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Phantom to Toast 20th London Anniversary, October 9

The London production of The Phantom of the Opera will celebrate its 20th anniversary on October 9th.�

The milestone performance at Her Majesty's Theatre will also include a celebration after the show.� It will "include a champagne toast at the end of the performance and the cutting of a 20th Anniversary cake. A limited number of tickets have been released so please contact the box office on 0870 890 1106 to secure your seats," according to the Really Useful Group's website.

On January 26th, The Phantom of the Opera became the first show in Broadway history to reach its 18th anniversary. On January 9th, the show surpassed Cats to become the longest-running Broadway musical of all time.

Based on the classic novel Le Fant�me de L'Op�ra by Gaston Leroux, The Phantom of the Opera "tells the Story of a masked figure who lurks beneath the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it. He falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine, and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her extraordinary talents and by employing all of the devious methods at his command," according to press notes.

On Broadway, the show currently stars Howard McGillin as The Phantom, Rebecca Pitcher as Christine, and Michael Shawn Lewis as Raoul, as well as George Lee Andrews, David Cryer, Anne Runolfsson, Marilyn Caskey, Roland Rusinek and Heather McFadden.

The Phantom of the Opera features music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and is directed by Harold Prince. Lyrics are by Charles Hart (with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe) and the book is by Stilgoe and Lloyd Webber. The musical has production design by the late Maria Bj�rnson, lighting by Andrew Bridge and sound by Martin Levan, with musical staging and choreography by Gillian Lynne. Orchestrations are by David Cullen and Lloyd Webber.

The Phantom of the Opera 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.

Visit www.thephantomoftheopera.com or www.reallyuseful.com for more information.

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