Back in this message, we discussed the announcement that The Phantom of the Opera — the longest-running musical on Broadway now and probably forever — would close February 18, 2023. And in that post, I said…
It would not surprise me if this announcement sparks a surge of folks who want to see it again or even for the first time. And it would not surprise me if that surge caused the closing date to be delayed.
And today we have this in The New York Times…
The Phantom of the Opera is going to continue haunting Broadway a while longer. The musical — the longest-running show in Broadway history — announced in September that it would close in February, ending a storied run shortly after celebrating its 35th anniversary. But immediately after the closing was announced, ticket sales spiked. And last week, when Broadway was bolstered by Thanksgiving travelers, Phantom enjoyed its highest-grossing week ever: $2.2 million.
Thanks to Rob Rose for alerting me to the news. I am, of course, unsurprised.