Sunday, September 20, 2009
Phantom celebrates 9,000 performances on Broadway
The Stage: "The Phantom of the Opera, already the longest-running show in Broadway history, will today hit another milestone when it becomes the first Broadway show to reach the 9,000 performance mark."
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At those trends ($768,270 per 8-show week) that's almost $95,000 per show, times 9000 shows gives a very rough gross of $810,000,000 for the show. I presume that the $740 million figure is more realistic, but it's interesting to see that the two numbers are within about 10% of each other - another way of looking at it is that the per-week income right now is very close to the average over the entire run, if not slightly higher.
It is crazy to see how long this show has lasted. IT has become more of a tourst attraction then a piece of theater. Constantly running over all these years it interest me to see how the show has changed and grown. Is it new every night for the actors? It seems like a bad theme park show that constantly plays, and the tourists love it.
I have yet to actually see this show onstage, but I love the music. The fact that the show has lasted so long demonstrates the quality of the show and audiences' positive receptions of it. It would be interesting to see in the future if someone would make some documentary or something like at looking at the long history of the show and how it has changed over the years.
Phantom has lasted so long because it appeals to a massive audience. Whether one likes the show or not the music speaks to a lot of people. The plays themes of forbidden love, the need for success and jealously ring true for a lot of people. The show live is a powerful experience. Phantom is not my favorite show but I can see why people feel such a connection to it. However I don't know how I feel about them making a sequel to it. The show has not needed a sequel for over 20 years. I think it would be a mistake to make one now.
This is so amazing that a show can last that long. and that it seems like it will not stop going and it just wont run out of stem. it is good hear about a show that dose well inside of a show that is closing and also hearing about theaters that are closing. also the amout of money that they bring in is abserbe. this must be since the shows is to a mast appele and that many people would like the show and also then they tell there frends and then there frends come to the show. so i hop that this show will go on for a long time.
Not only is Phantom still doing incredibly on Broadway (including holding the record for longest run), but they're expanding. It's official, the Phantom is on Twitter.
"On the eighth day of October I will be making an announcement of global importance. Your obedient servant, The Phantom."
remarks one post.
The subject is the SEQUEL to the Phantom of the Opera, entitled Love Never Dies. This show will feature Christine as she travels to America to perform on Coney Island, but of course, the Phantom must not be far behind. As the tweet above indicates, at 11 on October 8th, the Phantom will officially raise the curtain on the show's details at www.loveneverdies.com. I'll be there, will you?
The only reason a sequel has come up is because the show has lasted so long. They pretty much guaranteed some success in the beginning from all of the die hard fans of the original. This doesn't necessarily mean it will be a good show. I think that the show should choose a graceful ending instead of waiting for the ticket sales to finally decline. I know this would not be for a very long time but it would be interesting. It will also be interesting to see how many people will see both the original and the sequel at the same time. I just hope they put a lot of effort into the sequel and are not just depending on the overflow fans.
First off a congratulations to the entire company of Phantom. It is truly a remarkable thing to have a show last 9,000 performances. it fact that the actors and technicians are able to recreate the mood and dramatic atmosphere for audiences over and over again. Secondly, a remark about the sequel. I feel that Molly has an excellent point pertaining to the sequel: that it will last for a given period because of the gigantic fan base. But at the same time, I am hesitant to say it will be a new theatrical masterpiece. Because of the given circumstances, I feel that this might be a piece forced into existance by popular demand. I in no way wish to discredit the writing and style of Sir Webber, but was this piece written out of ideas and creativity? or out of the need to increase the numbger in bank?
I love Phantom of the Opera and its no surprise to me that it has run for this long. Its an engaging story with powerful music and its also technically interesting. I too am wary about the sequel. Mainly because of what has happened to all my favorite Disney classics. Aladdin 2, The Little Mermaid 3, and Lion King 1.5 all tried to cash in on the fame of the previous movie, but the sequels were never as good and the audience walks away disappointed. While I hope this won't be the case for Love Never Dies, I can't help feeling like this will just be another mediocre sequel.
I feel bad adding another comment since there are currently 9. Anyhow, great for Phantom and all their performances. It's crazy that they have been able to do so well for so long. It would be great to see another show be able to reach the same magnitude.
