Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, one of the most successful musicals in Broadway history when it ended its 35-year run in 2023, is coming back to North America in a tour featuring a reconfigured version.
The multi-year tour, which will launch at Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre in November 2025, will feature Maria Björnson’s original design, be directed by Seth Sklar-Heyn (based on the original direction by Harold Prince) with the choreography of Gillian Lynne recreated and adapted by Chrissie Cartwright.
The touring production is based on a staging that debuted in London in 2021 following the Covid pandemic shutdown. The new, more economical version, still running in London, features a smaller orchestra and a redesigned set.
Additional tour cities and casting will be announced at a later date. Potential Broadway or New York plans were not addressed in today’s announcement.
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Producer Cameron Mackintosh said today in a statement, “I’m really delighted to bring Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera back to thrill American audiences once again after its phenomenal record-breaking run on Broadway. When I unveiled this new production in London after the pandemic, many of our brilliant original creative team, including Hal Prince, Gillian Lynne, and Maria Björnson, were sadly no longer with us. Our exciting new team, inspired by their predecessors’ glorious work, updated certain aspects of the production that resulted in a dazzlingly fresh version of the much-loved original, which was rapturously received by audiences and critics alike.”
Lloyd Webber said today, “The Phantom made it very clear that it would not be long before his legend would, once again, be told in America. While Hal, Gillie, and Maria are, sadly, no longer with us, they live on in the show we all created together. Love, passion, and live theatre are what The Phantom of the Opera is all about. I still get goosebumps every time that chandelier comes alive and infuses the theatre with something that only happens when design, direction, and music are completely at one. I am absolutely delighted that we are bringing this very special production back to audiences across North America.”
Three U.S. National Tours based on the original Broadway production have previously been stage: The First National Tour played Los Angeles and San Francisco for a combined total run of almost 10 years, the Second National Tour had an 8.5-year run, and the Third National Tour had an 18-year run. Combined, the three U.S. national tours played 216 engagements in 77 cities for an unprecedented total of 36.5 years and over 14,500 performances to 31 million people – making it the most successful and longest-running touring show in U.S. history.
The Phantom of the Opera is produced by Cameron Mackintosh and presented by Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group Ltd. Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Charles Hart, and additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe. Book by Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the novel Le Fantôme de l’Opera by Gaston Leroux, with orchestrations by David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Musical Supervision is by Kristen Blodgette. The Production Design is by Maria Björnson, and the Set Design is adapted by Matt Kinley with Associate Costume Design by Jill Parker, Lighting is by Andrew Bridge with Associate Lighting Design by Warren Letton, Sound is by Mick Potter. The Musical Staging and Choreography is by Gillian Lynne, recreated and adapted by Chrissie Cartwright. Originally Directed by Harold Prince, this new production is directed by Seth Sklar-Heyn.
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