“The Phantom of the Opera,” the longest-running show in Broadway history, will end its 35-year run in February, producers announced Friday.
The Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group’s Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s musical, directed by Harold Prince, will play its final five months. The historic lifetime of “Phantom” will end with its last performance on Feb. 18, 2023.
Andrew Lloyd Weber’s award-winning musical debuted in 1988. Sine then it has won seven Tony Awards, including that for Best Musical. “Phantom” has drawn its curtains in the same theater, the Majestic, since the year it opened on Broadway.
The coronavirus pandemic shut “Phantom” down for a time, but it raised its chandelier once more in October 2021. The musical will celebrate its 35th anniversary on January 26.
International productions of the musical will continue, with the flagship London performance celebrating its 36th anniversary on Oct. 9. Another recent reimagining of the story has taken up at the Sydney Opera House, directed by Laurence Connor. The Australian production will move to the Arts Centre Melbourne this month.
The first Mandarin language version of “Phantom of the Opera” will open in China in 2023, presented by SMG Live. The Mandarin production will be co-created by the producers of The Phantom of the Opera World Tour: The Really Useful Group and Troika Entertainment. Dates and venues are forthcoming.
Really Useful Group has also created a new joint venture with Antonio Banderas to develop Spanish language productions of ‘Phantom’ for Spanish audiences.
According to PlayBill, Ben Crawford currently leads the cast as the Phantom. Emilie Kouatchou plays Christine, John Riddle plays Raoul, Nehal Joshi plays Monsieur André, Craig bennett plays Monsieur Firmin, Raquel Suarez Groen plays Carlotta Giudicelli, Maree Johnson plays Madame Giry, Calrton Moe plays Ubaldo Piangi and Sara Esty plays Meg Giry. Certain performances see Julia Udine in the role of Christine.