Broadway’s beloved The Phantom Of The Opera will close after 35 years on stage due to the ongoing crisis the pandemic has had on the theatre business, with fewer people going to shows over the past two years.
The show is the longest-running show in Broadway history and will commemorate its 35 anniversary in January, and then will play its final performance on Broadway on Feb. 18, according to a spokesman. The show has become a staple in Broadway history, however, due to the pandemic it has grossed a lot less money since the reopening of the theatre.
The musical made almost $900,000 for the week ending Sept. 11, but it is making less than half the money that shows like Hamilton, The Lion King, and Wicked are making. Tickets are also significantly cheaper than other shows, with “Phantom” costing around $80 a ticket, and others costing well over $100 because the demand to see the show is less.
“Phantom” is a symbol of 1980s Broadway, created by three of the most legendary figures in musical theater history: the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, the director Hal Prince and the producer Cameron Mackintosh. The show is about a mask-wearing opera singer who frequents the Paris Opera House and falls for a young soprano. It is famous for the mask as well as the chandelier that crashes on stage every night. On Broadway, the show has been seen by 19.8 million people and has grossed $1.3 billion, since opening.
The Phantom Of The Opera will still have production in London, as well as a brand new one in Australia. The first Mandarin language production is set to open in China next year, and a Spanish-language version is in the works. Tickets will go on sale shortly for the final productions, and for information on when those will be and how to purchase them, go here.
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