Broadway NewsBroadway's Longest-Running Production, The Phantom of the Opera, Reopens October 22Ben Crawford stars with Meghan Picerno as Christine and John Riddle as Raoul.
By
Andrew Gans
October 22, 2021
Ben Crawford in The Phantom of the OperaMatthew Murphy
Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera, the longest-running show in Broadway history, resumes performances October 22 at the Majestic Theatre. Directed by the late Harold Prince, the Tony-winning musical has been closed since March 2020 due to the pandemic.
Returning to lead the cast are Ben Crawford as The Phantom, Meghan Picerno as Christine Daaé, and John Riddle as Raoul, with Bradley Dean as Monsieur André, Craig Bennett as Monsieur Firmin, Raquel Suarez Groen as Carlotta Giudicelli, Maree Johnson as Madame Giry, and Carlton Moe as Ubaldo Piangi. Sara Esty joins the company as Meg Giry.
Emilie Kouatchou
J. Demetrie Photography
Also joining the production in her Broadway debut is Emilie Kouatchou, who plays the role of Christine Daaé at certain performances. Kouatchou is the first Black actor to play the role of Christine in the Broadway production. Lucy St. Louis recently became the first Black actor to play the role when she reopened the London production of Phantom as Christine in July.
The ensemble includes Giselle Alvarez, Polly Baird, Janinah Burnett, Xiaoxiao Cao, David Michael Garry, Chris Georgetti, Kelly Jeanne Grant, Katharine Heaton, Satomi Hofmann, Ted Keegan, Kfir, Kelly Loughran, Scott Mikita, Greg Mills, Justin Peck, Patricia Phillips, Richard Poole, Jessica Radetsky, Lindsay Roberts, Janet Saia, Paul A. Schaefer, Carly Blake Sebouhian, Jeremy Stolle, Carrington Vilmont, Jim Weitzer, Elizabeth Welch, and Erica Wong.
The complete Phantom orchestra—Broadway’s largest—also returns, under the continued musical supervision of David Caddick with the musical’s original orchestrations.
The Phantom of the Opera has music by Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Charles Hart (with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe), and a book by Stilgoe and Lloyd Webber. The production also features musical staging and choreography by Gillian Lynne, scenic and costume design by Maria Björnson, lighting design by Andrew Bridge, and sound design by Martin Levan with Caddick as music director. Cameron Mackintosh and Lloyd Webber's The Really Useful Group serve as producers.
The Broadway staging of the London-originated show won seven 1988 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Previews on Broadway began January 9, 1988, with an official opening January 26. The original Broadway cast featured Michael Crawford, Sarah Brightman, Judy Kaye, and the late Steve Barton.
