“The Phantom of the Opera,” the longest-running present in Broadway historical past, will shut after 35 years.
The legendary present will rejoice its anniversary in January, after which say goodbye at a remaining efficiency Feb. 18 at Broadway’s Majestic Theatre, a present spokesperson mentioned.
The present will conclude with an eye-popping 13,925 performances.
It’s a pricey musical to maintain, with elaborate units and costumes in addition to a big solid and orchestra. Field workplace grosses have fluctuated for the reason that present reopened after the pandemic — going as excessive as over $1 million every week but in addition dropping to round $850,000. Final week, it hit $867,997 and producers might have seen the writing on the wall.
Created by three musical theater legends — composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, director Hal Prince and producer Cameron Waterproof coat — “Phantom” premiered on London’s West Finish in October 1986 earlier than opening on Broadway on Jan. 26, 1988.
“As a producer you dream {that a} present will run eternally. Certainly, my manufacturing of Andrew’s ‘Cats’ proudly declared for many years ‘Now and Endlessly.’ But ‘Phantom’ has surpassed that present’s extraordinary Broadway run. However all reveals do lastly shut,” Waterproof coat mentioned in a press release.
Based mostly on the 1910 French novel of the identical title by Gaston Leroux, “Phantom” tells the story of a mysterious mask-wearing opera lover who haunts the Paris Opera Home and turns into obsessive about a younger, stunning soprano.
The closing of “Phantom” would imply the longest operating present crown would go to “Chicago,” which began in 1996. “The Lion King” is subsequent, having begun performances in 1997.
Although “Phantom” will vanish from Broadway, the musical, which has been carried out in 183 cities around the globe, remains to be going sturdy in different components of the globe.
The London manufacturing, which closed on the peak of the pandemic in 2020, has returned with a smaller orchestra and different modifications to assist preserve prices decrease.
A brand new manufacturing opened final month in Australia, and the primary Mandarin-language manufacturing is scheduled to open in China subsequent yr.
