NEW YORK — The production of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’, considered the longest-running in Broadway history, has extended the date of its last show in 35 years to Sunday, April 16, 2023.
Day fthe initial closing date had been announced in September for February 18 in the Majestic theaterbut after Andrew Lloyd Webber’s show sold out, producer Cameron Mackintosh has confirmed that his iconic and record-breaking Broadway production, alongside The Really Useful Group, will extend its storied run for another eight weeks.
With its latest presentation on Sunday, April 16, 2023, that would be a colossal 13,981. This is the only possible extension to the Broadway champion, as the theater will be closed for major renovations after more than three decades of the show’s run. It will celebrate its 35th anniversary for the first time on January 26, 2023
As much a part of the city’s landscape as the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty, the blockbuster phenomenon has long been a New York City landmark. Considered by many to be one of the finest and most spectacular productions in history, the musical set the bar high with its sumptuous sets and costumes, a large cast and the greatest orchestra on Broadway, a perfect match for its lavish score and classic love story.
“The response to the news that The Phantom of the Opera will finally end its unprecedented original run on Broadway after 35 years has been as phenomenal as the show itself. We are all delighted that not only the show’s wonderful fans have bought up the remaining tickets, but also that a new, younger audience is equally eager to see this legendary production before it ends. Such is the demand for tickets that we are delighted to report that the Shubert Organization has been able to arrange one last eight week extension at the Majestic Theatre,” said producer Cameron Mackintosh.
All sales of shows will commence on 30th November at 10am with the exception of a major charity event which will take place on the evening of Friday 14th April and the final show on Sunday 16th April.
During its run in New York, the show broke all possible records for presales, market capitalization, total gross, total attendance and longevity. It became the longest-running show in Broadway history on January 9, 2006, when it surpassed the nearly 18-year run of Cats, another Andrew Llyod Webber musical, also produced by Cameron Mackintosh, and has nearly doubled that number since then. . d.
The leaders of the Shubert Organization first fell in love with the story when they saw an early performance of the first act in June 1985, at Andrew Lloyd Webber’s annual Sydmonton Festival. His enthusiasm only intensified when he made his triumphant debut in London in 1986.
They immediately decided that the future Broadway production should be staged at The Majestic, home of the original South Pacific productions of Carousel and The Music Man.
Since opening on January 26, 1988, the New York production has run nearly 14,000 performances for an unprecedented 19.5 million people at the Majestic Theater and has grossed a staggering $1.3 billion. After shutting down the entire industry due to the COVID pandemic, the Broadway production reopened on October 22, 2021 with a garden party that made headlines around the world. In fact, the musical was the single largest revenue and job generator on Broadway and in U.S. theater history. About 6,500 people were employed in the New York manufacturing alone.
The other international productions will continue. The emblematic London production, which will celebrate its 36th anniversary on October 9, is still on the bill with no intention of closing it. The Australian production which premiered at the Sydney Opera House will move the sold out production to the Arts Center Melbourne this month, while the first Mandarin version is expected to debut in China next year.
The Phantom of the Opera has performed to more than 145 million people in 41 countries and 183 cities in 17 languages. The musical celebrated more than 30 years on both sides of the Atlantic and was the recipient of more than 70 major theater awards, including seven Tony Awards and four Olivier Awards.
