# Tonight, "The Phantom of the Opera" becomes the longest run show in Broadway history **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 9, 2006, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-the-phantom-of-the-opera-becomes-the-longest-run-show-in-broadway-history/339151 "2006-01-09T14:13:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-the-phantom-of-the-opera-becomes-the-longest-run-show-in-broadway-history/339151/1 "2006-01-09T14:13:16Z")
In a special Monday performance, “The Phantom of the Opera” makes Broadway history. [7,486 performances](http://www.broadway.com/gen/show.aspx?SI=1235). ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-the-phantom-of-the-opera-becomes-the-longest-run-show-in-broadway-history/339151/2 "2006-01-09T15:30:14Z")
[Xander] Yay? [/Xander] ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-the-phantom-of-the-opera-becomes-the-longest-run-show-in-broadway-history/339151/3 "2006-01-09T15:54:08Z")
I thoroughly enjoyed Phantom both times I saw it. I also liked the screen version. The story line is compelling, the sets/costumes brilliant, and the singing fine indeed. Andrew Lloyd Webber certainly polarizes opinion. Millions love his work, but he also counts untold numbers of critics who say he’s a hack and single out Phantom for its over-the-top production qualities and visual/auditory bombast. But let’s face it, a musical isn’t the same as reading Immanuel Kant. There’s nothing wrong with a big, splashy, larger-than-life visual spectacle and it’s these operatic qualities that endear him and his musicals to millions. Many critics, of course, simply abhor musicals and none have the talent to pen anything remotely as successful as Phantom. BTW, I also enjoy Sarah Brightman. So there! ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-the-phantom-of-the-opera-becomes-the-longest-run-show-in-broadway-history/339151/4 "2006-01-09T16:00:05Z")
What a pity. ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-the-phantom-of-the-opera-becomes-the-longest-run-show-in-broadway-history/339151/5 "2006-01-09T16:04:34Z")
> [@C K Dexter Haven](#): > > What a pity. Yes, some have to consign themselves to a life as a mod. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-the-phantom-of-the-opera-becomes-the-longest-run-show-in-broadway-history/339151/6 "2006-01-09T16:04:37Z")
> [@C K Dexter Haven](#): > > What a pity. … not quite following here. Is it a pity that a good show has over-lasted its stay, or are you saying you never liked it to begin with? Myself, I enjoyed it the one time I saw it on stage. I could never bring myself to watch the movie after what I read about it here. ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-the-phantom-of-the-opera-becomes-the-longest-run-show-in-broadway-history/339151/7 "2006-01-09T16:24:38Z")
I just saw Phantom for the first time this past October. To borrow a review a friend of mine gave Les Mis: Both notes were terrible. The music has not aged well. Neither has the production quality, a holdover from the late 1980s when set technology was the only way to set your show apart. As a narrative, it is hopelessly confusing and truncated. Overall, I give it a meh, and I can’t imagine why it has had such a long run. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-the-phantom-of-the-opera-becomes-the-longest-run-show-in-broadway-history/339151/8 "2006-01-09T17:35:03Z")
I would quite happily snarf up a recording of the tenor Timothy James O’Leary doing his stint as Phantom. I thoroughly enjoyed it the first time I saw it; when my folks were in town and treating my aunt and uncle and asked me along, I went for a second time and the singer in the lead role was nowhere near as good. The original fellow, Michael Crawford, can’t sing worth a damn either, so the official original cast recording kinda sucks. And hey, raise your hand if you’d really rather that CATS had retained the title. ---
**Author:** ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2006, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-the-phantom-of-the-opera-becomes-the-longest-run-show-in-broadway-history/339151/9 "2006-01-10T01:46:56Z")
What **Dex** said. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2006, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-the-phantom-of-the-opera-becomes-the-longest-run-show-in-broadway-history/339151/10 "2006-01-10T03:07:13Z")
I admit I’m a fan of the play, though I felt the movie dropped the ball. I still perfer either over CATS, which I’ve seen once and have no urge to see again. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2006, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-the-phantom-of-the-opera-becomes-the-longest-run-show-in-broadway-history/339151/11 "2006-01-10T03:43:33Z")
