Andrew Lloyd Webber's West End Cinderella to Close After Less Than a Year; Promises Broadway Run

After a tumultuous run of less than a year, Andrew Lloyd Webber has announced that his new West End musical Cinderella will close on June 12.

Cinderella, which features a score by Lloyd Webber and David Zippel, and a book by Emerald Fennell, received a four-star review from out sibling website WhatsOnStage, with critic Sarah Crompton describing the show as "worth waiting for." But the production was filled with disquiet: a delayed opening and halt in performances last summer due to the pandemic; a winter hiatus during the Omicron surge; a retooling from Lloyd Webber and the creative team; complaints of unfair treatment from the cast; and a single Olivier Award nomination (for costar Victoria Hamilton-Barritt).

The current cast was informed of the closing notice an hour before showtime, though many future incoming cast members allegedly found out online after the news broke. Current leading lady Carrie Hope Fletcher, who was not performing on Sunday when the closure was announced, reportedly had to find out "via other cast members and a member of the music team," she stated in a social media post. She added: "I had no official call from the company to let me know before it was posted online."

Nonetheless, Lloyd Webber is still planning to mount the production in New York City. In a statement, he said "I am really excited to get to work putting together a new production with No Guarantees (Christine Schwarzman, President, Darren Johnston, Executive Vice President) for Broadway. Thank you very much to everyone involved, particularly our UK audiences who have loved and supported the show. See you next March on Broadway!"

The creative team is led by director Laurence Connor, with choreography by JoAnn M. Hunter, co-musical supervision by David Andrew Wilson and John Rigby, musical direction by Ben van Tienen, vocal coaching by Fiona McDougal, design by Gabriela Tylesova, sound design by Gareth Owen, and lighting by Bruno Poet.

The current West End company is led by Fletcher in the title role, alongside Ivano Turco as Prince Sebastian, Victoria Hamilton-Barritt as the Stepmother, Caleb Roberts as Prince Charming, Rebecca Trehearn as the Queen, Laura Baldwin and Georgina Castle as the Stepsisters, and Gloria Onitiri as the Godmother.