Five Phan-tastic Facts About The Phantom Of The Opera
The Phantom is haunting theatres across America!
Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera has been casting its spell over audiences for decades.
If you're a true Phan, you probably know your Masquerades from your Music of the Night - but here are five Phantom-nomenal facts about the US tour that might just unmask a few surprises...
1. The sparkling chandelier that crashes down during every performance is no lightweight!
This glittering replica of the Paris Opera House centrepiece is decked out with over 6,000 beads, weighs a jaw-dropping one tonne, and has travelled more miles than most of us! It was crafted by just five people in four weeks - talk about working under pressure.
2. Pre-show nerves, anyone?
Andrew Lloyd Webber may be a musical theatre icon, but even legends get the jitters. He was so nervous on Phantom's opening night that he skipped the performance entirely! It took producer Cameron Mackintosh himself to drag him back for the curtain call. The audience loved it, of course.
3. Speaking of dedication...
George Lee Andrews deserves a standing ovation of his own. He holds the Guinness World Record for the most performances in the same Broadway show, with a whopping 9,383 performances as part of Phantom before saying farewell in 2011.
4. Owch!
Not every moment under the mask goes smoothly... both Michael Crawford and Hugh Panaro (two legendary Phantoms) accidentally got their lip prosthetics stuck to Christine Daae mid-kiss. Awkward? Yes. Romantic? We'll let you decide.
5. A true record breaker!
The Phantom made Broadway history on January 6, 2006, overtaking Cats as the longest-running show on the Great White Way. Fast forward to 2023, and Phantom closed its record-breaking Broadway chapter after 13,981 performances, cementing its legacy as a theatrical titan.
BONUS PHANTOM PHACTS...
The Phantom of the Opera has been seen by over 145 million people worldwide, proving that the Phantom's charm (and that mask) never goes out of style.
More than 250 costumes are used in each performance, including over 1,200 individual costume pieces. Safe to say the wardrobe department deserves a standing ovation.
Love the iconic title song? That soaring tune has been performed in over 40 countries, in 15 languages, with the Phantom haunting everywhere from Broadway to Brazil.
