BROADWAY’S
BLOCKBUSTER PHENOMENON
THE PHANTOM
OF THE OPERA
CONTINUES TO MAKE BROADWAY HISTORY
WITH TWO MILESTONES
Producers Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group have announced that Broadway’s blockbuster phenomenon, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, directed by Harold Prince, will continues making history with two milestones. The musical first celebrates its 31st Anniversary on Saturday, January 26, 2019. The production is next on track to reach an unprecedented 13,000 performances in April. Both are feats achieved by no other Broadway show.
PHANTOM has been the longest-running show in Broadway history for well over a decade, and its astounding longevity in New York and around the world is unprecedented. The musical has played to 18.5 million people at The Majestic Theatre (247 West 44th Street), having grossed a staggering more than $1.1 billion.
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has been the largest single generator of income and jobs in Broadway and U.S. theatrical history, including employing more than 400 actors during its more than three decade Broadway run. PHANTOM currently stars Ben Crawford as The Phantom, Kaley Ann Voorhees as Christine and Jay Armstrong Johnson as Raoul, with co-stars Laird Mackintosh as Monsieur André, Craig Bennett as Monsieur Firmin, Raquel Suarez Groen as Carlotta, Maree Johnson as Madame Giry, Carlton Moe as Piangi and Kelsey Connolly as Meg Giry. At certain performances, Eryn LeCroy plays the role of Christine.
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. Musical staging and choreography is by the late Gillian Lynne. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has production design by the late Maria Björnson®, lighting by Andrew Bridge and sound by Mick Potter with original sound by Martin Levan. Musical supervision and direction is by David Caddick and orchestrations are by David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
PHANTOM FACTS
Since its debut on January 26, 1988, the Broadway production of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has played an unprecedented 30 Years, an astonishing feat achieved by no other Broadway show. It has been Broadway’s longest-running show for well over a decade and its astounding longevity in New York and around the world is unprecedented.
The musical 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 13 years and over 5,000 performances – which by itself would be a smash hit run for a Broadway musical.
In January 2018, with a full week of celebrations, the New York production celebrated its milestone 30th Anniversary. A lavish Gala at Rainbow Room featured a spectacular, custom-designed Music-To-Light Show illuminating the Empire State Building during the Gala party, and visible throughout the city.
PHANTOM has played nearly 13,000 performances to 18.5 million people, having grossed a staggering more than $1.1 billion. It remains a box office champ and continues to play with no end in sight.
Far ahead of all other productions by nearly a decade, PHANTOM has played over nine years and almost 4,000 performances more than Broadway’s current second longest-running show (Chicago).
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA became the first stage production in history 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 41 countries and 183 cities in 17 languages.
The flagship London production of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA opened October 9, 1986 at Her Majesty’s Theatre. In October 2016, it celebrated its 30th Anniversary. Its milestone 25th Anniversary in October 2011 was celebrated with a special production at London’s Royal Albert Hall. A live recording was released on CD by Decca and a DVD of the event was released by Universal Home Entertainment. It has since played for 32 years and more than 13,000 performances and counting.
There are currently eight productions of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA around the world: London, New York, Sao Paulo (Brazil), Copenhagen (Denmark), Budapest (Hungary, in repertory, non-replica), Oslo (Norway, non-replica), Prague (Czech Republic, non-replica) and Cameron Mackintosh’s spectacular new production, which just celebrated its Sixth Anniversary on North American Tour in November. The next confirmed international opening will be a new World Tour premiering in Manila (Philippines) in February 2019, followed by engagements so far announced in Singapore (April 2019), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysian premiere, June 2019), Tel Aviv (Israeli premiere, August 2019) and Dubai (dates to be announced).
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.