no further.” Exciting stuff…watch this space!