“The Phantom of the Opera” is returning to New York City after closing on Broadway two years ago.
However, the show won’t return to its old stomping grounds, the Majestic Theater. Instead, it will be housed on West 57th Street in the old Lee’s Art Shop building and will morph into an “immersive” theatrical experience, Page Six confirms.
It’s set to open in early July and will be called “Masquerade,” based one of the show’s signature songs. However, an insider stressed to Page Six that it will still be “Phantom.”
Over the past several weeks, New Yorkers have noticed some strange activity taking place at the 57th Street building.
The windows have been papered over in vintage-style broadsheets, referencing news about the Paris Opera House — the setting for the Tony-winning musical.
Inside, construction crews have been spotted working around the clock.
Meanwhile, a growing number of “Phantom” superfans have begun decoding cryptic clues left across social media that point to the return of one of Broadway’s most beloved characters.
A mysterious teaser site has also appeared featuring nothing more than an illustration of a mask, the word “Masquerade” and a form inviting people to join an email list.
And then there have been sightings of the legendary “Phantom” composer Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Webber has been spied slipping in and out of the building at “odd hours,” an insider tells Page Six.
When asked for comment, the maestro’s spokesman offered up a cryptic comment: “All I ask of you is that you keep your distance and forget about this strange affair. For now.”
“Phantom,” based on the novel by Gaston Leroux, tells the tale of a mysterious cloaked figure living beneath the Paris Opéra House who becomes obsessed with a beautiful soprano named Christine Daaé.
The show first opened in London’s West End in 1986 and then on Broadway in 1988.
The original production starred Michael Crawford as the Phantom and Webber’s then-wife, Sarah Brightman, as Christine.
It closed in April 2023 after 13,981 performances and a 35-year run, making it the longest-running show in Broadway history.
The show has been produced in over 40 countries on 6 continents and has earned more than $6 billion.
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