NEW YORK ā The masked man of Broadway is going out strong.
āThe Phantom of the Operaā ā Broadwayās longest-running show ā has postponed its final performance by eight weeks, pushing its final curtain from February to April after ticket demand spiked. Last week, the show raked in an eye-popping $2,2 million with a full house.
Recommended Videos
The musical ā a fixture on Broadway since 1988, weathering recessions, war and cultural shifts ā will now play its final Broadway performance on April 16. When it closes, it will have played 13,981 performances.
āWe are all thrilled that not only the showās wonderful fans have been snapping up the remaining tickets, but also that a new, younger audience is equally eager to see this legendary production before it disappears,ā lead producer Cameron Mackintosh said in a statement.
Producers said there would be no more postponements. āThis is the only possible extension for the Broadway champion, as the theater will then be closed for major renovations after the showās incredible 35-year run.ā
Based on a novel by Gaston Leroux, āPhantomā tells the story of a deformed composer who haunts the Paris Opera House and falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine. Andrew Lloyd Webberās lavish songs include āMasquerade,ā ā³Angel of Music,ā ā³All I Ask of Youā and āThe Music of the Night.ā
The closing of āPhantomā would mean the longest-running show crown would go to āChicago,ā which started in 1996. āThe Lion Kingā is next, having begun performances in 1997.
Broadway took a pounding during the pandemic, with all theaters closed for more than 18 months. Some of the most popular shows ā āHamilton,ā āThe Lion Kingā and āWickedā ā have rebounded well, but other shows have struggled. Breaking even usually requires a steady stream of tourists, especially for the costly āPhantom,ā and visitors to the city haven't returned to pre-pandemic levels.