Something's up...I can't be the only one questioning this looking at the grosses since they reopened, they're essentially on par with what they were running at pre-shutdown. Count me among those who think they're just closing to reopen a cheaper version in a smaller house, because it doesn't add up that they've been struggling that much unless we're about to see an insane drop-off in their grosses, indicating a dwindling advance.
This show and this production is such a huge part of my identity, as possibly pathetic as that may sound. Everybody who knows me knows I go see Phantom on Broadway every 5 minutes. Everybody always asks me when was the last time I saw it, and when will I be seeing it again. Often when people tease me about seeing it so often, I say that it's because it won't be there forever especially with a cheapskate like Mackintosh who is 100000% going to replace this show with the cheap new tour and crown himself the savior of NY Phantom. My bedroom has 5 Phantom NY posters in it. Ugh. I am so glad the show 5 times this year, including twice in the same day this past August. Little did I know that it would be last time ever seeing it. I hope you all get your renovated theater with projections and video screens.
I mean, I bit the bullet and bought tickets for myself and my parents for January 18th. They saw it waaaaaaaaaay back in the early 90s before I was born, and I have refused to see it because I’m not a fan of the score/content, but also the fact that I thought it would exist forever.
Better bite the bullet now than get effed over later on.
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Phantom4ever said: "Cancelling my New York trip for December. Luckily all I bought was hotel and airfare. Was planning on seeing Phantom at least twice during that trip. It will be a while before I can be in New York again."
I wouldn't expect tickets for the closing show to be available for the public. Will likely be alumni by invite only.
A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.
The show is so near and dear to me that I could not imagine sitting through it knowing that it's going to be gone soon. And I don't want to give Cameron another penny. I'd rather start moving on now and come back to New York some day when it's a more distant memory.
RippedMan said: "The timing does give another show a chance at a spring opening."
The theater desperately needs to be renovation.
A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Wow. Never thought I would see the day. My first Broadway show I saw that got me hooked. The weekly sales are around $900k. You would think they would be fine on those sales. My guess is there is more to the story.....
The show is doing well financially. This is only to have a reason to replace it with the cheap tour oops I mean the new modern Phantom for the 21st century!
The NYT article seems more definitive (at least enough for the nervous Board Admins to promote the story). The Post article was suspicious to me - especially where it said "the right show" would gross over 3M a week - which seems, highly highly doubtful. Hamilton and the current Music Man revival have done so - and there may be others - but it's few and far between.
And I thought I'd read here that Phantom had no "stop" clause in its lease - such that this closing decision is not by Shubert - but by ALW/Prince Estate/Mackintosh. Which suggests, there might be a buy-out of some kind by the Shuberts to free up the theatre.
So, having never seen Phantom on Broadway - because it was "always there" - I guess I may have to make a special trip. But, I do wonder if closing date will get extended the way the original run of Cats had its closing date extended.
ggersten said: "The NYT article seems more definitive (at least enough for the nervous Board Admins to promote the story). The Post article was suspicious to me - especially where it said "the right show" would gross over 3M a week - which seems, highly highly doubtful. Hamilton and the current Music Man revival have done so - and there may be others - but it's few and far between.
And I thought I'd read here that Phantom had no "stop" clause in its lease - such that this closing decision is not by Shubert - but by ALW/Prince Estate/Mackintosh. Which suggests, there might be a buy-out of some kind by the Shuberts to free up the theatre.
So, having never seen Phantom on Broadway - because it was "always there" - I guess I may have to make a special trip.
"
You defintely need to see it before it closes. It is a classic, even with all of its flaws.
For one, isn't Phantom paid off? The conversations about it not selling don't make sense to me, especially looking at the grosses. It's not doing any worse than pre-Covid.
Second, just a few weeks ago, they were accepting video submissions to be the next Raoul on Broadway, with a potential start date of mid-October.
What seems more likely is that the show will shut down for Cameron's "updated" version. I don't know that I can ever forgive him for what he's doing to this property. The "updated" London version is Phantom-lite in every way, and the most recent national tour was completely inferior to the Broadway production.