PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Has Best Weekly Gross in 23 Year History

The longest-running show in Broadway history, Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of THE OPERA, directed by Harold Prince, last week shattered the house record at The Majestic Theatre (247 West 44th Street) to have its best weekly gross in the production's nearly 23 year history.  For the week ending January 2, 2011, the production grossed $1,390,530.53 for 8 performances.  This surpasses the show's previous record of $1,374,874.96 for the week ending January 3, 2010.  Set to celebrate an unprecedented 23 Years on Wednesday, January 26, the Cameron Mackintosh/Really Useful Group, Inc. production continues to play at The Majestic with no end in sight.
 
On Broadway, since its debut on January 26, 1988, The Phantom of THE OPERA has grossed over $795 million, making it the highest-grossing show in Broadway history.  Total attendance is 14 million. Its international success - equally staggering - is represented by total worldwide grosses estimated at over $5 billion.  This colossal figure makes PHANTOM the most successful entertainment venture of all time, surpassing not only any other stage production, but also far surpassing the world's highest-grossing film Avatar (at $2.7 billion).  Worldwide, over 65,000 performances have been seen by 100 million people in 27 countries and 144 cities.  
Since becoming the longest-running show in Broadway history in 2006 (when it surpassed the then-record run of Cats), every performance has set a new longevity record.  Incredibly, since breaking that record, the production has played an additional 5 years and over 2,000 performances.  The show has always been a record-breaker, with the New York production setting benchmarks that have dominated the industry: for capitalization (a then-spectacular $8 million), total advance (a then-colossal $18 million), total gross and attendance (now a whopping $790 million and 14 million, and counting) and even the number of years before a single ticket was ever sold at the TKTS ticket booth in Times Square (over 14 years, which is still the record, by a long shot). 
 
It was also the first and remains the only show in Broadway history to play milestone performances 8,000 and 9,000 (surpassing 9,500 in November) and celebrate its 18th through 22nd Anniversaries - and will now continues its long tradition of shattering records when this month it becomes the first show ever to reach 23 Years. 
 
The Broadway production is the winner of 7 Tony Awards including Best Musical. 
 
There are currently six productions around the world: London, New York, Budapest (Hungary), Nagoya (Japan), Seoul (Korea) and a revised production in Las Vegas at The Venetian.  The original cast-recording, with over 40 million copies sold worldwide, is the best-selling cast recording of all time.  Andrew Lloyd Webber's new musical Love Never Dies, which continues the PHANTom Story, opened in London on March 9, 2010.  
 
Based on the classic novel by Gaston Leroux, The Phantom of THE OPERA tells the story of a masked figure who 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 stars Hugh Panaro in the title role with Sara Jean Ford as Christine and Sean MacLaughlin as Raoul.  The musical also co-stars George Lee Andrews (Monsieur Andre), David Cryer (Monsieur Firmin), Liz McCartney (Carlotta), Cristin J. Hubbard (Madame Giry), Evan Harrington (Piangi) and Heather McFadden (Meg Giry).  At certain performances, Marni Raab plays Christine.  Mr. Andrews has been with the production for its entire run and in 2006 was recognized by Guinness World Records as the inaugural record-holder for the performer with the longest time in the same Broadway show - a record he still holds and continues to add to with each performance.
 
The Phantom of THE OPERA has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and is directed by Harold Prince.  Lyrics are by Charles Hart (with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe) and the book is by Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber.  The Phantom of THE OPERA has production design by the late Maria Bjornson, lighting by Andrew Bridge and sound design by Mick Potter with original sound by Martin Levan.  Musical staging and choreography is by Gillian Lynne.  Orchestrations are by David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
 
The performance schedule for The Phantom of THE OPERA is Monday evenings at 8 PM, Tuesday evenings at 7PM, Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 8 PM, with matinees on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2 PM.  Ticket prices range from $26.50 - $131.50 with Premium Tickets also available.  To order tickets visit telecharge.com or call (212) 239-6200.