Topline
The Phantom Of The Opera, the longest-running show in Broadway history—is closing after its 35th anniversary, the New York Post and the New York Times reported Friday, as the theater industry has largely failed to recover from the pandemic.
Ben Crawford as “The Phantom” makes a curtain speech after the curtain call at The 34th Anniversary … [+] Performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Phantom of The Opera” on Broadway at The Majestic Theater on January 26, 2022 in New York City.
Key Facts
A spokesperson told the Times that Phantom will close on February 18, after celebrating its 35th anniversary in January.
Cast and crew were informed of the decision on Friday, according to the Times.
Other productions of the musical around the world, including the even longer-running London show, will continue.
Though sales of Phantom’s Broadway run were strong when theaters reopened after the Covid-19 lockdown, audiences have dwindled, according to the Times, and the Post reported the production is losing roughly $1 million a month.
Big Number
13,733. That’s how many performances Phantom has played, according to the Post, which first reported the news of the closure. Broadway’s second longest-running show, the Chicago revival, has played 10,090 performances over 25 years.
Key Background
Based on a 1910 French novel, Phantom opened in London’s West End 1986 and on Broadway two years later. Its music is written by Andrew Lloyd Webber. In 1988 it won seven Tony awards, including Best Musical. In 2012, it became the first show on Broadway to perform 10,000 shows.
Further Reading
‘Phantom of the Opera’ to close after 34 years on Broadway: sources (New York Post)
‘Phantom of the Opera,’ Broadway’s Longest-Running Show, to Close (New York Times)
