"The Phantom of the Opera" Closing Night Red Carpet

On April 16, "The Phantom of the Opera" played its final performance on Broadway, after 35 years and 13,981 performances. Playbill was on the closing night red carpet where "Phantom" cast members past and present talked about their fondest memories from the show. Watch the video above, which features Sarah Brightman, Sierra Boggess, Ali Ewoldt, Emilie Kouatchou, John Riddle, Meghan Picerno, and more.
See more of Playbill's coverage from the closing night of "Phantom" here: playbill.com/article/reflecti...

[@erikamassey3582]

I saw Sarah brightman and Michael Crawford about a month into the uk run, had reservations when we heard who was going to be the phantom but wow he really blew our socks off. Had no idea the chandelier was going to come down, just thought the seats in front of us hadn’t sold, huge moment!

[@sburris65]

I have been blessed enough to see it 20 times including NYC and London. I flew to Toronto to see Paul Stanley play the Phantom. And in Copenhagen, I saw it in a gorgeous, ornate 300 yo theater. Truly an incredible show.

[@gloria.R.7286]

it's insane the amount of love sooooo many people have for this show. Farewell, Phantom, your legacy will *always* be remembered. We hope you come back soon, or at the very least you understand how much you meant to us. ❤❤😭

[@princepeterwolf]

This show closing on Broadway is the end of an era =(

[@jasonluckoff3880]

Bring back phantom on Broadway please

[@DeE-pt5lz]

it will be back, in the next 3 years I bet

[@jasonluckoff3880]

I need to see the phantom for the first time on Broadway

[@natekrieger5741]

Rebecca Pitcher was my very first Christine in US Tour July 5, 2001 @ Murat Theatre In Indianapolis!!

[@robertgraziano]

New York will never look the same.But I still love it forever.

[@broadwaymike92]

Breaks my heart!!! The full company (cast, crew, musicians, and creative team) out of a job but also this show being a national treasure landmark to NYC!!! Broadway will never be the same again without it. On a personal note as an actor myself, I've auditioned for the show several times. I just feel like I FAILED AS A PERFORMER!!! To be part of the PHANTOM family and singing those songs on the Majestic stage ... even yet to play The Phantom!!! So Not fair. So upsetting. It's a huge dream gig for so many of us performers.

[@KrystalHarwood-ty7rk]

closing on BROADWAY, but is it still going to come to like Boston or Providence still?

[@TalentedSGSSuzyQ]

I can so relate I’ve been taking opera lessons and working as an actress for years to snag my AEA card to audition for Christine! I’m really hoping they bring it back

[@frankennyg1]

Saw Phantom in 1994 in SF and it was the first professional show I saw and was totally blown away. Interesting that Lisa Vroman was mentioned. I saw her as Christine in that production and became an instant fan!

[@marig9236]

who is to say 10 years from now it comes back for a limited run? You never know. Look at Cats or Sunset blvd or any other number of shows that closed but came back. You never truly know.

[@blynnegarrett6177]

I sure hope

[@gruweldaad]

lol it’s a certainty. There’s money to be made.

[@paulybarr]

@@gruweldaad Not enough at the moment, one must assume.

[@bonehand87]

@@paulybarr it’s coming back in two years time. It’s only going to renovate the theatre and cheapen the production once it returns. It’s a big money maker and still is.

[@jasonluckoff3880]

We need Andrew Lloyd Webber to bring back the Phantom on Broadway

[@jasonluckoff3880]

Stay on Broadway phantom

[@nancycalhoun3702]

Wrong about one the actor that played Benson on ABC WAS the FIRST Phantom.

[@jhb61249]

Did they woke up?

[@-flabbergasted]

'It's over now, the music of the night' but I'm not happy that it is not happy at all also 'Wishing' is gonna hit different...

[@mikekaraoke]

Only over on Broadway, so come and see it in another country instead for now! As both ALW + CM said you never know it could come back to the US either on Broadway +/or US Tour!

[@eristineforever6934]

I’ve been keeping an eye out for a Live recording. So far, NOTHING!!!!!!!!!! 🤷🏻‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️😒😣😖😫😩😤😠😡🤬🤯

[@BernnyBelogo-pw4op]

Whst happend to Sarah Brightman????

[@pardalis2011]

What ever happened with Sarah Brightman ???

[@nondescript2892]

she aged....is it a shock for an american to see a woman age naturally?

[@jasonluckoff3880]

It’s tiring to keep the phantom on Broadway

[@eristineforever6934]

Live recording, please. I am begging here and getting really irritated.

[@danielpinojr.8312]

Robert Guillaume played the second phantom in Los Angeles after Michael Crawford, making HIM the first black phantom!

[@jixer1956]

Norm Lewis was the first black Phantom on Broadway.

[@oop4841]

The casting got weaker, and weaker and now the shows gone. Wicked is heading this way now too.

[@Givemepeacealone]

Shows get more expensive to produce over time, they have to let them go at some point

[@OnlyTeardrops84]

this……. saw wicked with a black elphaba ,black fiyero,black boq and a black Glinda. Felt like they casted black people for the sake of casting black people. very poor show,very poor voices,very poor acting

[@klouise8248]

They all get weak after a while. As time goes on, less and less people see the show, then they hire less famous and experienced performers. The last time I saw Phantom in NY, about 23 years ago, I fell asleep.

[@jasonluckoff3880]

Read Andrew Lloyd Webber to bring back Phantom of the opera back. I’m bored right now for those who never seen Phantom on Broadway and those who is a big phantom fan

[@rae0521]

Looks like Sarah Brightman and Sara Lee have developed a very close relationship!

[@AmonuB]

Just like your mother!

[@MoiEilelA]

R /boringinsult 🙄

[@MondoMiami]

So wrong. This masterpiece is gone. Yet a show with lyrics like “My name is Alexander Hamilton. And there’s a million things I haven’t done” still sells out nightly. The Dumbing Down of America is complete.

[@jhb61249]

Sarah hogged out!!

[@chatbud]

0:28 I'm sorry, but her facelift makes her look grotesque :o

[@fbueller]

LOL!

[@fxntasyland2844]

she looks beautiful, this comment is rude and unnecessary

[@MoiEilelA]

:19 yup, she looks so grotesque for her boyfriend, he needs to leave her, so she can be mine 😂😂😂

[@MoiEilelA]

@Iam_Iruma gaspsss someone else wants my Sarah 😂😂 too bad they didn’t clone her. She’s too damn beautiful omg

[@nondescript2892]

Can we get your photo for public inspection Desmond ?

[@johnnynotty]

Woke killed the show and ticket sales. Sad but true

[@UltimoDogLover]

Not sad cause it's not true. It IS ridiculous. And so are you.

[@harlow9175]

@@UltimoDogLover Actually it is true, ticket sales were down with diversity casts. Never tamper with a classic.

[@UltimoDogLover]

@@harlow9175 Correlation does not equal causation. More likely it's just an old and tired show that no longer pulls in top talent. Of any race. The better people want to do things that are new and fresh. Shows that have been around for more than 3 decades get the people who can't get good parts in new shows. Plus, more and more people have already seen it.

[@UltimoDogLover]

@@harlow9175 You know what had a diverse cast? Hamilton. How about them ticket sales.

[@rocolicious]

An Asian Christine? Wow, so woke 🙄 /s

[@MoiEilelA]

Haha right? I think these Broadway shows are racist than anything. She’s only half Asian anyway 😂