The iconic Broadway musical 'Phantom Of The Opera' will be drawing its curtain for good in 2023. The musical has been Broadway's longest-running show and recently celebrated its 35th anniversary.&nbsp; 
 
A spokesperson confirmed that the musical’s final performance will take place on 18 February 2023. There has been a total of 13,925 performances at New York’s Majestic Theatre.

“As a producer, you dream that a show will run forever. Indeed, my production of Andrew’s ‘Cats’ proudly declared for decades ‘Now and Forever',” producer Cameron Mackintosh said in a statement.&nbsp;

"Yet ‘Phantom’ has surpassed that show’s extraordinary Broadway run. But all shows do finally close."

The show made its debut in 1988 and since then has survived recessions, city riots, and a war. However, many feel the show could never fully recover from the 18-month long coronavirus shutdown.&nbsp;

The musical’s box office grosses have fluctuated since reopening, hitting over $1m a week but also dipping to $850,000. 
 
The show opened first in London in 1986 and subsequently staged regular shows from 1988. Since then the 'Phantom Of The Opera' has been adapted in 17 languages across the world and has travelled to 183 cities and viewed approximately by 145 million people 
&nbsp;

The iconic Broadway musical 'Phantom Of The Opera' will be drawing its curtain for good in 2023. The musical has been Broadway's longest-running show and recently celebrated its 35th anniversary.

The iconic Broadway musical 'Phantom Of The Opera' will be drawing its curtain for good in 2023. The musical has been Broadway's longest-running show and recently celebrated its 35th anniversary. A spokesperson confirmed that the musical’s final performance will take place on 18 February 2023. There has been a total of 13,925 performances at New York’s Majestic Theatre. “As a producer, you dream that a show will run forever. Indeed, my production of Andrew’s ‘Cats’ proudly declared for decades ‘Now and Forever',” producer Cameron Mackintosh said in a statement. "Yet ‘Phantom’ has surpassed that show’s extraordinary Broadway run. But all shows do finally close." The show made its debut in 1988 and since then has survived recessions, city riots, and a war. However, many feel the show could never fully recover from the 18-month long coronavirus shutdown. The musical’s box office grosses have fluctuated since reopening, hitting over $1m a week but also dipping to $850,000. The show opened first in London in 1986 and subsequently staged regular shows from 1988. Since then the 'Phantom Of The Opera' has been adapted in 17 languages across the world and has travelled to 183 cities and viewed approximately by 145 million people

Broadway's longest running show 'Phantom Of The Opera' to end 

Broadway may have seen the longest shutdown in its history but it has lined up new investors and made big plans for its grand reopening, determined to prove that there`s no business like show business. 
 
Optimism is strong for the reopening of musicals and plays starting in September, led by juggernauts 'Hamilton,'&nbsp;'The Lion King'&nbsp;and 'Wicked.' 
Theatres will be allowed to open at 100% capacity with audiences, casts and backstage crews all required to show proof of vaccination. 
 
Never risk-averse, Broadway producers are already backing new projects despite millions of dollars in lost ticket sales. The big three musicals were taking in about $1 million a week before the 18-month shutdown that began in March 2020. 
 
"Producers produce what they're passionate about. There`s nothing safe about what we do. If we wanted safe, we would be in investment banking, or an accountant, or a lawyer," said Ken Davenport, producer of Tony Award-winning musicals 'Kinky Boots'&nbsp;and 'Once on This Island.' 
 
"This is a business that favors the bold ... I believe we`re about to see a renaissance of theatre over the next five years," said Davenport, who has six new shows in development. 
 
Mounting a new Broadway musical requires an initial investment of about $10-15 million, including wages for the cast and crew, makeup, sets and advertising. Plays generally cost less than half that sum. 
 
Broadway's optimism seems undaunted by the absence of influential producer Scott Rudin, who said in April he would take a step back after multiple allegations of bullying his staff. Rudin has apologized for his behaviour. 
 
Instead, Rudin`s withdrawal has opened the way for new investors, while not deterring big-budget projects like the first Broadway revival of the musical 'Funny Girl'&nbsp;and plans for a 'Dreamgirls'&nbsp;revival. 
 
"It hasn't left a void," said Gordon Cox, contributing theatre editor for Variety. "There are whole groups of people who haven`t previously been asked to invest in a Broadway show, or realized it was a thing they could get involved in. Now that they feel they can, it seems like a cool thing to do." 
 
