'PHANTOM' Returns to Hennepin Theatre Trust's Orpheum 5/13 - 6/7

Andrew Lloyd Webber's international award-winning musical, The Phantom of the Opera, directed by Harold Prince, returns to Hennepin Theatre Trust's Orpheum Theatre May 13-June 7, 2009.

Winner of seven 1988 Tony Awards including Best Musical, this captivating production is the longest-running show in Broadway history. Hennepin Theatre Trust welcomes the Cameron Mackintosh/Really Useful Theatre Company, Inc. production of The Phantom of the Opera as a special addition to its 2008/09 M&I Bank Broadway Across America-Minneapolis season.

The Phantom of the Opera traces the tragic love story of a beautiful opera singer and a young composer shamed by his physical appearance into a shadowy existence beneath the majestic Paris Opera House. With some of the most lavish sets, costumes and special effects ever created for the stage, Phantom has woven its magical spell over standing room audiences in more than 100 cities worldwide. With total worldwide grosses estimated at over $5 billion, The Phantom of the Opera is the most successful entertainment venture of the twentieth century, surpassing such blockbuster films as "Titanic," "E.T." and "The Lord of the Rings." Adapted from Gaston Leroux's classic novel of mystery and suspense, it's a timeless story of seduction and despair seen by over 80 million people in 124 cities in 25 countries.

TICKETS for The Phantom of the Opera are on sale now and range in price from $27-$77, subject to change. Tickets may be purchased in person at the State Theatre Box Office (805 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, 55402), online at HennepinTheatreTrust.org or through Ticketmaster by calling 1-800-982-2787 or visiting a Ticketmaster Ticket Center. Groups of 15 or more are eligible for discounts and should call 612-373-5665 for information and reservations.

Performance dates for The Phantom of the Opera are Wednesday, May 13 through Sunday, June 7, 2009 at the Orpheum Theatre, 910 Hennepin Ave, Mpls., 55403. Show times are: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. and

Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m. There is a special matinee performance on Thursday, May 14 at 2 p.m.