Interview: Andrew Lloyd Webber

Andrew Lloyd Webber was in Las Vegas yesterday promoting the $75 millon production of "Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular" that is about to begin previews next week at its custom theater at The Venetian. The official gala opening is June 24.

Q: Do you get excited about openings still? Does it mean anything to you at this point in your career to be opening in Vegas?
A: This one to me is the opening. "Starlight Express" (a short lived production at the Las Vegas Hilton in 1993) was here years ago but I was not involved in that. I have never had a permanent show here.

Q: Did the "Starlight Express" experience give you pause about doing another show here?
A: Not really. I wasn't involved in it. I, myself, would have gone the whole hog with it and made it great and big and it was actually quite small. I wouldn't have done it like that. But this is not. This is very much how I hoped it would be done.

Q: Do you like the new title "Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular"?
A: I know why it is being done. The producers wanted to make sure that people didn't think they were going to see the old production. With a bit of luck, once people have seen it, they are going to realize it's not and then maybe they might go back to "Phantom of the Opera," I mean they might, once it's up and running.

Q: Do you think of them as different "Phantom of the Opera" and "Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular"?
A: No. The heart of it is still the music and still the score. But it is a new production which is conceived for a theater that has been built specifically for the "Phantom." I think it is possible that this will spur a whole collection of similar productions in places that don't normally have theater. I am not talking about Vegas now but other places around the world.

Q: Theater, as I am sure you know, has had kind of a rocky history in Las Vegas recently. "Avenue Q" closed and then "Hairspray" closed. Does that make you nervous with opening "Phantom"?
A: From what I understand, and correct me if I am wrong, these were not new productions?

Q: Well, "Hairspray" was a tab version...
A: This is not. This is an entirely new production. This is in a theater specifically built for it. It is completely different from what I can gather. What can I say?

Q: How much was there to be done with "Phantom" that had not been done in a Broadway or London theater? What did the custom design theater let you do?
A: Well, I mean I am not going to give away too much. Besides I haven't seen it yet. But I can tell you there were various elements we would never be able to do in a theater not designed for it. Everything is different when you have an old theater. You have to tailor things down so it can fit anywhere. Here we had an empty box and what should we put in it?

Q: If you were to make an original show from the ground up in Vegas, you had an empty box here, what would you put in it?
A: Well, I don't know. The most important thing in theater is the storyline. It always is. It doesn't matter where it is or what it is. People want a story.

Q: Even in Vegas, people want a story?
A: Even in Vegas. I think they do want a story. They want some form of narrative that they can understand. I know what you are going to say that certain shows in Vegas don't do that. But the general rule of thumb in my opinion is that you need a really great story. If I did anything here I would have to start from a story that would work here. Yet, at the same time that means it would work anywhere. It would be interesting because I love to break new ground. Particularly when you get to be my age you only do things because they are a challenge and you really want to do it.

Q: You really would want to come create an original show in Vegas?
A: I don't know why I have got an affection for this place. I do like the architecture and entertainment. It is so over-the-top, so preposterous, so ludicrous, that there is something in it that is effective. If it didn't exist you wouldn't believe that it could.

Q: Do you worry that "Phantom" is dark for Vegas audiences?
A: I think it is a love story at the end of the day. That is what it is. But I don't know. To actually do a musical in a theater that has been tailored made for it shows a huge leap of faith by the producers and this hotel. It is not the same as if some touring production of "Phantom" dropped in for six months. I've always said absolutely no to that. If we are coming to Vegas, it is going to be "Phantom" especially done for this town.

Q: How will you define success on this project?
A: I have no idea. I suppose if it is here in five years' time I should be very happy.

(Photo: Evan Agostini / Getty Images)