The Phantom of the Opera: Goodbye Broadway

How did the musical manage to run for a record breaking 35 years? And why is it closing?

As the curtain comes down on the Phantom in New York's famous Broadway theatre district, we look at what this means for the theatre industry.

The Phantom of the Opera has played to more than 140 million people around the world, it’s sold 20 million tickets, and been performed in 33 countries. But whilst the global tours will keep going, this weekend the show is closing in New York.

Actor Jonathan Roxmouth played the Phantom on a world tour, and tells us about the shows impact across the globe.

Matt Rousu is a professor of economics and runs the website ‘Broadway Economics’ - he talks through the fine margins that shows like Phantom operate within.

And Kizzy Cox reports from Broadway where she meets fans, speaks to veteran theatre critic Ben Brantley, and talks to Jan Mullen, an orchestra musician who has been with The Phantom of the Opera since it opened in 1986.

Presenter/ producer: Izzy Greenfield

(Image: Jonathan Roxmouth plays 'The Phantom' and Meghan Picerno plays 'Christine Daae' in The Phantom Of The Opera, 2019 in Singapore. Credit: Getty Images)