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The most successful stage musical of all time, the Cameron Mackintosh/Really Useful Group, Inc. production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, directed by Harold Prince, will reach an unprecedented milestone when it celebrates its Twenty-First Anniversary on Broadway tonight, Monday, January 26, 2009.
On that date, playing its 8,732nd performance at The Majestic Theatre (247 West 44th Street), it will become the first Broadway production ever to have run 21 years.
The longest-running show in Broadway history (a feat it achieved in January 2006 when it surpassed the run of Cats), the musical is the winner of 7 1988 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Since its Broadway debut on January 26, 1988, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has grossed $715 million, making it the highest-grossing show in Broadway history. Total New York attendance is at 13 million. Having since surpassed Cats' record by a phenomenal 3 years and 1,200 performances, it has now played over 8,700 performances - the only show in Broadway history to do so - and all with no end in sight.
As a major vote of confidence in the future of the Broadway production, last August the producers took the extraordinary step of installing a brand-new Digital Sound System (at an investment of $750,000) to bring the production's sound design technology into the 21s Century. The move followed last May's successful installation of the same new Digital Sound System into the London production.THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA 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-enormous $18 million), total gross and attendance ($715 million and 13 million and counting), total performances (becoming the first and still only show to ever reach 7,500; 8,000; 8,500 and now over 8,700 perfs), 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). And since becoming the longest-running show in Broadway history in 2006, each performance has set a new longevity record.
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 40 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 Howard McGillin in the title role with Marni Raab as Christine and Tim Martin Gleason as Raoul. Having donned the mask over 2,300 times, Mr. McGillin holds the record for having performed the title role more than any other actor in the Broadway production. The musical also co-stars George Lee Andrews (Monsieur André; Mr. Andrews is the only cast member to have been with the Broadway production for the entire run), 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.
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, $26.25-$121.50, call Tele-charge at (212) 239-6200, visit www.telecharge.com or visit The Majestic Theatre box office (247 West 44th Street).Photo of Howard McGillin as The Phantom of the Opera by Joan Marcus
Photo Credit of Phantom cast: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.
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