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A Shorter Phantom of the Opera Haunts Las Vegas in Spring

A new, streamlined production of The Phantom of the Opera will take its Paris Opera House to Las Vegas for a production at the Venetian Hotel and Casino that will begin its run this spring.

Previews are slated to begin either in May or early June, with the show to open on June 24th (subject to change); casting is underway (although Rebecca Spencer has been announced for Madame Giry).

According to an article in Variety, the Las Vegas production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical (which became the longest-running musical in Broadway history on January 9th) will be trimmed down to 90 minutes. "But it's not exactly what you could call a cut-down version. Hal Prince, who's directed the thing himself...likes to call the upcoming Vegas version 'Phantom plus,' states the article. The Las Vegas Phantom will also cost $35 million, while "its new home, created by David Rockwell and his Rockwell Group in the old Vegas home of the Guggenheim Museum's 'Art of the Motorcycle' exhibit, adds another $40 million or so to the tab" The theatre at which The Phantom of the Opera will be presented will be newly-built within the hotel.

Executive producer Scott Zeiger of Clear Channel Entertainment (soon to be Live Nation) also stated that the production will mostly work off the original designs of the late Maria Bjornson. However, designs by Bjornson's longtime collaborator Paul Kelly will also be featured in the show, which Prince personally cut down to 90 minutes.

The production will play 10 shows a week, and will also feature double casting for the major roles. The Vegas Phantom will also feature an Equity cast and a full, live orchestra (the members of which would be in view of the audience). Ticket prices are expected to fall between $100 and $150, which is considered mid-range Las Vegas show pricing.

The Phantom of the Opera, with music by Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Charles Hart (with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe, had its world premiere on October 9, 1986 at Her Majesty's Theatre in London, winning every major British theatre award including the Olivier and Evening Standard Awards. The New York production, starring London stars Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman, opened on January 26, 1988. The musical won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The show is based on the classic novel by Gaston Leroux. The Phantom of the Opera currently stars Howard McGillin, Sandra Joseph and Tim Martin Gleason.

For more information, visit www.thephantomoftheopera.com.

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