The longest-running show in Broadway history, Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, is set to reach another unprecedented milestone. With its evening performance on Thursday, July 3, the musical will become the first Broadway show ever to reach 8,500 performances. Now in its phenomenal 21st Year, the Cameron Mackintosh/Really Useful Group, Inc. production, directed by Harold Prince, continues to play at The Majestic Theatre (247 West 44th Street), with no end in sight.
Since becoming the longest-running show in Broadway history (on January 9, 2006 with performance #7,486), every performance has set a new longevity record. Incredibly and notably, the production has now played more than 1,000 performances and well over two years since breaking that record.
On Broadway, since its debut on January 26, 1988, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has grossed $690 million, making it the highest-grossing show in Broadway history. Total New York attendance is at 12.5 million. Its international success – equally staggering – is represented by a total worldwide box office gross of more than $5 billion, making PHANTOM the most successful entertainment venture of all time, surpassing not only any other stage production, but also far surpassing the world's highest-grossing film Titanic (at $1.2 billion) and such other blockbusters as The Lord of the Rings, Jurassic Park and Star Wars. Worldwide attendance is over 80 million people, having played over 65,000 performances in 25 countries and 124 cities. There are currently eight productions around the world.
The show has always been a record-breaker, with the New York production setting benchmarks that have dominated the industry: for capitalization (a then-spectacular $8 million), total advance (a then-colossal $18 million), total gross and attendance (now a whopping $690 million and 12.5 million, and counting) and even the number of years before a single ticket was ever sold at the TKTS ticket booth in Times Square (over 14 years, which is still the record, by a long shot). In the musical's tradition of shattering records, on January 26 of this year, it became the first and only show in Broadway history to reach 20 years and it previously became the first and only show to play 8,000 performances (which it did in April 2007).
In addition to PHANTOM's amazing longevity and continued box office success, the Broadway production in recent years has consistently earned rave reviews from returning critics:
In The New York Times, Jason Zinoman proclaimed, "PHANTOM still delivers the goods! Judging by sheer invention, emotional punch and onstage talent, the venerable blockbuster still beats out almost all of the whippersnappers currently on Broadway. Maria Björnson's flamboyant gothic design and
Harold Prince's fantastical staging still have the gleam of finely polished professionalism. The solid cast retains the freshness of opening night."
Clive Barnes of The New York Post gave it "FOUR STARS! A marvelous musical! PHANTOM has stayed in terrific shape and right now it is still as taut and sharp as on that first night in 1988.
Harold Prince's crisp staging remains as shipshape as ever. Maria Björnson's opulent production perfectly captures the spirit and style of the Paris Opera and
Andrew Lloyd Webber's sweepingly romantic score is one of the finest scores Broadway has ever heard. Don't miss it!"
Roma Torre of NY-1 News proclaimed, "PHANTOM rules! After 18 years, it remains as fresh and spectacular as ever.
Andrew Lloyd Webber's score has a visceral tug more than almost any score written in the past 20 years. Beautiful and romantic, I have to tip my hat: THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has aged divinely."
Time Out's David Cote exclaimed, "They're doing something right! A beautifully produced show, PHANTOM is lavish and played well enough to get standing ovations nearly two decades into its run!"
And David Richardson on WOR Radio raved, "PHANTOM is still wonderful and isn't showing its age one bit! The chandelier still falls on cue and the show still rises to the top of all the musicals ever to appear on Broadway. I hope I listen to the music of the night forever!"
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 opened on January 26, 1988 with a then record advance of $18 million. The musical went on to sweep the 1988 Tony Awards, winning seven, including Best Musical. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA also won seven Drama Desk Awards and three Outer Critics Circle Awards. The original London cast recording was the first in British musical history to enter the charts at number one. It has since gone both gold and platinum in Britain and the U.S. selling over 25 million copies worldwide.
Base on the classic novel Le Fantôme de L'Opéra 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.
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA stars
John Cudia in the title role with
Jennifer Hope Wills as Christine and
Tim Martin Gleason as Raoul. The musical also co-stars
George Lee Andrews (Monsieur Andre),
David Cryer (Monsieur Firmin),
Patricia Phillips (Carlotta), Rebecca Judd (Madame Giry),
Evan Harrington (Piangi) and Polly Baird (Meg Giry). At certain performances,
Elizabeth Loyacano plays Christine. Mr. Andrews has been with the production for its entire run.
Howard McGillin, who at over 2,000 times has played the title role more than any other performer in the Broadway production, returns to the role on Monday, July 28.
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has 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 Richard Stilgoe and
Andrew Lloyd Webber. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has production design by the late Maria Björnson, lighting by Andrew Bridge and sound by Martin Levan. Musical staging and choreography is by
Gillian Lynne. Orchestrations are by David Cullen and
Andrew Lloyd Webber.
The regular performance schedule for THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is Monday and Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. and Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m. with matinees Wednesday and Saturday at 2 p.m. For tickets, call Tele-charge at (212) 239-6200, visit www.telecharge.com or visit The Majestic Theatre box office (247 West 44th Street).
www.thephantomoftheopera.com
