Unmasked: Tim Howar is the West End's new Phantom as Lloyd Webber's musical celebrates 33 years

Joining Tim Howar, who plays the title role in the London production of The Phantom of the Opera for an initial run from 3 September to 8 December 2018, are Kimberly Blake as Carlotta Giudicelli and Ross Dawes as Monsieur Firmin.

Continuing in the show will be Kelly Mathieson as Christine Daaé, Jeremy Taylor as Raoul, Amy Manford as the alternate Christine Daaé, Mark Oxtoby as Monsieur Andre, Jacinta Mulcahy as Madame Giry, Paul Ettore Tabone as Ubaldo Piangi, Georgia Ware as Meg Giry and Scott Davies as the standby Phantom.

Howar joins Phantom following his recent role as Freddie Trumper in Chess at the London Coliseum. Cameron Mackintosh said today:

“Tim Howar’s exciting vocal take on the iconic score of the Phantom brings a contemporary fresh approach to this legendary role which blew us away at his audition.”

The cast is completed by Matthew Barrow, Matt Bateman, James Bisp, James Butcher, Bridget Costello, Sophie Cottrill, Hadrian Delacey, Morven Douglas, Paul Erbs, Hannah Grace, Philip Griffiths, Katy Hanna, Hettie Hobbs, Grace Horne, Lily Howes, Ellen Jackson, Adam Robert Lewis,  Kris Manuel, Tim Morgan, Danielle Pullum, Rebecca Ridout, Anna Shircliff, Emily Smith, Rachel Spurrell, John Stacey, Andrei Teodor Iliescu, Claire Tilling, Victoria Ward and Danny Whitehead.

The Phantom of the Opera has won over 70 major theatre awards, including seven Tonys on Broadway and four Olivier Awards in the West End. It won the Magic Radio Audience Award, voted by the public, in the 2016 Laurence Olivier Awards. The musical opened at Her Majesty’s Theatre on 9 October 1986 and starred Michael Crawford as The Phantom and Sarah Brightman as Christine. The Phantom of the Opera is currently showing in London, New York, Budapest, and on tour in the US.

Bios

In addition to his theatre roles and since 2010, Tim Howar has been the lead vocalist with the platinum-selling Mike and the Mechanics, touring with them worldwide. His West End theatre credits include Stacee Jaxx in Rock of Ages at the Shaftesbury Theatre and Garrick Theatre, Stu in Tonight’s The Night at the Victoria Palace and Ozzie in On The Town at the London Coliseum. He has also appeared as Roger in Rent on Broadway.

Kimberly Blake can currently be seen as Giulietta in Aspects of Love at the Hope Mill Theatre. Her West End credits include Half A Sixpence at the Noël Coward Theatre and most recently Chess at the London Coliseum. Her other credits include the role of Jenny Lind in the national tour of Barnum.

Ross Dawes recently appeared in The Rink at the Southwark Playhouse. His many West End credits include Girl from the North Country at the Noël Coward Theatre, the original cast of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, where he also appeared in Shrek the Musical, Passion at the Donmar Warehouse, Spamalot at the Palace Theatre, Starlight Express at the Apollo Victoria and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Saturday Night Fever, both at the London Palladium.