Known as "the Music Box company," the production will shutter in November 2010 at the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles. Performances there will begin Sept. 23. Tickets will go on sale in late April. For more information, visit www.thephantomoftheopera.com.
The closure leaves two official productions of the Harold Prince-directed smash playing in North America: Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular and the original 1988 Broadway staging at the Majestic Theatre, the longest running show in Broadway history.
The Music Box troupe (named for a prop in the plot of the show) is the longest continuously running tour in U.S. history. Phantom has been represented on the road since the First National (one of three official tours) began performances in Los Angeles in May 1989. The First National Tour (Christine Company) played Los Angeles and San Francisco for a combined total run of almost ten years, grossing $305,192,485 with 3,902 performances and 6.6 million patrons. The Second National Tour (Raoul Company) played major markets during an eight-and-a-half year run, and grossed $393,608,819 with 3,364 performances and 7.5 million patrons. The Third National Tour (Music Box Company) is the only production still currently touring the U.S. and has played over 7,000 performances and recently celebrated its 17th anniversary in December 2009.
According to the producers, the three U.S. national tours have grossed over $1.5 billion in combined box office sales. As of The Music Box Company’s final performance in November, the three touring companies will have played 205 engagements in 98 cities for an unprecedented combined total of 36 years and 14,605 performances.
Upcoming engagements of The Phantom of the Opera include: Feb. 17–March 14: Music Hall at Fair Park – Dallas, TX
March 17–April 4: UTPAC Bass Concert Hall – Austin, TX
April 8–May 2: Hippodrome Theatre – Baltimore, MD
May 19–June 6: The Wharton Center – East Lansing, MI
June 9–27: The Schuster Center – Dayton, OH
June 30–July 25: The Fox Theatre – Atlanta, GA
July 28–Aug. 22: The Allen Theatre – Cleveland, OH
Aug. 25–Sept. 19: The Benedum Center – Pittsburgh, PA
Phantom's third national tour currently stars Tim Martin Gleason in the title role with Trista Moldovan as Christine (Marni Raab continues the role through Feb. 21) and Sean MacLaughlin as Raoul. The musical also co-stars D.C. Anderson (Monsieur Andre), Bruce Winant (Monsieur Firmin), Kim Stengel (Carlotta), Nancy Hess (Madame Giry), David Gaschen (Piangi) and Paloma Garcia-Lee (Meg Giry). At certain performances, Kelly Jeanne Grant plays the role of "Christine."
The internationally popular musical has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and is directed by Harold Prince. Lyrics are by Charles Hart (with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe) and the book is by Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
