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The Phantom of the Opera, Broadway’s longest-running musical, closed on Sunday after 35 years, 13,981 shows, and seven Tony awards.
The show ran through many difficult periods including recessions, terrorism, and cultural change, but it was not able to survive the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The musical opened in January 1988 at New York’s Majestic Theatre, where it stayed until its final performance. It earned over $1.3 billion during its 35 years on Broadway.
Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber dedicated the final performance to his son Nick, who died of cancer and pneumonia in March.
Due to the pandemic, Broadway was closed for 18 months. Operating costs also increased by 15% due to Covid-19 measures and additional security when theaters reopened.
The last show was originally planned for February, but there was suddenly high demand for tickets so more shows were performed. In its final weeks, the Phantom of the Opera earned more than $3 million each week.
Some former cast members performed in the final show.
The theater will be renovated after hosting the show for more than three decades.
Since the Phantom of the Opera has ended, the longest-running Broadway musical is now Chicago, which opened in 1996.
A different version of The Phantom of the Opera is still running in London.
Vocabulary
- Longest-running – Something that has been going on for a very long time
- Tony Award – An award given to people in the performing arts, like theater and musicals
- Period – a length of time; or portion of time
- Recession – A time period when the economy is not doing well and many people are losing their jobs or don’t have a lot of money
- Terrorism – When people use violence to scare and hurt others for political or social reasons
- Survive – To stay alive or keep going even if the situation or circumstance is difficult
- Pandemic – when a disease or sickness goes all over the country or world
- Performance – When people put on/do a show or play in front of an audience
- Earn – to get something (usually money) because you worked, sold something, or helped someone; to receive
- Composer – A person who writes music
- Dedicate – If you dedicate a book, play, performance, etc. to someone, you publicly say that it is in that person’s honor; to officially make (something) a place for honoring or remembering a person, event, etc.
- Cancer – a disease in which some of the body’s cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body
- Pneumonia – A serious lung infection that can make it hard to breathe
- Due to – because of; owing to
- Operating costs – The money needed to keep a business or organization running/going (pay for employees, supplies, rent, etc.)
- Measure(s) – plan; procedure; an action; a step
- Demand – a need for goods or services that customers want to buy or use; a need or want; a need for something to be sold or supplied
- Former – previous; past; ex-; before; in the past
- Cast member – An actor or actress who is part of the group of performers in a play or show
- Renovate – To make something old look new again by fixing it up, cleaning it, and changing some things
- Decade – 10 years; a 10-year period
- Version – a copy of something that has been changed so it’s a little different; something a little different from others of the same type
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- Have you ever seen a Broadway show? If so, which one(s)? If not, which one would you like to see and why?
- Do you think The Phantom of the Opera would have continued to run if not for the Covid-19 pandemic? Why or why not?
- How do you think the closure of The Phantom of the Opera will impact the Broadway community?
- Do you think musicals and theater are still important forms of entertainment? Why?
Original Story
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