Summer Strallen Loves, On Sale from 8 Oct???

We in the Whatsonstage.com offices hear that Summer Strallen, whose most recent West End musical credits include The Sound of Music (via Hollyoaks) and The Drowsy Chaperon), has been cast as Meg Giry in Love Never Dies, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s long-awaited sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, alongside the previously tipped Ramin Karimloo and American Sierra Boggess as the Phantom and Christine.

Still no official announcements, of course, and as always, it’s difficult keeping up with the many, often contradictory rumours. According to today’s Daily Mail, tickets are now scheduled to go on sale on 8 October 2009 for the premiere production, which will start performances at the West End’s Adelphi Theatre next March. Well, we’ll see!

Love Never Dies is set in 1907, ten years after the conclusion of the original story. The Phantom has escaped to New York with Madame and Meg Giry and found success in Coney Island as a magician and entertainer. When he builds a new opera house, he persuades his old ingenue Christine Daae, now a huge star and married to her old flame Raoul, to sing for him once more…

The musical, which has lyrics by Glenn Slater, is directed by Jack O’Brien and designed by Bob Crowley, with choreography by Jerry Mitchell and lighting by Paule Constable.