Jim Steinman was originally supposed to write the lyrics for Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom Of The Opera, however he was committed to producing Bonnie Tyler's Secret Dreams And Forbidden Fires and Webber refused to wait. However years later when Webber decided to make a musical version of the classic novel Whistle Down The Wind he tapped Steinman again to write lyrics. This time Jimmy was free.

The show premiered in 1996 in Washington and was supposed to then transfer to Broadway. However the show had several structural problems, and Jim and Webber decided that rather than open it on Broadway as it was they would rewrite it and open it in the West End, London. The show did well enough in London, and is now touring the UK, but there is no schedule to Bring it to Broadway, which is a shame as it is one of the best shows I've ever seen and certainly better than 90% of the drek that inhabits the Great White Way right now.

One interesting note about the touring production is that Webber decided to make it a more "family friendly" and less thought provoking show, and asked Jim to remove some songs and write new ones in thier place. Jim refused to sell out, so Webber hired Don Black to lessen Jim's great work.