Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber is doing some heavy hinting that his The Phantom of the Opera musical – or some version of it – is returning to New York two years after the show ended its 35-year Broadway run.
In a new Instagram video – watch it below – Lloyd Webber, pretending to speak for the Phantom character, says that the musical is returning but at “a better address in New York, in a better area.” The video shows Lloyd Webber standing in front of what, as the website Broadway World points out, looks like the now-closed Lee’s Art Shop on West 57th St. not far from Carnegie Hall and various high-end retail shops.
Last year, producer Cameron Mackintosh and Lloyd Webber announced plans for a North American tour of Phantom in a reconfigured production based on the 2021 London stage version that features a smaller orchestra and a redesigned set, launching November 2025 at Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre.
Whether Phantom‘s New York return will be part of the tour, or, as has been widely speculated, become an immersive theater experience, has not been disclosed. Deadline has reached out to Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group and Phantom reps for additional information, and will update this post if and when they respond.
In the Instagram video, Lloyd Webber opens a red envelope with a Phantom mask seal and reads a note inside that says, “My Dear Manager, Did you think I had left you for good? Your Obedient Servant.”
Lloyd Webber then continues as himself, saying, “Well, I might have guessed it. He wasn’t happy about the closure of his legend on Broadway and he did intimate that he might be moving to what he feels is a better address in New York, in a better area. I have a feeling that this is it. Obviously I need to get back now because his instructions must always be obeyed unless dire disaster happens. And one wouldn’t want a dire disaster to happen on a very, very smart street in Manhattan. It is worrying, but he’s back, and there’s no mistaking this is his seal.”
The video is a bit vague on whether the “better area” jibe reflects Lloyd Webber’s opinion or is meant as the opinion of the Phantom — who, it might be thought, would be impressed with having Carnegie Hall as a neighbor.
The new Phantom is expected to take a different form than the long-running Broadway musical, with some speculation that it will be an immersive experience. An Instagram account recently created called “Masquerade” – which also features Lloyd Webber’s new video – shows shadowy images, including a masked face, against deep red backgrounds. One of the images has writing that says “Sing once again with me…” and another saying “Have you missed me?”
The Phantom of the Opera opened at the Majestic Theatre on Broadway in 1988 and became one of Broadway’s best-loved musicals, making stars of Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman and featuring a score that includes the title song, “The Music of the Night,” and “Masquerade.”
In 2022, Mackintosh announced the show’s closing, telling The New York Times, “For most of last year, we were losing every week. There comes a point when you become theatrical wallpaper. People took it for granted that it’s going to run forever.” The venue’s owner, the Shubert Organization, planned a major, post-Phantom renovation of the Majestic.
Upon the initial closing notice, ticket sales spiked, with Mackintosh and Webber announcing that the Shuberts had okayed a final eight-week extension through April 16, 2023. Robert E. Wankel, Chairman and CEO of The Shubert Organization said at the time, “After so many years at The Majestic Theatre, the renovations on and off stage will be considerable, making April 16 the latest performance date possible for Phantom. Until then, we look forward to celebrating this extraordinary success with Andrew Lloyd Webber, Cameron Mackintosh and everyone in The Phantom family.”
Lloyd Webber said at the time, “I am delighted that, after such an incredible reaction from audiences, Phantom at The Majestic is extending. If only the theatre wasn’t closing for a major refurbishment, we’d be there for an awful lot longer. I would love to thank everyone who has made this extension possible, from our cast and crew, to our brilliant musicians and everyone at The Majestic Theatre.”
In its final weeks, Phantom reported weekly grosses in excess of $3 million, a newsworthy figure even today. At closing night, on the show’s 13,981 Broadway performance, Webber took the stage at curtain call, along with Brightman, his former wife and Phantom‘s original Christine, and dedicated the performance to his son Nicholas, who had died the previous month of gastric cancer.
“I hope you won’t mind if I dedicate this performance to my son, Nick,” the composer told the audience. Turning to Brightman, he added, “When Nick was a little boy, he heard some of this music.”