Marcus Lovett: “Audience will get to see something unique in ‘The Night of 1000 Stars concert’”

‘The Night of 1000 Stars’, the star-studded event celebrating musical theatre at the Royal Albert Hall, London will take place on Sunday May 5, 2013 and will fundraise for Gloria Hunniford’s cancer support charity, The Caron Keating Foundation.

This year ‘The Night of 1000 Stars’ will be celebrating the remarkable career of the King of Broadway, multi-award winner, Harold ‘Hal’ Prince. Musical items will come from EVITA, WEST SIDE STORY, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, SWEENEY TODD, FOLLIES, COMPANY, CABARET, CANDIDE, PARADE, and more.

Marcus Lovett is one of the performers that will star in the event, alongside Heather Headley, Debbie Kurup, Katie Rowley Jones, Denise Van Outen and the Broadway legend, Len Cariou, among others.

Marcus Lovett is currently playing The Phantom in the West End production of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. Since his Broadway debut in LES MISÉRABLES his roles have included Alex Dillingham in ASPECTS OF LOVE, the title role in KING DAVID and Billy Bigelow in Nicholas Hytner’s revival of CAROUSEL. In the West End Marcus originated the role of The Man in WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND.

Marcus tells us more details about ‘The Night of 1000 Stars’ concert and about his current work in THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU PERFORMING AT ‘THE NIGHT OF 1000 STARS’ CONCERT?
I’m very excited to work with the other artists, including Heather Hedley, and the legend Len Cariou. I am also pleased that we are raising money for such an important cause. At the same time, for the audience, this is not a £500 gala dinner, this is a theatrical event that almost anyone can afford. The ticket goes from £16 to £65. That is a small amount of money to hear a full orchestra, and chorus, in addition to the soloists.

THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL IS A BEAUTIFUL AND SO IMPRESSIVE VENUE. HOW IS IT WORKING THERE AS A PERFORMER?
The Royal Albert Hall is a phenomenal place on stage and is a wonderful place to see a show from, in the theatre. Backstage at the Hall is not constructed for a show of our size. The first time I performed there I actually shared a one person dressing room with five guys and we each had a chair and eight lights. This creates an exciting backstage chemistry for the artists.

WHAT CAN THE AUDIENCE EXPECT FROM THIS CONCERT? HOW WILL THE NIGHT BE?
I don’t want to give too many details of the show. It is not my mystery to reveal. I do get to sing throughout, as do the other artists, which is perfect. Sondheim, Kander and Ebb, and a surprise ending with London Phil, and West End Chorus, is all in the mix. This full of a show, musically, is a rarity. By contrast, I am doing another charity event soon, with just me and a piano.  At ‘The Night of 1000 Stars’, the audience will get to see something unique… There are no tricks…no pre-recorded backing tracks. It will be a truly theatrical event, which is apropos, given the man we are honoring.

HOW ARE THAT KIND OF EVENINGS PREPARED? WHEN WILL PERFORMERS REHEARSE?
We’ll rehearse for a week as a group. That is the second most fun part, because that is when I really get to know the artists. I’m always shocked at how much we can get done in a week. Even if you’re a member of the West End Chorus, or a violinist, or a performer, rehearsals are the time when you get to know each other.

YOU’RE NOW STARRING IN THE WEST END PRODUCTION OF ‘THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA’ AS THE PHANTOM. HOW WOULD YOU ASSESS THIS TIME IN THE COMPANY?
There are very few roles in musical theatre that you can play in your 20s and again in your 40s. I was so excited the first time that I was like a puppy. Since that time, they have had various age disparities between Christine and The Phantom. Currently,at #thebrilliantoriginal, we have talented actresses in their 20s playing Christine, Sofia Escobar, and Anna O’byrne. Simon Thomas in his very early 30s, is playing Raoul. So with me in my late forties, I think we have reverted to the approximate age differences in the original cast.

IS IT THE PHANTOM A VERY DEMANDING ROLE?
It is demanding enough that I have trouble keeping weight on!

WHICH IS THE ROLE YOU FEEL PROUDER OF SO FAR?
Other than The Phantom? I was very proud of playing the title character in CANDIDE, in Pittsburgh as directed by Mel Saphiro. Then in 1994, two days after playing The Phantom, I started playing Billy Bigelow in CAROUSEL, which was very intense.

You can get in touch with Marcus Lovett through his twitter profile @marcuslovett_