Phantom Of The Opera

The National Touring Company of the Cameron Mackintosh/Really Useful Theatre Company, Inc. production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom Of The Opera, directed by Harold Prince, celebrates its 15th anniversary on December 13, 2007 when it reaches performance number 6,139 during its 5th Chicago engagement at the Cadillac Palace Theatre.  This National Tour opened at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle on December 13, 1992 and has been on tour continuously ever since.   

With worldwide box office sales of over $3 billion, The Phantom Of The Opera is the most successful entertainment venture of the twentieth century, surpassing such blockbuster films as 'Titanic,' 'Lord of the Rings,' 'Jurassic Park' and 'Star Wars.'  The winner of seven 1988 Tony® Awards, including Best Musical, The Phantom Of The Opera is currently in its nineteenth year on Broadway.  Worldwide The Phantom Of The Opera consistently plays to larger audiences and in longer engagements than any other musical in history.  On January 9, 2006 The Phantom Of The Opera became the longest-running show in Broadway history surpassing Cats’ record-holding run of 7,485 performances.

Worldwide, The Phantom Of The Opera has had over 65,000 performances and has been seen by over 80 million people in 25 countries and 124 cities.  There are currently seven productions around the world: London, New York, Budapest (Hungary), Osaka (Japan), Las Vegas, Melbourne (Australia), and this National Tour.           

Based on the classic novel by Gaston Leroux, The Phantom Of The Opera tells the story of a masked figure that lurks beneath the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it. He falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine, and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her extraordinary talents and by employing all of the devious methods at his command.

The Phantom Of The Opera had its world premiere on October 9, 1986 at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London, winning every major British theatre award including the Olivier and Evening Standard Awards. The New York production opened on January 26, 1988 with a then-record advance of $18 million. The musical went on to sweep the 1988 Tony® Awards, winning seven, including Best Musical. The Phantom Of The Opera also won seven Drama Desk Awards and three Outer Critics Circle Awards. The original London cast recording was the first in British musical history to enter the charts at number one. It has since gone both gold and platinum in Britain and the U.S., selling over 25 million copies worldwide.

The Phantom Of The Opera National tour is currently at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago through January 5, 2008.  Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com.