Reopened: October 22, 2021

Book by: Richard Stilgoe & Andrew Lloyd Webber

Music by: Andew Lloyd Webber

Lyrics by: Charles Hart & Richard Stilgoe

Broadway Reopening Cast: Ben Crawford, Emilie Kouatchou, John Riddle, Bradley Dean, Craig Bennett, Raquel Suarez Groen, Rebecca Eichenberger, Carlton Moe, Sara Esty, Julia Udine, Giselle O. Alvarez, Polly Baird, Janinah Burnett, Xiaoxiao Cao, David Michael Garry, Chris Georgetti, Kelly Jeanne Grant, Katharine Heaton, Satomi Hofmann, Ted Keegan, Kfir, Courtney Kristen Liu, 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 & Erica Wong

When The Phantom of the Opera reopened in 2021, it didn’t realize it would close less than two years later. It’s strange that this long-running show would close because it’s still mostly fantastic.

Chorus girl Christine Daaé (Emilie Kouatchou) takes over the lead role when opera star Carlotta (Raquel Suarez Groen) gets insulted by the theater’s new owners. She impresses both the new patron Raoul (John Riddle) and the opera ghost (Ben Crawford), igniting feelings in both.

Crawford is a horrid Phantom. Moments when the Phantom is supposed to be filled with rage were cringey to watch as he played it monotone. However, Riddle is a fantastic Raoul while Kouatchou is brilliant as the first black Christine on Broadway.

The production hasn’t really changed, but there’s no reason to. It’s still a spectacle.

Final say: Still inside my mind. ★★★★☆