Skip to content
  • Subscribe
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Email
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
  • Features
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
Suburban Chicagoland

Suburban Chicagoland

Original News, Features & Opinion on Chicago, Illinois and America

  • About
    • About
    • Advertise
    • Our Writers
      • Ray Hanania
      • Bill Lipinski
      • Biography: Aaron Hanania
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
    • Reach Out
  • Sections
    • Events
    • Opinion
    • News
    • Features
    • Seniors
    • Comic Strip
  • Library
    • “MIdnight Flight” Online Book
      • Midnight Flight Book Overview
      • Midnight Flight Introduction
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 1
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 2
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 3
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 4
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 5
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 6
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 7
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 8
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 9
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 10
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 11
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 12
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 13
    • Villages, Cities & Towns
    • Federal Office Holders
    • County Officials
    • Legislators
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Comment
  • Podcast
    • Ray Hanania on Politics
    • Two Guys on Politics
    • Hanania on Tiktok
  • News Wire
  • Archive 2004-2013
  • Toggle search form
  • Hastings insurance legislation
    Hastings announces legislation to ensure fair homeowners insurance rates for Illinois families Business
  • Mahnoor Ahmad campaign photo
    Mahnoor Ahmad runs for DuPage County Board seat Democrat
  • Sunday, October 26, the Village of Orland Park formally rededicated its Village Hall in honor of the late former Mayor Fredrick T. Owens
    Village of Orland Park Rededicates Village Hall in Honor of Late Former Mayor Fredrick T. Owens Government
  • Fire at townhome at 13900 block of Berkhansted Court in Orland Park, just before midnight on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025
    Firefighter treated for dehydration battling townhouse fire in Orland Park – no residents injured Fire
  • Firefighters with the Orland Fire Protection District who responded to a fire in an apartment at 15200 block of Al Camino Terrace on Saturday morning said the next day that they did find a kitten that needed respiratory aid that they saved.
    FIRE UPDATE: Fire District releases photos of kitten saved from Orland Park apartment fire Saturday Features
  • two-story apartment building on the 15200 block of El Camino Terrace in Orland Park
    Orland Park apartment fire Saturday morning, no injuries Fire
  • Illinois Senator Michael Hastings addressing the Orland Township Democratic Organization Wednesday Oct. 12, 2022
    Hastings calls for bipartisan action to protect Illinois families from SNAP benefit shutdown Baby Boomers
  • Illinios Industrial Energy Consumers, information ad
    Get information on the Illinois Energy Omnibus Bill in Springfield Business
  • State Senator Mike Porfirio secured over $20 million to support infrastructure improvements and construction in the 11th Senate District.
    Senator Porfirio applauds more than $20 million in infrastructure repairs coming to the 11th District News
  • Dad and daughter reunited Lebving Law firm photo
    Little Girl Recovered and Reunited with Dad After Long Separation Dads' Rights
  • 11-03-25 OFPD Coffee living alone
    Orland Fire hosts meeting on helping Seniors who live alone Nov. 5 Baby Boomers
  • State Senator Michael Hastings introduces law to revive long dormant and degraded Tinley Park Mental Health Center into a Sports Park for the community. Photo courtesy of the State Senate President Don Harmon
    Hastings secures $250,000 grant for Easterseals Academy’s Tinley Park campus Health
  • Chicago ranks as 161st worst city for crime in new national survey Chicago
  • Kat Abughazaleh 9th DIstrict Congress 2026 candidate democrat
    Kat Abughazaleh raises over $520,000 in Q2 of 2025 with more than $630,000 cash on hand for 2026 Democratic primary election elections
  • Silent Threat: The True Dangers of Lithium-Ion Batteries — How to Stay Safe and Respond to a Battery Fire Fire
Playbill Cover Cadillac Palace Theater Love Never Dies

Love Never Dies continues Phantom of the Opera tale

Posted on February 24, 2018November 29, 2019 By Ray Hanania No Comments on Love Never Dies continues Phantom of the Opera tale
SHARE THIS STORY
        1   
 
  
1
Share

Love Never Dies continues Phantom of the Opera tale

The sequel to the phenomenal play The Phantom of the Opera, called appropriately, Love Never Dies, continues the thrilling tale of love on stage at the start of the 20th Century. Playing at the Cadillac Palace Theater in Chicago’s Loop, it’s well worth the time and money. Brilliant performances that are very entertaining. And who can complain about Andrew Lloyd Webber tunes?

By Ray Hanania

It’s been 10 years since the Phantom of the Opera and his secret love Christine have parted ways since the original stage performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s smash hit The Phantom of the Opera and you know love never dies.

It’s 1907 and Christine returns with her “family,” an insecure husband and a young boy who is about 10 years old. There are no such things as coincidences, folks. So you know what is coming in the sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, which is appropriately titled Love Never Dies.

I was able to purchase tickets to see Love Never Dies at the Cadillac Palace Theater in the Chicago Loop, 151 W. Randolph. The tickets were on the main floor, on the left side near the aisle — Orchestra Left, towards the “center” aisle. The tickets cost $100 each plus fees. When you spend over $200, you want to make sure you’re getting good entertainment. I wondered Shakespeare and his audiences considered that when they sold seats for two pence back in “the day?”