BLACK INVESTORS 
 
Not everything is rosy after the bruising shutdown. Disney musical 'Frozen'&nbsp;is not returning, nor is the Rudin-backed 2020 revival of 'West Side Story.'&nbsp;The two-part Harry Potter play is being condensed into one and there has been no word on pre-pandemic plans for revivals of classic plays 'Death of a Salesman'&nbsp;and 'Our Town.' 
 
The Broadway League has said it will not release official box office returns for the next few months, and ticket sales for some previously in-demand shows, including 'Wicked'&nbsp;and 'To Kill a Mockingbird,'&nbsp;have been slow so far, according to ticketing websites. 
 
However, seven new plays have been announced for this fall, all by Black writers. Some are being financed by first-time Broadway investors, including co-founder of television network BET, Sheila Johnson, who is putting money behind the play 'Thoughts of a Colored Man.'&nbsp;Johnson and celebrity chef Carla Hall is also investing in a new musical called 'Grace'&nbsp;about Black culinary history. 
 
Actor Blair Underwood and former basketball player Renee Montgomery are investing in the stage play 'Pass Over', a modern twist on 'Waiting for Godot.' 
 
"There is various new money that is coming into Broadway, and that money is extraordinarily helpful and it is also diverse money, which is also very interesting and new," said Brian Moreland, producer of 'Thoughts of a Colored Man,'&nbsp;opening in October. 
Davenport says risk will always be part of Broadway`s DNA. 
 
"Some of the most successful and most exciting pieces of work, including 'Hamilton',&nbsp;'Fun Home',&nbsp;'Spring Awakening', 'Hadestown', 'Dear Evan Hansen,' have all been shows that, if you look at them on paper you`d go like, `Would anyone see that?`," he said. 
 
"We`ve seen some really bold, exciting choices this coming year, and that`s what producers are doing. They`re saying `I love this piece, I love the message of this. I`m doing it, pandemic be damned, because it deserves to be on Broadway`," Davenport said.

Broadway may have seen the longest shutdown in its history but it has lined up new investors and made big plans for its grand reopening, determined to prove that there`s no business like show business.

Broadway may have seen the longest shutdown in its history but it has lined up new investors and made big plans for its grand reopening, determined to prove that there`s no business like show business. Optimism is strong for the reopening of musicals and plays starting in September, led by juggernauts 'Hamilton,' 'The Lion King' and 'Wicked.' Theatres will be allowed to open at 100% capacity with audiences, casts and backstage crews all required to show proof of vaccination. Never risk-averse, Broadway producers are already backing new projects despite millions of dollars in lost ticket sales. The big three musicals were taking in about $1 million a week before the 18-month shutdown that began in March 2020. "Producers produce what they're passionate about. There`s nothing safe about what we do. If we wanted safe, we would be in investment banking, or an accountant, or a lawyer," said Ken Davenport, producer of Tony Award-winning musicals 'Kinky Boots' and 'Once on This Island.' "This is a business that favors the bold ... I believe we`re about to see a renaissance of theatre over the next five years," said Davenport, who has six new shows in development. Mounting a new Broadway musical requires an initial investment of about $10-15 million, including wages for the cast and crew, makeup, sets and advertising. Plays generally cost less than half that sum. Broadway's optimism seems undaunted by the absence of influential producer Scott Rudin, who said in April he would take a step back after multiple allegations of bullying his staff. Rudin has apologized for his behaviour. Instead, Rudin`s withdrawal has opened the way for new investors, while not deterring big-budget projects like the first Broadway revival of the musical 'Funny Girl' and plans for a 'Dreamgirls' revival. "It hasn't left a void," said Gordon Cox, contributing theatre editor for Variety. "There are whole groups of people who haven`t previously been asked to invest in a Broadway show, or realized it was a thing they could get involved in. Now that they feel they can, it seems like a cool thing to do." BLACK INVESTORS Not everything is rosy after the bruising shutdown. Disney musical 'Frozen' is not returning, nor is the Rudin-backed 2020 revival of 'West Side Story.' The two-part Harry Potter play is being condensed into one and there has been no word on pre-pandemic plans for revivals of classic plays 'Death of a Salesman' and 'Our Town.' The Broadway League has said it will not release official box office returns for the next few months, and ticket sales for some previously in-demand shows, including 'Wicked' and 'To Kill a Mockingbird,' have been slow so far, according to ticketing websites. However, seven new plays have been announced for this fall, all by Black writers. Some are being financed by first-time Broadway investors, including co-founder of television network BET, Sheila Johnson, who is putting money behind the play 'Thoughts of a Colored Man.' Johnson and celebrity chef Carla Hall is also investing in a new musical called 'Grace' about Black culinary history. Actor Blair Underwood and former basketball player Renee Montgomery are investing in the stage play 'Pass Over', a modern twist on 'Waiting for Godot.' "There is various new money that is coming into Broadway, and that money is extraordinarily helpful and it is also diverse money, which is also very interesting and new," said Brian Moreland, producer of 'Thoughts of a Colored Man,' opening in October. Davenport says risk will always be part of Broadway`s DNA. "Some of the most successful and most exciting pieces of work, including 'Hamilton', 'Fun Home', 'Spring Awakening', 'Hadestown', 'Dear Evan Hansen,' have all been shows that, if you look at them on paper you`d go like, `Would anyone see that?`," he said. "We`ve seen some really bold, exciting choices this coming year, and that`s what producers are doing. They`re saying `I love this piece, I love the message of this. I`m doing it, pandemic be damned, because it deserves to be on Broadway`," Davenport said.

