To celebrate its upcoming 30th anniversary on Broadway, Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera offers a gala performance January 24 (two days prior to the actual anniversary on January 26).
The gala performance kicks off at 6 PM with a red carpet co-hosted by former Christine Sierra Boggess, and author-commentator and The Musical Company’s Vice President, Marketing, Imogen Lloyd Webber. The duo will speak with Phantom notables and guests, including Imogen Lloyd Webber’s first-ever interview with her composer father.
The 6:30 PM performance at the Majestic Theatre will be followed by a special post-show presentation featuring musical numbers and surprise artists. A private gala at the Rainbow Room will conclude the festive evening.
At 11 PM January 24, the Empire State Building will display a custom-designed light show from lighting designer Marc Brickman that will illuminate the tower lights of the building synchronized to a special arrangement of music from Phantom. At 11 AM that morning, current stars Peter Jöback, Ali Ewoldt, and Rodney Ingram will participate in a ceremonial lighting of the famed building, which will also include the presentation of a proclamation from the Mayor’s Office marking 30 Years of Phantom on Broadway.
The red carpet, onstage presentation, and the Empire State Building light show will be available around the world via a live feed on Twitter.
The celebration will continue January 26 when Jöback and Ewoldt will perform during the 10 AM hour of NBC's The Today Show. A special 2 PM matinee, marking the actual date of the 30th anniversary, will also take place January 26 in addition to the regular 8 PM evening performance.
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Platinum-selling Swedish recording artist Jöback returned to the Broadway company January 16 to lead the 30th anniversary celebration of the hit musical.
Jöback joins Ewoldt as Christine, Ingram as Raoul, Laird Mackintosh as Monsieur André, Craig Bennett as Monsieur Firmin, Raquel Suarez Groen as Carlotta, Carlton Moe as Piangi, Maree Johnson as Madame Giry, and Kara Klein as Meg Giry. At certain performances, Kayley Ann Voorhees plays the role of Christine.
The Phantom of the Opera enters its fourth decade having played 12,500 performances to 18 million people at The Majestic Theatre (247 West 44th Street) and having grossed more than $1.1 billion.
Based on the classic novel Le Fantôme de L’Opéra by Gaston Leroux, The Phantom of the Opera is produced by Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group, features music by Lloyd Webber, direction by Harold Prince, lyrics by Charles Hart (with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe), and a book by Stilgoe and Lloyd Webber. The musical also features design by the late Maria Björnson, lighting by Andrew Bridge, and sound design by Mick Potter with original sound by Martin Levan. Musical staging and choreography are by Gillian Lynne. Orchestrations are by David Cullen and Lloyd Webber.
A daily digital lottery with $28 tickets for all performances is available by visiting PhantomBroadwayLottery.com.