Playbill Cover Cadillac Theater Love Never Dies
Playbill Cover Cadillac Palace Theater Love Never Dies

Though in truth, the costs were not excessive at all. And the view from the seats was phenomenal and worth the money. It was cute that a young woman would walk around and sell bottles of water and packs of Twizzlers, which I had to grab and snack on during the performance. I really don’t go for the “wine and cheese” snacking, out in the lobby like I was among royalty or something. You can get that out in the lobby if you want, that feel, that pretense that you are on Broadway with the New York glitterati. Better yet, you can also purchase “Suite Service” for $40-$45 per person, plus fees.

You get Access to private suite 45 minutes prior to showtime and at intermission, complimentary variety of light hors d’oeurves, private full service bar, desserts, and private restrooms, coat check and courtesy phone for local calls.

Suite Service is in addition to your ticket. Space is limited. Suite service is for everyone no matter where you sit, although it is limited. You don’t have to purchase the more expensive seating locations. The food options looked great. But Alison and I went to the Everest Room for a 7 Course French dinner to celebrate Valentine’s Day (on the Saturday after) and that was phenomenal and worth another review, soon. Pricey but a real experience that everyone should try at least five times in their life.

Inside the Cadillac Theater
Inside the Cadillac Palace Theater

Here is the theater description of the performance:

Andrew Lloyd Webber presents this new touring version of his blockbuster musical Love Never Dies, the sequel to Phantom of the Opera. Reuniting the masked ghoul from the original with his one true love Christine, this is yet another rapturous crowd pleaser, with the action relocated from Paris to a macabre cabinet of curiosities in New York. Bursting at the seams with romance, horror and intrigue, Love Never Dies is a worthy follow-up to one of the most popular musicals of all time.

Tony-nominee Glenn Slater provides the vaudeville-influenced score, while acclaimed author and humorist Ben Elton wrote the book. Written over the course of two decades, Love Never Dies made its hugely anticipated debut on the West End stage in 2010, in a lavish production sure to be matched in decadence by this North American tour.

A decade after the events of the original phantom, we are introduced to our masked anti-hero once again. Now known only as Mr. Y, he has fled across the Atlantic, and has reinvented himself as the reclusive owner of the freakshow Phantasma on Coney Island. Yet his dark heart still pines for Christine, his one true love, and he tricks her into coming to New York to perform at his show. She arrives with her drunken husband Raoul and angelic son Gustave in tow.

Unable to hold himself back, it is not long before Mr Y. reveals his true identity to Christine. She is forced to choose between The Phantom and Raoul once again, but this time, there will be no second chances!

The plot makes for a lot of jealousies, man predictable lines — I’d never seen it but I found myself whispering the endings of dramatic sentences. The performances were phenomenal. The atmosphere of the carnival was amazing. he stage design was very impressive from the curtains to the props and the huge stage structures that help convey a sense of location for each scene.

Stage Curtain Cadillac Theater Love Never Dies
Stage Curtain Cadillac Palace Theater Love Never Dies

Of course, being a writer myself, I am sitting there thinking of how I could change the performance to make it even more amazing than it was. I had one idea for the ending. But I won’t tell you how it ends so I’ll keep it to myself, mostly.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s score was great. Very moving. The songs and the music really brought you into the 19th Century era. You could imagine this really taking place.

There’s still time and seats left for the production. It continues through March 4, 2018 and I urge you to snap up the tickets and enjoy a great entertaining performance. It’s worth it.

Love Never Des Cadillac Theater Marquee
Love Never Dies Cadillac Palace Theater Marquee

Click here to get more info on the production and detailed cast info.

CAST

Gardar Thor Cortes as The Phantom
Meghan Picerno as Christine
Karen Mason as Madame Giry
Sean Thompson as Raoul
Mary Michael Patterson as Meg Giry
Katrina Kemp as Fleck
Richard Koons as Squelch
Stephen Petrovich as Gangle

CREATIVE

Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics by Glenn Slater
Book by Ben Elton
Additional Lyrics by Charles Hart

Spoiler Alert:

Don’t read this if you plan to see or haven’t seen the show:

For those who saw the play, here’ say suggested ending: Gustave confronts the Phantom on the pier as mommies is being held by her husband. A touching moment when they both realize they are father and son. But instead of embracing in love, Gustave pushes the Phantom off the pier into the water. Now, that would have made for a great sequel tot he sequel, “Love Does Die.”

But then, I was a City Hall and political reporter and tragedy really means tragedy for me.

newswire info
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.  

His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at [email protected].

