BROADWAY’S LONGEST-RUNNING
SHOW OF ALL TIME
THE PHANTOM
OF THE OPERA
ANNOUNCES PRINCIPAL CAST CHANGES
FOR THE NEW YORK PRODUCTION
BEGINNING MONDAY, JUNE 13
Broadway’s Box Office Phenomenon has played an
Unprecedented 28 Years and nearing 12,000 Performances
Producers Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group announced today principal cast changes for the Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, directed by Harold Prince. The longest-running show in Broadway history, and one of the most successful stage productions of all-time, the musical will welcome three actors to principal roles beginning Monday, June 13.
Earlier this year, the Broadway production celebrated 28 Years – an unprecedented feat achieved by no other Broadway show. The New York production has played over 11,700 performances to more than 17 million people at The Majestic Theatre (247 West 44th Street) and grossed a staggering $1 billion.
Ali Ewoldt will join the Broadway Company as its new leading lady, assuming the role of Christine Daaé, the innocent young soprano. Her debut performance will be Monday evening, June 13. Ms. Ewoldt made her Broadway debut in 2006 in Mr. Mackintosh’s first Broadway revival of Les Misérables as Cosette. She joins direct from playing Tuptim in the Chicago Lyric Opera production of The King & I. She also appeared in the original cast of the current Lincoln Center Theater production. Other credits include Luisa in The Fantasticks (Off-Broadway), Maria in West Side Story (first national tour), Lili in Carnival! (Musicals Tonight) and the national tour of Les Misérables. Born outside of Chicago and raised in Pleasantville, NY, she has a BA in Psychology from Yale University.
Jordan Donica will make his Broadway debut in the role of Raoul, the dashing vicomte completing the musical’s leading trio. His debut performance will be Monday evening, June 13. Regional credits include the title role in Jesus Christ Superstar, Dames at Sea and South Pacific, as well as notably playing Jean Valjean in Otterbein University’s production of Les Misérables. Mr. Donica is a native of Indianapolis and a graduate of Otterbein (BFA in Musical Theater, cum laude).
Current PHANTOM Ensemble cast member Rachel Eskenazi-Gold will become the production’s new Christine Alternate (one of two cast members that rotate in the leading role). She made her Broadway debut with the production in December 2015 as the Page. She also currently understudies and has performed the role of Christine. Prior to PHANTOM, her Regional credits included Ariel in The Little Mermaid, Louise in Gypsy and Tzeitel inFiddler on the Roof. Originally from Los Angeles, she is a recent graduate of the University of Michigan (BFA in Musical Theater) and is also a jewelry designer.
Ms. Ewoldt succeeds Julia Udine as the Principal Christine. Ms. Udine’s history with PHANTOM began when she originated the role of Christine in the new North American touring production, which premiered in November 2013. She joined the Broadway production direct from the tour in December 2014 and has since played the role on Broadway over 400 times. Ms. Udine’s final performance with the show will be Saturday evening,June 11.
Mr. Donica succeeds long-time cast member Jeremy Hays as Raoul. Mr. Hays joined the Broadway production in August 2013 and has played the role for nearly three years. With over 1,000 performances, he’s the second-longest running Raoul in the New York production’s history. His final performance with the show will be Saturday evening, June 11.
Ms. Eskenazi-Gold succeeds Rachel Zatcoff as the Christine Alternate. Ms. Zatcoff joined the Broadway production in September 2015 and has played the role over 100 times. Her final performance with the show will be Thursday matinee, June 9.
Continuing in their roles are current star James Barbour (The Phantom) and co-stars Laird Mackintosh (Monsieur André), Craig Bennett (Monsieur Firmin), Michele McConnell (Carlotta), Rebecca Eichenberger (Madame Giry), John Easterlin (Piangi) and Kara Klein (Meg Giry).
Based on the classic novel Le Fantôme de L’Opéra by Gaston Leroux, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA tells the story of a masked figure who lurks beneath the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it. He falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine, and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her extraordinary talents and by employing all of the devious methods at his command.
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is produced by Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group, has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and is directed by Harold Prince. Lyrics are by Charles Hart (with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe) and the book is by Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has production design by the late Maria Björnson, lighting by Andrew Bridge and sound design by Mick Potter with original sound by Martin Levan. Musical staging and choreography is by Gillian Lynne. Orchestrations are by David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
The performance schedule for THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is Monday evenings at 8, Tuesday evenings at 7, Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 8, with matinees on Thursdays and Saturdays at 2. Ticket prices range from $27 – $155 with Premium Tickets also available. To order tickets, visit www.Telecharge.com or call (212) 239-6200. A daily digital lottery with $28 tickets for all performances is available by visitingwww.PhantomBroadwayLottery.com .
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PHANTOM FACTS
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA became the longest-running show in Broadway history on January 9, 2006 with its 7,486th performance, surpassing the previous record-holder Cats, also by Andrew Lloyd Webber and also produced by Cameron Mackintosh. Incredibly, since breaking that record, PHANTOM has played both an additional 10½ years and more than 4,000 performances – which by itself would be a smash hit run for a Broadway musical.
On January 26, 2013, the New York production reached another historic milestone: becoming the first and only Broadway show ever to celebrate 25 Years. It has now reached 28 Years and played an unprecedented, more than 11,700 performances. (By way of comparison, the second longest-running show, Chicago, has played 19 years and 8,000 performances.)
Since its debut on January 26, 1988, the Broadway production has grossed over $1 billion with total attendance of 17 million. Even now, it is consistently among Broadway’s highest-grossing shows and remains a box office champ. It continues with no end in sight.
PHANTOM became the first stage production to reach worldwide grosses of $6 billion, which it did last summer. Revenues far surpass the world’s highest-grossing film Avatar (at $2.8 billion), as well as such other blockbusters as Titanic, The Lord of the Rings, Jurassic Park and Star Wars.
Worldwide, a staggering 140 million people have seen THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA in 35 countries and 160 cities in 15 languages.
The flagship London production of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA opened October 9, 1986 at Her Majesty’s Theatre. In October 2011, it reached 25 Years, a milestone that was celebrated with a special production at London’s Royal Albert Hall to tremendous acclaim. A live recording was released on CD by Decca and a DVD of the event was released by Universal Home Entertainment. The West End production has since played 28 Years, and continues with no end in sight.
There are currently nine productions of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA around the world: the flagship London production (29 Years and counting), New York (28 Years and counting), Sapporo (Japan, 27 Years and counting, in repertory), Budapest (Hungary, in repertory), Oberhausen (Germany), Prague (Czech Republic), Helsinki (Finland) and Cameron Mackintosh’s spectacular new production, now in its third year on North American Tour. The next confirmed international openings will be Stockholm (Sweden) in September 2016, Paris (France) in October 2016 and Gothenburg (Sweden) in September 2017.
The musical has won more than 70 major theater awards, including seven 1988 Tony Awards (including Best Musical) and three Olivier Awards in the West End. The original cast recording, with over 40 million copies sold worldwide, is the best-selling cast recording of all time. Since September 2010, thousands of high school and college student productions of PHANTOM have been licensed through R&H Theatricals.
