Michael Damian Recalls Andrew Lloyd Webber's Missed Guest Star On The Young And The Restless

Fans have always adored not only the classic romance of Christine "Cricket" Blair (Lauralee Bell) and Danny Romalotti (Michael Damian) on "The Young and the Restless," but also Danny's leap into becoming a Broadway star. On June 3, 1989, Damian's cover of David Essex's '70s rock tune, "Rock On," became a number-one hit, and his music career sailed forward from there. When he snagged the part as Joseph in Andrew Lloyd Webber's revival Broadway production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," it was written into the show. Webber himself appeared on "Y&R" in 1993 to offer the part to Danny, allowing Damian the much-needed time off from the sudser to perform in real life.

Damian — who has also become a movie director — would reprise his role as Danny off and on over the years, and on October 3 he told Soap Opera Digest that he would be returning for a longer visit as he was between films. Danny would be able to do more than simply jump in to greet everyone and reminisce, as Damian previewed a reunion with Cricket and unavoidable drama with Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford). 

Webber could have had a significant guest starring role on "The Young and the Restless," but it wasn't to be. In another interview with SOD, posted on October 23, Damian talked about why Webber's appearance was nothing more than him coming in and personally offering Danny the part, recounting, "Andrew saw it more as a cameo appearance, you know, something brief."

Michael Damian explained that when "The Young and the Restless' " then-head writer William J. Bell learned the iconic Andrew Lloyd Webber agreed to appear on the show, he wrote lengthy scenes for him in his exuberance. Damian recalled, "Bill got excited about it and ended up writing something much more substantial." He read what Bell wrote and thought it was excellent, although he felt it was a monologue suited more for Eric Braeden's ruthless character, Victor Newman.

But the Broadway legend backed out of anything more than a cameo, and Damian was unsurprised at that because, "Andrew isn't an actor so I think he panicked when he saw what Bill had written for him," humorously adding, "Either that, or he was too busy writing Sunset Boulevard!" Damian remarked at how heartbroken the head writer was that Webber didn't want to do what he had written, but he recalled that musical maestro mended everything by generously, "Giving tickets to the entire cast and crew to come see one of my performances."

Webber had built his show around Damian because of his amazing star power, and we'd love to see the Broadway legend return to the sudser, if only for a brief chat with Danny!