The final curtain came down this week (April 16) on New York’s production of “The Phantom of the Opera,” ending Broadway’s longest-running show with thunderous standing ovations, champagne toasts and gold and silver confetti bursting from its famous chandelier.
It was show No. 13,981 at the Majestic Theatre and it ended with a reprise of “The Music of the Night” performed by the current cast, previous actors in the show – including original star Sarah Brightman – and crew members in street clothes.
Andrew Lloyd Webber took to the stage last in a black suit and black tie and dedicated the final show to his son, Nick, who died last month.
Producer Cameron Mackintosh gave some in the crowd hope they would see the Phantom again, and perhaps sooner than they think.
“The one question I keep getting asked again and again – will the Phantom return? Having been a producer for over 55 years, I’ve seen all the great musicals return, and ‘Phantom’ is one of the greatest,” he said. “So, it’s only a matter of time.”
The musical – a fixture on Broadway since opening on Jan. 26, 1988 – has weathered recessions, war, terrorism and cultural shifts. But the prolonged pandemic may have been the last straw: It’s a costly musical to sustain, with elaborate sets and costumes as well as a large cast and orchestra. The curtain call Sunday showed how out of step “Phantom” is with the rest of Broadway, but also how glorious a big, splashy musical can be.
There was a video presentation of many of the actors who had played key roles in the show over the years, and the orchestra seats were crowded with Christines, Raouls and Phantoms.
Lin-Manuel Miranda attended, as did Glenn Close, who performed in two separate Broadway productions of Lloyd Webber’s “Sunset Boulevard.” Free champagne was offered at intermission and flutes of it were handed out onstage at the curtain call.
John Riddle, who played Raoul on the night, first saw “The Phantom of the Opera” in Toronto as a four-year-old child. “It was the first musical I ever saw. I didn’t know what a musical was,” he said. “Now, 30-some odd years later, I’m closing the show on Broadway. So, it’s incredible.”
The first production opened in London in 1986 and since then the show has been seen by more than 145 million people in 183 cities and performed in 17 languages over 70,000 performances. On Broadway alone, it has grossed more than $1.3 billion.
When “Phantom” opened in New York, “Die Hard” was in movie theatres, Adele was born, and floppy discs were at the cutting edge of technology. A postage stamp cost 25 cents, and the year’s most popular songs were “Roll With It” by Steve Winwood, “Faith” by George Michael and Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up.”
Critics were positive, with the New York Post calling it “a piece of impeccably crafted musical theatre,” the Daily News describing it as “spectacular entertainment,” and The New York Times saying it “wants nothing more than to shower the audience with fantasy and fun.”
The closing of “Phantom,” originally scheduled for February, was pushed to mid-April after a flood of revived interest and ticket sales that pushed weekly grosses past $3 million. The closing means the longest-running show crown now goes to “Chicago,” which started in 1996. “The Lion King” is next, having begun performances in 1997.
Broadway took a pounding during the pandemic, with all theatres closed for more than 18 months. Some of the most popular shows – “Hamilton,” “The Lion King” and “Wicked” – rebounded well, but other shows have struggled.
Breaking even usually requires a steady stream of tourists, especially for “Phantom,” and visitors to the city haven’t returned to pre-pandemic levels. The pandemic also pushed up expenses for all shows, including routine COVID-19 testing and safety officers on staff. The Phantom became a poster boy for Broadway’s return – after all, he is partially masked.
Fans can always catch the Phantom elsewhere. The flagship London production celebrated its 36th anniversary in October, and there are productions in Japan, Greece, Australia, Sweden, Italy, South Korea, and the Czech Republic. One is about to open in Bucharest, and another will open in Vienna in 2024.
‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’
Meanwhile, in Toronto, Mirvish Productions announced thatit plans to close “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” the stager play based on J.K. Rowling’s characters that opened less than 10 months ago. The wizards will take their final bows on July 2 at the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre.
The end of “Harry Potter” comes as Canadian live theatre similarly struggles for direction in the wake of extensive COVID-19 closures and a slow recovery. Producers hoped to cast a spell over audiences with a familiar franchise and theatrical spectacle that includes flying actors and impressive pyrotechnics. But the stage production was a gamble from the start.
Toronto producer David Mirvish said when taking into account ticket sales trends, it became clear that high running costs would make it difficult to keep the show open.
“In other times, it probably would’ve gone longer,” he acknowledged. “If we hadn’t had to deal with the pandemic, it would have been a different situation.”