Just going from memory (of their TV ads) it had been Cats for quite awhile, right? But before Cats, was it A Chorus Line? And before that, Grease? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2006, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-the-phantom-of-the-opera-becomes-the-longest-run-show-in-broadway-history/339151/12 "2006-01-10T04:00:24Z")
> [@Hail Ants](#): > > Just going from memory (of their TV ads) it had been Cats for quite awhile, right? It passed _A Chorus Line_ in June of 1997. ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2006, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-the-phantom-of-the-opera-becomes-the-longest-run-show-in-broadway-history/339151/13 "2006-01-10T04:17:59Z")
One of few remaining ambitions is to sing ‘Music of the Night’ in the West End. Sadly, more likely it’ll be the West Bank, when they next decide they need to clear some settlers, Egyptian agents, Mossad agents, whatever. “Close your _ears_ and let music set you free” - but I stiull do a wicked impression of Michael Crawford from _Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em_. Oooh! Betty! De cat’s jus’ done a whoopsie on de carpet! You can’t put a price on this kind of talent, you know. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2006, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-the-phantom-of-the-opera-becomes-the-longest-run-show-in-broadway-history/339151/14 "2006-01-10T14:34:19Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > And hey, raise your hand if you’d really rather that CATS had retained the title. \ ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2006, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-the-phantom-of-the-opera-becomes-the-longest-run-show-in-broadway-history/339151/15 "2006-01-10T18:05:45Z")
Anything is better that CATS. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2006, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-the-phantom-of-the-opera-becomes-the-longest-run-show-in-broadway-history/339151/16 "2006-01-10T18:33:00Z")
> [@roger thornhill](#): > > One of few remaining ambitions is to sing ‘Music of the Night’ in the West End. Sadly, more likely it’ll be the West Bank, when they next decide they need to clear some settlers, _"Poor Sharon’s new party must succeeeeeed. Only then will Gaza bel-ong tooooo meeeeeeee!_" ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2006, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-the-phantom-of-the-opera-becomes-the-longest-run-show-in-broadway-history/339151/17 "2006-01-10T18:44:26Z")
Forgot to mention - for all of you Phantom fans, the Venetian Hotel here in Las Vegas is building a theater, with a lake on stage, and little Andy Weber is making a few tweaks in the show and a bigger, grander version will soon be performing nightly on The Strip. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2006, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-the-phantom-of-the-opera-becomes-the-longest-run-show-in-broadway-history/339151/18 "2006-01-10T18:53:59Z")
Just like all the other ALW musicals, the show has one or two great songs, separated by interminable repetition. Have you ever tried to listen to the entire \*Sunset Boulevard \* recording? The ad nauseum repetition makes it sound like Philip Glass. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2006, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-the-phantom-of-the-opera-becomes-the-longest-run-show-in-broadway-history/339151/19 "2006-01-10T19:04:21Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Forgot to mention - for all of you Phantom fans, the Venetian Hotel here in Las Vegas is building a theater, with a lake on stage, and little Andy Weber is making a few tweaks in the show and a bigger, grander version will soon be performing nightly on The Strip. Only if the cast is full of busty chorus-girls in lots of feathers is this going to succeed. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2006, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-the-phantom-of-the-opera-becomes-the-longest-run-show-in-broadway-history/339151/20 "2006-01-10T20:57:22Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Forgot to mention - for all of you Phantom fans, the Venetian Hotel here in Las Vegas is building a theater, with a lake on stage, and little Andy Weber is making a few tweaks in the show and a bigger, grander version will soon be performing nightly on The Strip. Can we expect Carrot Top as Phantom? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-the-phantom-of-the-opera-becomes-the-longest-run-show-in-broadway-history/339151.md?page=2)