I don't know if a show should actually run this long... what meaning does Phantom of the Opera actually have now? It's just a tourist attraction. I know it will be running for as long as it can make money, but come on, make room for other shows!
Everything I hear about this show is just amazing. I can't believe it's finally hit 9,000 performances! But, this article is kind of vague, does that mean that it has reached it's 9,000th performance on broadway? Or world wide?
Regardless, this is truly a testament to how well this show is made and performed that audiences will still gladly dole out the money to go see it. From showing in so many countries, to even having it's own movie, Phantom is a clear success.
I think it is great that a show has managed to stay open on Broadway this long. That is the goal for these shows. Great shows such as Grey Gardens are not able to make enough money from ticket sales and then they must close. In the article it states that people in 144 cities and 27 countries have seen this show. That is incredible. It is definitely a show that has crossed so many boarders. I don't know if there are other pieces of theatre that have had this great of an impact but it would be awesome if there was. What is this about a sequel? That is complete crap. I can't even believe that is happening. Most sequels end up being absolutely horrible and badly reflect on the first. Andrew Lloyd Weber is just making me mad lately. First, with his tv show that is basically American Idol but with broadway and then with this sequel.
Love Phantom of the Opera or not, you cannot deny it is the perfect formula of musical theatre, in a matter of business. Not only does it keep people coming, it can open up in other cities and still be treated like the world premiere, and the audience demogramphic is pretty wide. I agree with Bryce though, it's officially a tourist attraction, especially with it's flashy Vegas show. I imagine there will come a day when the Broadway show updates its special affects, but for now we could settle for an updated audio sytstem. Despite all the openings around the world, the movie, and the Vegas show, Andrew Lloyd Webber may be compromising his empire with this sequel. Before, he was just giving the people what they want, access to the musical. Now, however, the sequel may be a push too far to capitalize on the 20 year long hype.
I'm sure there's a collection of essays on why Phantom remains so popular, but it seems a large number of people seem to take its success as a point against it. I would argue that a crowd pleasing show can still have merit as a work of art and is not necessarily just a tourist trap as Bryce suggests. After all, isn't popularity one of the reasons classic works of literature remain part of the cannon? Certainly Phantom has a great deal of spectacle in it's opulent sets and effects but it's also the central message which I think keeps it in demand. As Devry said it plays to people's basic desires for love, success, and sometimes what's forbidden.
I have found an interesting international trend. In Europe, the longest running musical, "Elisabeth", is the retelling of the life of Empress Elisabeth of Bavaria and her romantic struggle with Death. Like Phantom, the main character, Elisabeth, constantly has to choose between her wealthy royal husband (Raoul anyone?) and the dark, seductive Death (Phantom hands down). What is it about fog, dark cloaks, and simmering passion that brings audiences into theatres world over? It seems that dark romance still reigns King.
This show has become a permanent fixture and attraction of New York City, like the Empire State Building or Times Square. Broadway shows aren't supposed to run forever; I wouldn't mind seeing Phantom close soon so that it can take a break and we can see the different approach of a revival.
The idea of a Phantom is a little ridiculous. It's so obviously just a ploy to make more money, and it's very disconcerting when theater is only about money.
What a tremendous achievement. Andrew Lloyd Weber and his team discovered the perfect formula for a successful Broadway show... great music, great characters, and an intriguing story... not to mention some plain old-fashioned cool theatre-y tricks that make people like me go "how'd they do that?!" The fact that it is still as popular as ever, even 9000 performances in, attests to the fact that this is a very special show.
I read the other day about the man who has played the Phantom for the last 5000 or so performances and who is planning to leave the show. His whole life for the past 12 years has been this character. How do you lead a normal life after that? Incredible.
It is interesting how this show has taken on a life entirely on its own. It isn't just a Broadway show, it is Phantom. I thought Bryce's observation that Phantom is a strong tourist attraction was so "spot on." Even when I saw the tour in Houston the house was packed. I wonder why this show has been able to take on this "life" whereas other shows are merely popular?
Bryce raised an interesting point about Phantom becoming more of a tourist destination then a performance. Places like Vegas have made killings with tourist destination shows, so I've always been surprised that New York hasn't tried do copy the model. It's interesting to see that something that probably started off with less extensive run projection has turned into a bit of a fixture. Prior to reading this article, I never realized just how long Phantom has been running for. If Phantom were ever to go under, I wonder what would take it's place.
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