Broadway shows typically run for at least a couple of months, but this varies depending on critical reception and ticket sales. Dozens of Broadway shows have lasted fewer than 10 performances, while others have had thousands of performances over the course of several years. The 1996 revival of Chicago is still playing to this day at the Ambassador Theatre, while The Lion King has been viewed by more than 60 million people through in excess of 9,500 performances since 1997.
The longest-running Broadway show, however, is The Phantom of the Opera. Based on a French novel, Andrew Lloyd Weber’s musical tells the story of a mysterious masked figure living below the Paris Opera House who falls in love with a beautiful young soprano named Christine. The show debuted at the Majestic Theatre in January 1988.
Debuted in London
While it has been on Broadway for more than three decades, The Phantom of the Opera premiered at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London, England, on October 9, 1986. Legendary director/producer and 21-time Tony Award winner Harold Prince directed the production and Gillian Lynne oversaw choreography. Michael Crawford, who later reprised the role on Broadway for more than 1,300 performances, portrayed the titular character, while Sarah Brightman played the role of Christine.
Arrived at the Majestic Theatre in 1988
Following a successful run in London’s West End, The Phantom of the Opera debuted on Broadway at the Majestic Theatre in 1988. Lloyd Webber had already experienced success on Broadway with musicals like Jesus Christ Superstar and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Prince was an established producer/director with more than two decades of experience, yet nobody could have anticipated the musical would have the longevity it has had. It was, however, a highly anticipated musical with an advance of $16.5 million.
Brightman, who was married to Lloyd Webber at the time, reprised her role as Christine. Other cast members included Steve Barton (Raoul), Cris Groenendaal (Monsiuer André), Judy Kaye (Carlotta), and David Romano (Piangi).
Critic reviews were mostly positive. Variety writer Richard Hummler anticipated The Phantom of the Opera would enjoy a run of “several years” on Broadway.
Won 7 Tony Awards
A popular musical among American audiences, The Phantom of the Opera sold out each of its shows during its first six months of production. It was also a critical success, as it won seven of the Tony Awards for which it was nominated, including Best Musical. Crawford also won for Leading Actor in a Musical and Prince won for Director (Musical). Phantom also claimed awards for Featured Actress in a Musical (Judy Kaye), Set Designer (Maria Bjornson), Costume Designer (Bjornson), and Lighting Designer (Andrew Bridge).
The production has also earned several other awards, including Best Broadway Musical at the Outer Critics Circle Award and Outstanding Production at the Dora Mavor Moore Awards. Crawford claimed Best Actor awards at the Drama Desk Awards, Outer Critics Circle Awards, and Drama Critics Awards.
Actors Associated with the Musical
Twenty-one actors, five of which played limited engagements, have portrayed the Phantom on Broadway since the musical debuted in 1988. Hundreds of actors, meanwhile, have played the role in productions worldwide. Outside of Crawford, Ramin Karimloo may be among the most popular casting choices among fans of the production. He played Raoul in Phantom in the West End production in 2003 and was cast as the titular character on Broadway in 2007. He was selected to perform the role for the 25th anniversary production in 2013.
Some of the other actors to play the Phantom include Earl Carpenter, Timothy Nolen, Steve Barton, and Thomas James O’Leary. Gerard Butler played the role in the 2003 film adaptation.
Thirty-six actresses have played the female lead of Christine on Broadway. Patti Cohenour took on the role after Brightman. Others cast as Christine include Dale Kristien, Karen Culliver, Luann Aronson, and Laurie Gayle Stephenson.
Second Most Successful Entertainment Venture Ever
The Phantom of the Opera isn’t just the longest-running Broadway show of all-time, it’s also the second-most successful entertainment venture. It held the distinction as the all-time Broadway box office leader until 2012, when it was surpassed by The Lion King. It had grossed more than $853 million by 2012.
In 2008, it became the first Broadway show to celebrate a 20-year anniversary and had a combined attendance exceeding 80 million people, including productions around the world. At that point, it had surpassed blockbuster films such as Titanic, Star Wars, and The Lord of the Rings in terms of total revenue.