Ben grew up in the UK city of Sunderland in the mid 1980’s.  At the age of 16, this real life Billy Elliot won a scholarship to attend the Italia Conti Performing Arts Academy. Ben’s transition from Sunderland schoolboy to the theatre world of London was captured in a successful prime time BBC1 documentary, ‘The Dream Academy’.

Since debuting in his first West End musical at the age of eighteen – La Cava, created by the Broccoli family of James Bond fame, Ben has had a successful theatre career. He has performed in numerous shows including Grease in the West End and international tour, Lennon and McCartney’s All You Need is Love and was part of the original cast of the hugely successful West End production, Thriller Live, taking the show from London onto international tours.

Ben shot to fame in 2012 after winning the ITV1 show, ‘Superstar’ – Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s TV talent search for Jesus in the rock arena musical, Jesus Christ Superstar. Ben competed against thousands and performed live to millions throughout the series. His talent and loveable personality won the hearts of the British public, who selected him to go on to win the coveted role and star alongside Spice Girl Melanie C, Tim Minchin and Chris Moyles, in a spectacular arena tour of the UK. Owing to the huge success of the production, Universal Pictures produced a movie version of the show which played in cinemas across the world, became a best selling DVD and was shown on British television. In 2013 the show toured Australia, before Ben then returned back to the UK with the show, winning critical acclaim once more for his portrayal of the role. In between these tours Ben starred as Brad Majors in the reinvented 40th Anniversary production of Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show for which he achieved rave reviews.

Ben has also produced two acoustic albums, which have won him international acclaim and established him as a successful recording artist. He is currently writing an original third album.

During 2014, Ben returned to the West End to guest star in the role of Magaldi in the hit musical Evita alongside Marti Pellow for its run at the Dominion Theatre. And last year, Ben returned to the West End stage reprising his role as Brad Majors in the special celebrity run of The Rocky Horror Show, alongside the creator and theatrical legend Richard O’Brien. The show was viewed by thousands after being broadcast live from the Playhouse Theatre to cinemas all over Europe.

Ben has most recently assumed the leading role of Buddy the Elf in Elf The Musical and was the first actor to do so outside the USA. Elf ran at the Dominion Theatre over the Christmas period and Ben has garnered considerable critical acclaim for his performance as Buddy, and was nominated for Best Actor in a Musical at the What’s on Stage Awards.

Ben is incredibly excited to be taking on the prestigious role of The Phantom this year.

Born in the Netherlands, Celinde has been singing from a very young age. As a child growing up, she could be seen in Annie, Oliver and Pinocchio. She graduated from Fontys Conservatoire in Music Theatre in Tilburg with Edward Hoepelman as her singing teacher.  Whilst there she gained experience as Lily in The Secret Garden and in The Grand Hotel.  She graduated summa cum laude and received the honorary Jacques de Leeuw Award.

Celinde made her West End debut playing Fantine in Les Misérables in London and then went on to play Jenny in Love Story in Holland.  Most recently, Celinde returned to London to reprise the role of Fantine in Les Misérables.

Celinde is thrilled to be staying in London and so excited to be taking on one of the most iconic female roles in Music Theatre.

Training: Nadim read Drama at The University of Warwick before training in Musical Theatre at The Royal Academy of Music.

Theatre includes: Charles Clarke in Titanic (Princess of Wales, Toronto), Anthony Hope in Sweeney Todd (Harrington’s Pie & Mash Shop), One Man, Two Guvnors (NT at The Theatre Royal, Haymarket), The Phantom of The Opera (Her Majesty’s), The Sound of Music (The Palladium), Cinderella (The Harlington), Titanic (Southwark Playhouse), Chess (Union), Marguerite (Tabard), Thirteen Days (Arcola), Knight Crew (Glyndebourne), James and The Giant Peach (Watermill) and The Last Five Years (Pleasance).

Workshops include: Gulliver’s Travels (Another Way); The Green Cockatoo (NT); Goodbye Barcelona (Arcola) and Love Never Dies (Really Useful).

Film and Television includes: Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, Flying Lessons, One Flat Note, Gareth Malone Goes To Glyndebourne and Britain’s Got Talent.

Concerts include: How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying (Guildhall, City of London Festival), A Little Night Music (The Palace and Yvonne Arnaud), An Arabian Interlude (Kensington Palace), West End Showstoppers (The Harlington), The Phantom of The Opera 25thAnniversary Concert (Royal Albert Hall), Rod Steward – European Tour 2007 (Twickenham) and Concert For Diana with Sir Elton John (Wembley).

His debut, self-penned album We All Want The Same is available on iTunes and via Auburn Jam Music.

Harriet grew up in Hastings, East Sussex, and began singing in festivals and competitions at the tender age of 6. She continued her training at The King’s School, Canterbury and subsequently moved to London, where she won a place at the Royal College of Music. After graduating with a First-Class honours degree in classical voice, Harriet made her West End debut here at Her Majesty’s Theatre playing the role of Christine.

Opera and concerts include: Flora in The Turn of the Screw (Grimeborn Opera Festival), Zerlina in Don Giovanni (Woodhouse Opera), and soprano soloist in Mozart’s Requiem and Coronation Mass, Handel’s Messiah and Dixit Dominus, and Bach’s B Minor Mass.

Television includes: The Queen in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast

Harriet is delighted to be returning to the Phantom company and would like to thank all her nearest and dearest for helping her along the way.