Follow RayHanania at Twitter
Ray Hanania
Latest posts by Ray Hanania (see all)
  • Hastings announces legislation to ensure fair homeowners insurance rates for Illinois families - October 29, 2025
  • Mahnoor Ahmad runs for DuPage County Board seat - October 29, 2025
  • Village of Orland Park Rededicates Village Hall in Honor of Late Former Mayor Fredrick T. Owens - October 29, 2025
NPV: 84
  • Tweet

SHARE THIS STORY
        1   
 
  
1
Share
 
1
Share
 
 
      1    
Blogger, Chicago, Commentary, Editors Pick, Entertainment, Features, Opinion, rayhanania, Theater Tags:Andrew Lloyd Webber, Broadway in Chicago, Cadillac Theater, entertainment, Love Never Dies, Phantom of the Opera, sequel, stage performance, theater

Post navigation

Previous Post: Arab American empowerment continues to grow
Next Post: I should have dropped Acid before watching Annihilation

Related Posts

  • Muhammad Ali Center United Way
    Muhammad Ali Center, Metro United Way partner for Greatest Give Back Events
  • The "Norwegian Gem", a cruise ship operated by the "Norwegian Cruise Line" and built in Papenburg, Germany 2006-2007. The photo was taken in Freeport, Bahamas at the 13th of March, 2008.  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
    Holidays today are not like holidays of the past Baby Boomers
  • Christopher Columbus statue Chicago Grant Park. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
    American traditions like Thanksgiving should not be broken because of latter day spin Blogger
  • View of the Grand Canyon. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Lifetime Senior Passes to National Parks increased Baby Boomers
  • Creative author, musician and social influencer Aaron Hanania in his new documentary "A Day in the Life of a College Student" released Oct. 22, 2021 on Youtube
    Student offers insight into the “daily life” of being in college Aaron Hanania
  • Jeffery M. Leving fights for your rights
    Leving team wins court victory for Dad and his little girl Chicago

More Related Articles

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, honored a dozen Arab Americans for their leadership and positive contributions to the community as a part of an overall commitment on her part to recognize and service all ethnic groups in the county. Arab Americans honored by Treasurer Pappas as part of program recognizing all ethnic groups Chicago
Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau and his allies on the board not wearing face masks during the recent lighting of the Village Christmas Tree, Nov. 29, 2020. Photo courtesy of the Village of Orland Park Facebook Page. Massive rise in COVID-19 infections slam Orland Park Blogger
MWRD rain barrels hold up to 55 gallons, stand 36 inches tall and 24 inches wide, and come in four colors with overflow valves and spigots. Courtesy of the MWRD Water Reclamation District offers rain barrels Chicago
Opinion: Edgar County Watchdogs continue to exaggerate and lie for political union pals Blogger
State hearings and transparency needed on Nicor gas cost hikes Blogger
Chicago Cubs Baseball Cap "Made in China" Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania Traveling on vacation used to be a lot of fun Blogger

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Login with your Social ID
  • OPINION
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    Your Mortgage Company May Pay Your Taxes — But You Still Need to Watch
    October 17, 2025
  • Mohammed Faheem The Lightning Strike Radio Show small
    The Politicization of the Nobel Peace Prize — and Trump’s Fury Over Losing Again
    October 11, 2025
  • 06-04-25 Two Guys on Politics Background Zoom LOGO with images
    Video Podcast: Trump Kimmel Kirk Great American Divide Illegal Aliens polling and Illegal Aliens and ICE
    September 20, 2025
  • Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch speaking at a West Side affordable housing dedication
    Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, one of the best candidates to become Illinois Governor
    September 7, 2025
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    What You’re Missing on Your Property Tax Bill
    September 5, 2025
Subscribe to Ray Hanania's column graphic

Enter Your Email to Subscribe to Ray Hanania’s Columns

  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png

Mohammed Faheem The Lightning Strike Radio

  • NEWS
  • Hastings insurance legislation
    Hastings announces legislation to ensure fair homeowners insurance rates for Illinois families
    October 29, 2025
  • Mahnoor Ahmad campaign photo
    Mahnoor Ahmad runs for DuPage County Board seat
    October 29, 2025
  • Sunday, October 26, the Village of Orland Park formally rededicated its Village Hall in honor of the late former Mayor Fredrick T. Owens
    Village of Orland Park Rededicates Village Hall in Honor of Late Former Mayor Fredrick T. Owens
    October 29, 2025
  • Fire at townhome at 13900 block of Berkhansted Court in Orland Park, just before midnight on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025
    Firefighter treated for dehydration battling townhouse fire in Orland Park – no residents injured
    October 28, 2025
  • Firefighters with the Orland Fire Protection District who responded to a fire in an apartment at 15200 block of Al Camino Terrace on Saturday morning said the next day that they did find a kitten that needed respiratory aid that they saved.
    FIRE UPDATE: Fire District releases photos of kitten saved from Orland Park apartment fire Saturday
    October 26, 2025
John Kass Columns

Order the book PoweR PR; Ethnic Activists Guide to Strategic Communications

YOUTUBE VIDEOS

CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO RAY HANANIA'S YOUTUBE VIDEOS


Click here to view the video on YouTube or use the widget below.

Follow Ray Hanania at
Twitter
Facebook
TitkTok
BlueSky
RayHanania Columns

Creative Commons License
All works on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

Categories

Copyright © 2022 Suburban Chicagoland & Urban Strategies Group

Powered by PressBook Premium theme