THE SHOWS MUST GO ON! Broadcast of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Raises $400,000 and Counting For the Actors Fund

The Actors Fund announced today that The Shows Must Go On! YouTube Channel broadcast of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of The Opera at the Royal Albert Hall raised more than $400,000 in just 48 hours for the national human services organization that fosters stability and resiliency and serves as a safety net to everyone in performing arts and entertainment, among others.

The Shows Must Go On!'s next scheduled broadcast of Webber's Love Never Dies, the spellbinding sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, will be free on YouTube for 48 hours beginning on Friday, April 24 (beginning at 11:00 AM PDT/2:00 PM EDT), and will once again encourage viewer donations to support The Actors Fund and other international organizations.

With shutdowns on Broadway and in film and television, theater, concerts, dance, music and many other areas of entertainment, the need is great and growing. Since March 18, The Actors Fund has distributed nearly $5,000,000 to over 3,750 people who work in performing arts and entertainment to help provide emergency financial assistance for those in need due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This emergency financial assistance is helping the most vulnerable and those in financial crisis with assistance for basic living expenses such as essential medications, to help prevent evictions, and to pay for food or utilities.

As the situation with Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to evolve, The Actors Fund has temporary transitioned to online and phone-based services, which remain available for everyone in the performing arts and entertainment community. These services include: Artists Health Insurance Resource Center, The Career Center, Housing Resources, Addiction & Recovery, HIV/AIDS and Senior Services, Counseling and Emergency Financial Assistance, as well as The Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts in New York City.

Love Never Dies was filmed in 2012 at Melbourne's Regent Theatre in an acclaimed production directed by Simon Phillips and starring Ben Lewis as The Phantom, Anna O'Byrne as Christine Daae, and Simon Gleeson as Raoul.

The Shows Must Go On! YouTube Channel, recently launched by UPHE Content Group, has made available a selection of Andrew Lloyd Webber's much loved musicals, launching with one of the most enduring shows of all time, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (2000). The second production that was made available was the legendry rock classic, Jesus Christ Superstar (2012). Each musical will be available weekly for a limited 48-hour period online - no charge or sign up required - giving fans of musical theater an opportunity to enjoy beloved shows from their living rooms.

Alongside full-length shows, clips of famous performances and behind-the-scenes footage will be uploaded regularly to the channel, so fans can continue to get their theater fix at home.