'Phantom' to Set New Record with 8,000th Performance

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 2PM matinee on Wednesday, April 4, the musical will become the first Broadway show ever to reach 8,000 performances.  Now in its phenomenal 20th 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.

The occasion will be marked with a special presentation during the curtain call at that day's matinee.  In addition, the cast and crew will celebrate with a private party.

"On Broadway, since its debut on January 26, 1988, the musical has grossed nearly $645 million, making it the highest-grossing show in Broadway history.  Total attendance is at 11 million.  Its international success – equally staggering – is represented by a total worldwide box office gross of $3.2 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," state press notes.

"Since becoming the longest-running show in Broadway history ars.  over a year ago on January 9, 2006, every performance has set a new longevity record.  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 $645 million and 11 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).  On January 26 of this year, it became the first show in Broadway history to reach 19 years." Phantom continues its long tradition of shattering records by becoming the first show ever to play 8,000 performances.  

The musical 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 show 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 musical stars Howard McGillin in the title role with Jennifer Hope Wills as Christine and Michael Shawn Lewis as Raoul.  At over 1,800 times, Mr. McGillin has performed the title role more than any other actor in the Broadway production.  The musical also co-stars George Lee Andrews (Monsieur Andre), David Cryer (Monsieur Firmin), Anne Runolfsson (Carlotta), Marilyn Caskey (Madame Giry), Roland Rusinek (Piangi) and Heather McFadden (Meg Giry).  At certain performances, Julie Hanson plays Christine.  Mr. Andrews has been with the production for its entire run.   

The show  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 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).

Visit www.thephantomoftheopera.com for more information.