PHANTOM OF THE OPERA TO CLOSE ON BROADWAY
Broadway’s longest-running show is set to close.
The Phantom of the Opera will be performed on stage in New York for the last time on 18 February 2023.
The decision was based on ticket sales dropping sharply, even after the theatres in New York were given the green light to open again after the pandemic lockdown.
News24 reports that Phantom is a staple within the Broadway world, with over 70 major theatre wins and 13 733 performances since its debut in 1988. Despite its legacy, the New York Post reported that the show was losing $1 million a month.
When the news hit social media, fans from all over shared their favourite memories and scenes from the opera.
In January of this year, the show made headlines when it cast its first black American actor to play the role of the leading lady. When Emilie Kouatchou was cast as Christine racial barriers were broken and Broadway history was made.
The Andrew Lloyd-Weber masterpiece is set to celebrate its 35th anniversary in January.
The opera was also made into a movie in 2004. It starred big Hollywood names including Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossum, Minnie Driver, Patrick Wilson and Jennifer Ellison.
Image credit: Time Out