The show must go on: Broadway comes back with new investors, bold plans

A new musical based on Sarah Silverman’s bestselling memoir, will make its world premiere in an Off Broadway production next spring. The announcement was made by the Atlantic Theater Company.

The Broadway production will have a music by by the late Adam Schlesinger and lyrics by Silverman and Schlesinger. Titled ‘The Bedwetter’, it will begin performances at the Atlantic’s Linda Gross Theater on April 30, 2022, with an opening date of May 23, 2022.&nbsp;

It was originally set to premiere in the spring of 2020 but got delayed due to the Covid shutdown.&nbsp;

The Broadway musical ‘The Bedwetter’ was among Adam Schlesinger’s final projects. He died at 52 on April 1, 2020, from complications of the illness. At the time of his death, Schlesinger also had written music for an upcoming stage adaptation of the Fran Drescher sitcom ‘The Nanny’.

It will be directed by Anne Kauffman and choreographed by Byron Easley.&nbsp;

A new musical based on Sarah Silverman’s bestselling memoir, will make its world premiere in an Off Broadway production next spring. The announcement was made by the Atlantic Theater Company.

A new musical based on Sarah Silverman’s bestselling memoir, will make its world premiere in an Off Broadway production next spring. The announcement was made by the Atlantic Theater Company. The Broadway production will have a music by by the late Adam Schlesinger and lyrics by Silverman and Schlesinger. Titled ‘The Bedwetter’, it will begin performances at the Atlantic’s Linda Gross Theater on April 30, 2022, with an opening date of May 23, 2022. It was originally set to premiere in the spring of 2020 but got delayed due to the Covid shutdown. The Broadway musical ‘The Bedwetter’ was among Adam Schlesinger’s final projects. He died at 52 on April 1, 2020, from complications of the illness. At the time of his death, Schlesinger also had written music for an upcoming stage adaptation of the Fran Drescher sitcom ‘The Nanny’. It will be directed by Anne Kauffman and choreographed by Byron Easley.

Sarah Silverman-Adam Schlesinger musical ‘The Bedwetter’ sets 2022 premiere

&nbsp;Broadway theaters on Friday extended a coronavirus shutdown until the end of May 2021, bringing the closure of one of New York City`s biggest tourist attractions to more than a year and forcing a revival of musical "The Music Man" into 2022. 
 
Broadway theaters went dark in mid-March as the pandemic hit New York and previous target dates for reopening have come and gone without any progress in finding a way to put on indoor shows with live audiences that also protects actors and backstage crews working in cramped conditions. 
 
Producers of 'The Music Man', who had hoped to stage the revival in May 2021 with Hugh Jackman, said on Friday they had pushed back the opening date of the show until February 2022. 
 
The Actors Equity Association called the extended shutdown heartbreaking and appealed again for a national testing strategy and government help for the arts. 
 
"My heart breaks for everyone who works on Broadway or depends on it to make their living," Mary McColl, executive director for the union, said in a statement. 
 
''Too many in the industry need help now as we face another six months without work," she added. 
Thirty-one shows were playing on Broadway when the shutdown began. Some, including the stage musical version of the Disney film "Frozen," have said they will not reopen. 
 
Last month the Metropolitan Opera in New York said it had canceled its entire 2020-21 season and would remain closed until September 2021. New York state Senator Brad Hoylman called for financial aid for theaters, saying in a statement on Friday that 100,000 New Yorkers rely on Broadway for their incomes and the industry contributes $14.7 billion to the economy of New York City on top of ticket sales. 
 
