NEW YORK – The final curtain fell on the New York production of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ on Sunday, ending the longest-running Broadway show with a thunderous standing ovation, champagne toasts and gold and silver confetti bursting from its famous chandelier.
It was show #13,981 at the Majestic Theater and ended with a repeat of “The Music of the Night” performed by the current cast, previous cast of the show – including original star Sarah Brightman – and crew members in street clothes.
Andrew Lloyd Webber last took the stage in a black suit and black tie and dedicated the last show to his son Nick. who died last month after a protracted battle with stomach cancer and pneumonia. He was 43.
“He heard some of this music when he was a little boy,” said Lloyd Webber. Brightman, holding his hand, agreed: “When Andrew wrote it, he was right there. So his son is with us. Nick, we love you very much.”
Producer Cameron Mackintosh gave some in the crowd hope that they would see the Phantom again, and maybe sooner than they think.
“The one question I keep getting asked – will the Phantom return? I’ve been a producer for over 55 years and I’ve seen all the great musicals come back and Phantom is one of the greatest,” he said. “So it’s just a matter of time.”
The musical – a Broadway staple since its premiere on January 26, 1988 – has weathered recessions, war, terrorism and cultural changes. But the ongoing pandemic may have been the last straw: It’s a costly musical, with lavish sets and costumes, and a large cast and orchestra. Sunday’s curtain call showed how unconventional “Phantom” is with the rest of Broadway, but also how glorious a big, splashy musical can be.
“If there’s ever been a bang, we’re going out with a bang. It’s going to be a great night,” said John Riddle just before he stormed in to play Raoul for the last time.
Based on a novel by Gaston Leroux, “Phantom” tells the story of a deformed composer who haunts the Paris Opera House and falls madly in love with the innocent young soprano Christine. Webber’s lavish songs include “Masquerade,” “Angel of Music,” and “All I Ask of You.”
In addition to Riddle, the New York production also said goodbye Emily Kouatchou as Christine and Laird Mackintosh fill in for Ben Crawford as Phantom. Crawford was unable to sing due to a bacterial infection but was cheered on at the curtain call and stepped to the side of the stage. The phantom waved him over to stand next to him, Riddle, and Kouatchou.
There was a video presentation of many of the actors who had played key roles on the show over the years, and the orchestra seats were packed with Christines, Raouls and Phantoms. The late director Hal Prince, choreographer Gillian Lynne and set and costume designer Maria Björnson were also honored.
Lin-Manuel Miranda was in attendance, as was Glenn Close, who appeared in two separate Broadway productions of Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard. Complimentary champagne was offered during the intermission and flutes of it were handed out at the curtain on the stage.
As a four-year-old child, Riddle first saw The Phantom of the Opera in Toronto. “It was the first musical I ever saw. I didn’t know what a musical was,” he said. “Now, about 30 years later, I’m closing the show on Broadway. So it’s incredible.”
Kouatchou, who became the first black woman in the role in New York, didn’t think the show would ever stop. “I was like, ‘OK, I’m going to make my run, ‘Phantom’ is going to continue and they’re going to be more colored Christines,'” she said. “But it is.”
The first production opened in London in 1986 and since then the show has been seen by more than 145 million people in 183 cities and performed in 17 languages in over 70,000 performances. It has grossed more than $1.3 billion on Broadway alone.
By the time Phantom opened in New York, Die Hard was in theaters, Adele was born, and floppy disks were state-of-the-art. A postage stamp was 25 cents, and the year’s most popular song was “Roll With.” It by Steve Winwood, George Michael’s Faith and Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up.
Critics were positive, with the New York Post calling it “a piece of immaculately crafted musical theatre”, the Daily News describing it as “spectacular entertainment” and the New York Times saying it “desires nothing more than to inundate audiences with imagination and… Fun.”
Lloyd Webber’s other musicals include Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Sunset Boulevard and School of Rock. The end of “Phantom” means the composer is left with only one show left on Broadway, the critically-battered “Bad Cinderella.”
Originally slated for February, Phantom’s closure was pushed back to mid-April after a flurry of renewed interest and ticket sales pushed weekly earnings to over $3 million. The closure means the crown of the longest-running show now goes to Chicago, which began in 1996. The Lion King is next, after performances began in 1997.
Broadway took a hit during the pandemic, if all theaters are closed for more than 18 months. Some of the most popular shows — “Hamilton,” “The Lion King,” and “Wicked” — did well, but other shows struggled.
Breaking even usually requires a steady flow of tourists, particularly for “Phantom,” and visitors to the city have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. The pandemic has also pushed up costs for all shows, including routine COVID-19 testing and staff safety officers. The Phantom became the poster child for Broadway’s return — after all, he’s partially masked.
Fans can always catch the Phantom somewhere else. The flagship production in London celebrated its 36th anniversary in October and there are productions in Japan, Greece, Australia, Sweden, Italy, South Korea and the Czech Republic. One is about to open in Bucharest, another in Vienna in 2024.
Kouatchou, who walked the red carpet in a pink dress with a sweetheart neckline and a cleavage ahead of the final show, said the bitterness was undermined by the big farewell. Most Broadway shows sneak into obscurity uncelebrated.
“It kind of sweetens it, doesn’t it?” She said. “We can celebrate at the end. We all get together and drink and laugh and talk about the show and all the ups and downs. It ends on a big note.”
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Mark Kennedy is there http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits
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