The Broadway production of Phantom of the Opera is celebrating its 30th anniversary on January 26th. Here are some facts you may not have known about this iconic musical!
1. In the original novel by Gaston Leroux, the Phantom's name is Erik.
2. There is a musical sequel to Phantom of the Opera called Love Never Dies. It takes place 10 years after the musical in New York.
...and it's 10 times more dramatic than the original musical.
3. Hugh Panaro once got his lip prosthetic stuck to an actress who played Christine while kissing her.
4. The boat that the Phantom takes Christine across the lake on is remote-controlled. However, like almost everything in a Broadway production, it's not immune to malfunctions.
5. The box office revenue is higher than any other film or stage show, including blockbuster films such as Titanic.
6. The sound of the chandelier crashing in the 2004 film is an actual recording of the chandelier crashing in the stage show.
7. When Phantom debuted in the West End, people used to line up around the block and sleep there in order to get tickets.
8. The first US Tour of Phantom of the Opera lasted 20 years.
9. The stage has holes in it for the candles to rise through as the Phantom leads Christine to his lair. Once, Michael Crawford stepped 6 inches away from where he was supposed to, and a candle went up the leg of his pants.
10. Gary Mauer and Elizabeth Southard, who played the Phantom and Christine in the US tour, are married in real life.
The award for "cutest displays of affection at curtain call" definitely goes to this pair.
11. Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical is just one of countless adaptions of The Phantom of the Opera.
12. Ramin Karimloo appears in the 2004 film as Christine's father. He has also played Raoul, making him the only actor to portray all of the most central figures in Christine's life.
13. An instrumental version of "Beneath a Moonless Sky" — a duet between the Phantom and Christine in the musical sequel Love Never Dies — can be heard in the 2004 film, long before Love Never Dies debuted on the West End.
It plays as Christine travels to her father's grave and transitions into the beginning lyrics of the title song before she sings "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again."
14. There was going to be a production of Phantom of the Opera in France in 2016 with fan favorite Sierra Boggess as Christine and current Love Never Dies star Gardar Thor Cortes as the Phantom, but the theatre burned down and the production was postponed.
15. During "Final Lair", Christine must choose between staying with the Phantom and allowing Raoul to live, or being free at the cost of Raoul's life. In the original novel by Gaston Leroux, this scene is even more twisted.
16. The masquerade scene uses mannequins to make it seem like there's more people on stage.
17. And finally, Ali Ewoldt, the current Christine on Broadway, is the first Asian American to play the role.
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