"I’m ringing every alarm bell. Broadway is facing its greatest crisis in modern history," Hoylman said.

Broadway theaters on Friday extended a coronavirus shutdown until the end of May 2021, bringing the closure of one of New York City`s biggest tourist attractions to more than a year and forcing a revival of musical "The Music Man" into 2022.

Broadway theaters on Friday extended a coronavirus shutdown until the end of May 2021, bringing the closure of one of New York City`s biggest tourist attractions to more than a year and forcing a revival of musical "The Music Man" into 2022. Broadway theaters went dark in mid-March as the pandemic hit New York and previous target dates for reopening have come and gone without any progress in finding a way to put on indoor shows with live audiences that also protects actors and backstage crews working in cramped conditions. Producers of 'The Music Man', who had hoped to stage the revival in May 2021 with Hugh Jackman, said on Friday they had pushed back the opening date of the show until February 2022. The Actors Equity Association called the extended shutdown heartbreaking and appealed again for a national testing strategy and government help for the arts. "My heart breaks for everyone who works on Broadway or depends on it to make their living," Mary McColl, executive director for the union, said in a statement. ''Too many in the industry need help now as we face another six months without work," she added. Thirty-one shows were playing on Broadway when the shutdown began. Some, including the stage musical version of the Disney film "Frozen," have said they will not reopen. Last month the Metropolitan Opera in New York said it had canceled its entire 2020-21 season and would remain closed until September 2021. New York state Senator Brad Hoylman called for financial aid for theaters, saying in a statement on Friday that 100,000 New Yorkers rely on Broadway for their incomes and the industry contributes $14.7 billion to the economy of New York City on top of ticket sales. "I’m ringing every alarm bell. Broadway is facing its greatest crisis in modern history," Hoylman said.

Broadway theaters sound alarm as closure extended through May 2021

Canada&#39;s Justin Trudeau invited President Donald Trump&#39;s daughter Ivanka to attend a Broadway musical celebrating Canadian hospitality towards foreigners following the 9/11 attacks.

Ivanka Trump and the US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, were guests of honour of the prime minister for the Wednesday night performance of &quot;Come From Away,&quot; a Trudeau spokesperson told AFP.

The Canadian Consulate had booked some 600 seats at Broadway&#39;s Schoenfeld Theater for the show, which made its official Broadway debut March 12.

&quot;Come From Away&quot; is set in a small Newfoundland town that welcomed some 7,000 anguished airline passengers following the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Their planes had been rerouted when US airspace closed after the Al-Qaeda strikes on New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, which killed nearly 3,000 people.

The story highlights &quot;being there for each other, being open, being engaged and knowing that drawing together through dark times is what is very best about the human spirit,&quot; said Trudeau in a brief speech prior to the performance, footage of which was published online by US media outlets.

Afterwards the Canadian prime minister praised a &quot;wonderful and moving show,&quot; and paid tribute to the cast and crew.

Since Trump took office, Trudeau has worked to forge links with the new US administration while dissociating himself from the Republican leader&#39;s most controversial positions -- notably his hard line on immigration.

(AFP)

'Come From Away' is set in a small Canada town that welcomed some 7,000 anguished airline passengers following the 9/11 attacks

Canada's Justin Trudeau invited President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka to attend a Broadway musical celebrating Canadian hospitality towards foreigners following the 9/11 attacks. Ivanka Trump and the US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, were guests of honour of the prime minister for the Wednesday night performance of "Come From Away," a Trudeau spokesperson told AFP. The Canadian Consulate had booked some 600 seats at Broadway's Schoenfeld Theater for the show, which made its official Broadway debut March 12. "Come From Away" is set in a small Newfoundland town that welcomed some 7,000 anguished airline passengers following the September 11, 2001 attacks. Their planes had been rerouted when US airspace closed after the Al-Qaeda strikes on New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, which killed nearly 3,000 people. The story highlights "being there for each other, being open, being engaged and knowing that drawing together through dark times is what is very best about the human spirit," said Trudeau in a brief speech prior to the performance, footage of which was published online by US media outlets. Afterwards the Canadian prime minister praised a "wonderful and moving show," and paid tribute to the cast and crew. Since Trump took office, Trudeau has worked to forge links with the new US administration while dissociating himself from the Republican leader's most controversial positions -- notably his hard line on immigration. (AFP)

Subtle hint? Trudeau invites Trump daughter to Broadway show about hospitality to foreigners