Their Love Will Never Die: Stories from the Biggest Phans of “Phantom”

Feature news article written for Fall 2022 class "Introduction to Journalism"

(Received "A" grade)

“The Phantom of the Opera” on Broadway has been open for 35 years, making it the longest show to ever grace a Broadway stage. As a result, 19.8 million people have had the opportunity to walk through the doors of the Majestic Theater on 44th St. in the Theater District of Midtown. When each person walks into the audience of the theater, they can look up and see the iconic chandelier, made of 6,000 beads, that falls every performance of the show.

But in early September, the New York Post broke the news that “The Phantom of the Opera” would be closing on Feb. 18, 2023. The show, which struggled after the pandemic and reportedly lost $1 million per month in revenue, celebrates its 35th anniversary on Broadway in January.

“As a producer, you dream that a show will run forever,” producer Cameron Mackintosh said in a statement. “Indeed, my production of Andrew’s ‘Cats’ proudly declared for decades ‘Now and Forever.’ Yet ‘Phantom’ has surpassed that show’s extraordinary Broadway run. But all shows do finally close.”

With a combined 319,500 followers on Twitter and Instagram, it’s only natural to assume that “The Phantom of the Opera” has a dedicated fanbase, with many fans seeing the show multiple times. (Some fans have even seen the show over 20 times!) The following are stories from “The Phantom of the Opera’s” most dedicated fans share stories of how the show sparked their love for theater, their emotions following the announcement of the show’s closure and more.

Michaela W.

Favorite Phantom(s): Ben Crawford

“‘The Phantom of the Opera’ is my favorite Broadway show. I saw it for the first time with my sister the year before we moved to New York. I used to watch the film version all the time when I was younger and it’s one of the musicals that started my obsession with musical theatre….[O]ver the summer I was fortunate enough to visit Palais Garnier in Paris where the Phantom was based. I’m so sad that ‘Phantom’ is closing. It’s one of those shows that I thought would always be around. It’s become so iconic and I can’t imagine New York without it.”

Brie U.

Favorite Phantom(s): Greg Mills, Ben Crawford, and Ted Keegan

“[One of my favorite memories] was when I was still living in Georgia and was in high school. I was visiting my college in [New York City] for the first time and as a huge fan of the show and Ben Crawford…I convinced my mother to let us buy the cheap box seats because no matter how partial view the seats were, I wanted to see the show. I remember opening my phone during intermission and seeing that Ben had invited me backstage to say hi, and it was so cool! I got to see a bunch of cool costumes and set pieces and also try on a Phantom mask!”

Madison M.

Favorite Phantom(s): Michael Crawford, Ted Keegan, and Laird Mackintosh

“Phantom has been my introduction to not only loving musical theatre, which I am attempting to be a performer in, but loving music. And, although I didn’t realize it at the time, my introduction to being queer. I saw the movie when I was five years old and was obsessed with it ever since. But Christine was my first crush, even if I didn’t realize it. I listened to the cast recording constantly and got obsessed with singing. I love everything about the show. But mostly I love Christine’s character, her ability to save herself and survive her ordeal and to find true compassion in spite of it all. Her kindness has inspired me to be who I am today, or to at least strive for her level of compassion and strength.”

Max S.

Favorite Phantom(s): Ted Keegan and Jeremy Stolle

“‘Phantom,’ to me, feels like a story of courage, defiance and acceptance. It has always felt comforting to me and I adore the show. What I love most about ‘Phantom’ time and time again is the people in the show, and the people I’ve met because of it. Anyone who knows me knows I’m the biggest Kaley Ann Voorhees and Eryn LeCroy fan on the planet. They know that I love Sara Esty, whose portrayal of Meg Giry brought me to tears, and that I also get to call her a friend is an honor. I’ve met my ‘phamily’ because of this show — during the pandemic I met friends who instantly became my siblings, my best friends and my inspiration to this very day.”

Em P.

Favorite Phantom(s): Ben Crawford

“‘The Phantom of The Opera’ was the second Broadway show I had ever seen. I saw it with my grandma and my mom. My mom turned to me during intermission and said, ‘Do you understand what’s going on?’ And I said, ‘Of course I do, the Phantom loves Christine but Raoul comes back in the picture so Christine loves Raoul.’ I was immediately obsessed after that….After I had woken from a nap I saw Twitter and Facebook buzzing with rumors that Phantom was closing…it felt like I was losing a family member. I cannot imagine Broadway without Phantom.”

Adam S.

Favorite Phantom(s): Colm Wilkinson and Hugh Panaro

“‘Phantom’ has been a part of my life for pretty much as long as I can remember. My parents saw it when I was barely able to speak and played the soundtrack constantly to the point that it became my favorite thing to listen to. As a two-year-old, I went as the Phantom for Halloween, so it's kind of always just been a part of me. In many ways, ‘Phantom’ is the reason I do what I do today: it introduced me to theater, which lead me to acting, which lead me to going to an arts magnet program in high school, which introduced me to film and editing, which lead to my career as an editor.”

Katie O’B.

Favorite Phantom(s): Michael Crawford, Howard McGillin, and Greg Mills

“Phantom was the first show to ignite my passion for Broadway. We were learning about Wicked and Phantom in school during music class and I was just so intrigued by how spooky Phantom was. So I got the CD for my birthday (this is when I was in 6th grade). I woke up at 5 a.m. the next morning after my birthday and I just sat in bed and listened to the entire show straight through while reading every word of the libretto and it just...enthralled me. The music is absolutely beautiful. The story is haunting. The sets and costumes are gorgeous. The complexity of the show speaks so much to me. And I love a good misunderstood, emotionally tormented character. I was bullied in middle school so Erik's story and issues spoke to me at that time.”

Carly B.

Favorite Phantom(s): Ramin Karimloo and Jonathan Roxmouth

“To me, the productions themselves mean representation of Asians and other people of color. The show is a magnificent story full of splendid costumes and music and sets. I love the show within a show aspect. It's a classic show, something about that is alluring. I love the costumes. Understanding the intricacies of the show from a technical standpoint is what makes me a fan. Someone who loves and appreciates the work it takes to put on the show and enjoy the magic of the story every time.”