

Breaking even usually requires a steady stream of tourists, but visitors to the city have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Some of the most popular shows – Hamilton, The Lion King and Wicked – have rebounded well, but other shows have struggled. The pandemic took its toll on Broadway with theatres closed for more than 18 months. Learn more about the movie and the music that inspired it. The Lion King is next, having begun performances in 1997. The new Phantom of the Opera movie is out, and the music is just as haunting as the original. The closing of Phantom would mean the longest running show crown would go to Chicago, which started in 1996. On Broadway alone, the musical has played more than 13,500 performances to 19 million people at the Majestic theatre.

The first production opened in London in 1986 and since then the show has been seen by more than 145 million people in 183 cities and performed in 17 languages over 70,000 performances. But all shows do finally close,” producer Cameron Mackintosh said in a statement. Indeed, my production of Andrew’s Cats proudly declared for decades ‘Now and Forever.’ Yet ‘Phantom’ has surpassed that show’s extraordinary Broadway run. “As a producer you dream that a show will run for ever.
