The Phantom of the Opera

The Phantom of the Opera played on Broadway for 35 years, from 1988 to April 2023, totalling 13,981 performances.

Context

Andrew Lloyd Webber composed the musical, which opened in London in 1986 and came to Broadway in January 1988. Its production on Broadway played at the Majestic Theatre and closed on 16 April 2023, after the producers cited falling audience numbers and high running costs following the pandemic.

The total of 13,981 performances is the figure reported at closing, and it made the show the longest-running production in Broadway history, ahead of Cats, which had previously held the record. The show also became one of the highest-grossing entertainment productions ever, with productions staged in many countries.

The title applies to Broadway in particular, meaning the theatres of New York's theatre district. Other productions, such as London's The Mousetrap, have longer runs in other cities, so the record is about location. Counts of performances may differ slightly between sources because of previews and special performances.

The musical is based on a French novel by Gaston Leroux, first published in 1910, and its best-known features include a falling chandelier and the title song. Productions have toured widely around the world, and the musical remains in performance in other cities. Its Broadway opening night was in January 1988.