Phantom of the Opera: Some Facts Unmasked

Perhaps no entertainment venture intended solelyof a previous commitment to produce a Bonnie
for a live audience has been seen as much asTyler Album.
"Phantom of the Opera."Lloyd Webber then enlisted the services of Alan
The Broadway production of Phantom, playing atJay Lerner ("Gigi," "My Fair Lady," "Camelot") but
the Majestic Theatre, is the Great White Way'she died shortly after joining the project.
longest running show of all-time. It surpassed theBefore Michael Crawford originated the role of the
former record holder, "Cats," on January 6th,Phantom, he was best known in England as star
2006.of the BBC comedy series "Some Mothers Do
Phantom can still be seen in London's West End at'Ave 'Em" and in America as the star of the
Her Majesty's Theatre. It began its run onDisney movie "Condorman."
September 27th, 1986 and celebrated its 9,000thWhen a theater is too small to accommodate
performance on May 31st, 2008. It's the secondPhantom's large orchestra, the show uses
longest running West End musical in history. Onlypre-recorded tracks. These pre-recorded tracks
"Les Misérables" has run longer.are employed during the Overture and the first
The Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical has beentwo verses of the title song.
seen by more than 80 million people in 124 citiesPre-recorded tracks are also used for most of
in 25 countries, including Australia, Brazil, China,the Phantom's off-stage voiceovers and they are
Japan and Poland.sometimes used for Christine's high note at the
A production in Argentina is scheduled to debut onend of the title song. The recording help protects
March 19, 2009. And there's a rumor of a Russianthe actress' voice from the strain of singing that
production of Phantom opening in 2009.high note on a daily basis.
If you're in Las Vegas you can see one of onlyRob Guest played the Phantom for 2,289
two Phantoms allowed to deviate from theperformances over a seven year period in
original staging. "Phantom: The Las VegasAustralia. That's more performances of that role
Spectacular" is a 95-minute, intermission-lessthan any other actor including Crawford.
production of the show playing at The VenetianSarah Brightman, who originated the role of
Resort Hotel Casino. The show featuresChristine Daaé, was married to Lloyd
state-of-the art technology and a $40 millionWebber from 1984 to 1990.
custom-built theater.The first Phantom production permitted to change
There are currently three touring productions ofthe original staging began in 2003 at the
Phantom; one in the United States, one in CanadaMadách Theatre in Budapest, Hungary.
and the other in Southeast Asia.The production used original sets, costumes and
In 2009, the American touring company will bedirection.
performing "Phantom of the Opera" at the"Phantom of the Opera" was adapted from the
Temple Buell in Denver, Colorado; the Music HallFrench novel by Gaston Leroux. The novel was
Kansas City in Kansas City, Missouri; the Northfirst published as a serial in a French newspaper
Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, Massachusetts;from September 23, 1909 to January 8, 1910.
the Bushnell Theatre in Hartford Connecticut; andJudy Kaye, who played Carlotta Giudicelli in the
the Orange County Performing Arts Center atoriginal Broadway cast of Phantom, later went on
the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall into star as Rosie in the original Broadway cast of
Costa Mesa, California."Mamma Mia!"
While Phantom is one of the most familiar"Phantom of the Opera" has grossed more than
musicals of all-time there are still several aspects$5 billion since it first premiered in 1986. It's the
of the show you may not know.most successful entertainment venture of all-time,
For instance, Jim Steinman declined Lloydeven out grossing the world's highest-grossing film
Webber's offer to write Phantom's lyrics because"Titanic.