PHANTOM to Celebrate 12,000 Performances on Broadway! 11/28

Producers Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group have announced that the longest-running show in Broadway history, Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera, directed by Harold Prince, will once again make theater history, reaching the unprecedented milestone of 12,000 performances. A feat achieved by no other Broadway show, the 12,000th performance will take place Monday evening, November 28 at 8PM at The Majestic Theatre (247 West 44th Street).

One of the most successful stage productions of all-time, the New York production has played to over 17 million people and grossed a staggering more than $1 billion. It will also celebrate 29 Years on Broadway on Thursday, January 26, 2017. The Phantom of the Opera has been Broadway's longest-running show for over a decade.

Leading man James Barbour continues his astonishing performance in the title role, alongside his acclaimed co-stars Ali Ewoldt (Christine Daaé) and Jordan Donica (Raoul). In casting news, two fan favorites will be returning to the New York production in the coming months:

Linda Balgord will return to the role of Madame Giry beginning Monday evening, December 12, 2016. She succeeds Rebecca Eichenberger, who will play her final performance on Saturday evening, December 10.

Kaley Ann Voorhees will return as the Christine Alternate for a limited engagement beginning the week of January 23, 2017. She succeeds Rachel Eskenazi-Gold, who will play her final performance on Saturday matinee, January 21. Ms. Eskenazi-Gold will return to the role the week of July 3.

Continuing in their roles are Laird Mackintosh (Monsieur André), Craig Bennett (Monsieur Firmin), Michele McConnell (Carlotta), John Easterlin (Piangi) and Kara Klein (Meg Giry).

Based 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 is produced by Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group, 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 design by Mick Potter with original sound by Martin Levan. Musical staging and choreography is by Gillian Lynne. Orchestrations are by David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

The performance schedule for The Phantom of the Opera is Monday evenings at 8, Tuesday evenings at 7, Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 8, with matinees on Thursdays and Saturdays at 2. Ticket prices range from $29 - $155 with Premium Tickets also available. To order tickets, visit www.Telecharge.com or call (212) 239-6200. A daily digital lottery with $28 tickets for all performances is available by visiting www.PhantomBroadwayLottery.com.

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PHANTOM FACTS

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA became the longest-running show in Broadway history on January 9, 2006 with its 7,486th performance, surpassing the previous record-holder Cats, also by Andrew Lloyd Webber and also produced by Cameron Mackintosh. Incredibly, since breaking that record, PHANTOM has played both an additional 11 years and more than 4,500 performances - which by itself would be a smash hit run for a Broadway musical.

On January 26, 2013, the New York production reached another historic milestone: becoming the first and only Broadway show ever to celebrate 25 Years. It will now reach 29 Years and have played an unprecedented 12,000 performances - all with no end in sight. (By way of comparison, PHANTOM has played over 9 years and 4,000 performances more than Broadway's second longest-running show, Chicago.)

Since its debut on January 26, 1988, the Broadway production has grossed over $1 billion with total attendance of 17.4 million. Even now, it is consistently among Broadway's highest-grossing shows and remains a box office champ.

PHANTOM became the first stage production to reach worldwide grosses of $6 billion, which it did in 2014. Revenues far surpass the world's highest-grossing film Avatar (at $2.8 billion), as well as such other blockbusters as Titanic, The Lord of the Rings, Jurassic Park and Star Wars.

Worldwide, a staggering 140 million people have seen The Phantom of the Opera in 35 countries and 160 cities in 15 languages.

The flagship London production of The Phantom of the Opera opened October 9, 1986 at Her Majesty's Theatre. In October 2011, it reached 25 Years, a milestone that was celebrated with a special production at London's Royal Albert Hall to tremendous acclaim. A live recording was released on CD by Decca and a DVD of the event was released by Universal Home Entertainment. Last month, the West End production celebrated its 30th Anniversary and surpassed 12,500 performances.

There are currently seven productions of The Phantom of the Opera around the world: London, New York, Sapporo (Japan, in repertory), Budapest (Hungary, in repertory), Prague (Czech Republic), Stockholm (Sweden) and Cameron Mackintosh's spectacular new production, now in its third year on North American Tour. The next confirmed international opening will be Gothenburg (Sweden) in August 2017.

The musical has won more than 70 major theater awards, including seven 1988 Tony Awards (including Best Musical) and three Olivier Awards plus the 2016 Olivier Audience Award in the West End. The original cast recording, with over 40 million copies sold worldwide, is the best-selling cast recording of all time. Since September 2010, thousands of high school and college student productions of PHANTOM have been licensed through R&H Theatricals.

Photo Credit: Heather Wines