The composer Andrew Lloyd Webber has announced he will likely not be attending the opening night of his new Broadway musical, Bad Cinderella, because his eldest son is “critically ill” with gastric cancer, and “at the moment my place is with him and the family.” Bad Cinderella—a recasting of the classic fairytale, with music by Lloyd Webber, lyrics by David Zippel, and a book by Emerald Fennell—opened in London in 2021 (titled Cinderella) to positive reviews. Lloyd Webber, 74, is currently composing a choral anthem for King Charles’ coronation in May. In the statement, released Saturday night via his spokesperson, Lloyd Webber, the composer of Cats and The Phantom of the Opera, said: “I am absolutely devastated to say that my eldest son Nick is critically ill. As my friends and family know, he has been fighting gastric cancer for the last 18 months and Nick is now hospitalized. I therefore have not been able to attend the recent previews of Bad Cinderella and as things stand, I will not be able to cheer on its wonderful cast, crew and orchestra on opening night this Thursday. We are all praying that Nick will turn the corner. He is bravely fighting with his indomitable humor, but at the moment my place is with him and the family.”