It’s been a fixture on Broadway since 1988.

The Phantom of the Opera, Broadway’s longest-running show, will close in February of next year less than a month after its 35th anniversary.

The first production opened in London in 1986. