Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera exploded onto the Broadway scene over 30 years ago on January 25, 1988. This dramatic story continually breaks Broadway records with each performance, but now we are reaching ever closer to another milestone performance of this timeless tale. If you missed out on 2012’s 10,000th performance or any other milestone production of this musical, then now’s your chance to be a part of history. Don’t let this gorgeous and breathtaking musical event pass you by when you could be among a crowd of enthusiastic theatre-fans experiencing the peak of theatrical entertainment. But if you’re on the fence about ordering tickets to see this show, then read on to learn what you can expect.
Even if you already know The Phantom’s story or have seen previous runs of this musical, you should know that special elements and care are brought in to keep the musical fresh. From different staff to handle the sets to new actors to add fresh takes on classic roles, there’s always a new experience and twist to this classic tale. The all-star cast taking on these famous roles along with the exquisite set design and expert use of The Majestic’s stage guarantees that audiences of the musical will fall in love with the story all over again. Let’s not forget that many audiences feel as if they are haunted by the charming Phantom even days after the curtains close. This tale of obsession, love, and murder will captivate you and leave you glued to your seats.
So don’t let this world-famous production pass you by when you can get the best seats in the house. All you have to do is order your tickets through us.
How Andrew Lloyd Webber Adapted “The Phantom of the Opera”
The Phantom of the Opera is a world-famous musical featuring music by Andrew Lloyd Webber with lyrics by Charles Hart. The idea to adapt the play came about in 1984 when Lloyd Webber contacted Cameron Mackintosh, famous for producing Cats and Song and Dance, to propose a new musical. Lloyd Webber was aiming for a romance story suggesting Gaston Leroux’s The Phantom of the Opera as a basis. The pair screened the 1925 and 1943 film adaptations but struggled to find a way to make the story work as a stage production. The idea might have died then, had Lloyd Webber not found a copy of the original Leroux novel. The material contained in the novel inspired Webber to develop a musical instead of a play. He was quoted in saying: “I was actually writing something else at the time, and I realized that the reason I was hung up was because I was trying to write a major romantic story, and I had been trying to do that ever since I started my career. Then with the Phantom, it was there!” In other words, The Phantom was precisely the story he wanted to tell.
Lloyd Webber gathered a team of talented lyricists to help him create the music for the story including Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe. Then Stilgoe and Lloyd Webber wrote the musical’s book together. Once the book was complete, the production needed a venue and later opened the musical in London’s West End at Her Majesty’s Theatre in 1986 and later on Broadway in 1988. The story was an instant hit, winning the 1986 Olivier Award and the 1988 Tony Award for Best Musical. Michael Crawford, in the titular role, won the Olivier and Tony Awards for Best Actor in a Musical. Beyond these awards, the play has also made one major splash on all of theatre history.
To date, Lloyd Webber’s adaptation has become the longest-running show in Broadway history celebrating its 10,000th performance on February 11, 2012. It is the second longest-running West End musical, behind only Les Misérables, and the third longest-running West End show overall, after The Mousetrap. The play has grossed over $6.6 billion worldwide with a total Broadway gross of over $845 million. The Phantom’s financial success was only beaten when The Lion King surpassed it in 2014. Over its 30+ year run cycle, Lloyd Webber’s play has been seen by over 130 million people across 27 countries and continues to see annual productions in London and New York.
So from a small idea between theatre professionals, one of the world’s most enduring theatrical productions came into being.
What Makes Majestic Theatre the Perfect Venue for The Phantom
Majestic Theatre was originally designed by Herbert J. Krapp and constructed by the Chanin Brothers as part of an entertainment complex including the Theatre Masque, the Royale Theatre, and the Lincoln Hotel. The theatre opened on March 28, 1927, with Rufus LeMaire’s Affairs as it’s opening production. The theatre was designed to match a Spanish style, with Adam style detailing inside the auditorium, a large balcony, and steep stadium seating in the orchestra. The design also featured a gorgeous and expansive plaster dome and large staircases leading up to the orchestra level above the street frontage.
The interior and exterior of the building were considered New York City landmarks in 1997, just before The Phantom of the Opera necessitated expansions and modifications to the stage to fit the show’s complex set elements. This includes much of the proscenium arch obscured and painted black to better suit the long-running production. The features of the venue were so gorgeous and breathtaking, that it has been home to larger musicals in its ninety-year history and hosted the 50th Tony Awards in 1996.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a venue called The Majestic, matches it’s namesake so well.