'Phantom of the Opera' To Become First Broadway Show to Celebrate 25 Years

The Opera Ghost continues to haunt Broadway 25 years after first crashing the chandelier.

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In January, The Phantom of the Opera will celebrate its 25th anniversary on Broadway, becoming the first show on the Great White Way to achieve such a milestone.

To mark the special occasion, Phantom's producers announced plans for an invitation-only performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Tony Award-winning musical on the date of the show's actual birthday -- Saturday, January 26, 2013.

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Phantom fans (or "Phans" as they are routinely called) will be able to win a pair of tickets to the private event through an online sweepstakes on the musical's Facebook page. Only 100 pairs of tickets will be given away, including two deluxe grand prizes that include airfare, hotel accommodations and passes to the exclusive after-party.

The acclaimed musical, directed by Harold Prince and produced by Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Company, won seven Tony Awards in 1988, including best musical. It became the longest-running show in Broadway history on Jan. 9, 2006, with its 7,486th performance, surpassing another Lloyd Webber musical, Cats. Phantom crossed the 10,000 performance mark on Feb. 11 this year.

To date, the musical, which has been mounted at the Majestic Theatre since its Broadway debut, has grossed more than $800 million and consistently remains strong at the box office, lasting through recessions, 9/11, and tough competition from other Broadway contenders.

Phantom currently stars Hugh Panaro in the title role along with Marni Raab (Christine), Kyle Barisich (Raoul), Jim Weitzer (Monsieur André), Tim Jerome (Monsieur Firmin), Michele McConnell (Carlotta), Ellen Harvey (Madame Giry), Christian Šebek (Piangi) and Kara Klein (Meg Giry). Samantha Hill alternates with Raab as Christine for certain performances.

Sierra Boggess, who is currently starring in Mackintosh’s original, record-breaking London production of Les Misérables as Fantine, will join the Broadway cast as Christine the week of January 21, 2013, in time for the 25th Anniversary show. She'll perform for six-weeks through March 2, 2013. The rest of the current cast will perform as part of the quarter-century celebration.