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| Westminster Abbey, England |
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| Information |
Theatre History
The current building is actually the fourth incarnation of the theatre, with first opening in 1705. After fire destroyed the first two buildings and the third was demolished, the current building was built in 1897. While the other theatres' (known as different names throughout the years) primarily focused on ballets and operas, this new version would produce mostly plays. Those plays that ran here usually enjoyed long runs, which started with Chu Chin Chow which debuted in 1916 and ran for a record breaking 2,238 performances.
Depending on the ruling monarch in the United Kingdom of the time, this theatre changes names to match-up with the current gender of that monarch. It is currently known as Her Majesty's Theatre in honor of Queen Elizabeth II, but was known as His Majesty's Theatre after her father, King George VI, until his death in 1952.
The Phantom of the Opera
On October 9, 1986, Andrew Lloyd Webber debuted his much-anticipated new musical, The Phantom of the Opera. The musical is based on the novel of the same name by Gaston Leroux, which has been the subject matter for countless films and other plays throughout the years. The Phantom of the Opera was an instantaneous sensation and is still being shown at Her Majesty's Theatre today, as well as its American counterpart at the Majestic Theatre (see Majestic Theatre) in New York City, New York. It has amassed over $3.3 billion and boasts an audience of over 80 million people, making it the highest grossing entertainment event of all time. The musical celebrated its 20th anniversary at Her Majesty's Theatre on October 9, 2006.
Theatre Ghost
Given the subject matter of The Phantom of the Opera and its "opera ghost", it seems only natural for the theatre to have one of its own. Also like the play, the ghost is said to have his own box, the top box located on stage right. Theatre patrons who have occupied that box have complained of cold spots and the door suddenly opening on its own. Cold spots seem to be the majority of experiences that people have witnessed, though during one incident in the 1970's at a performance of Cause Celebre, the cast of the play was said to have seen the ghost walking at the back of the orchestra seating. The ghost is believed to be actor Sir Beerbohm Tree, for whom the current incarnation of the theatre was built and also starred in several of its productions after. He passed away in 1917, though his spirit is said to live on inside the theatre. |
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| Related Sites |
Her Majesty's Theatre
The official site of Her Majesty's Theatre, the home of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera from 1986 to present day. |
The Phantom of the Opera
Really Useful Group's Official Phantom of the Opera page. |
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| Similar Destinations |
| Zompire: The Undead Film Festival |
| The Little Theatre, Rochester, NY |
| Majestic Theatre |
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| See Also on TheCabinet.com |
| Blog: The Phantom of the Opera Turns 22 (10/09/08) |
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| Available from Amazon.com |
The Phantom of the Opera (Original 1986 London Cast) |
Phantom of the Opera |
The Phantom of the Opera: The Original Novel |
Adult Phantom of the Opera Mask |
The Phantom of the Opera (Two-Disc Special Edition) |
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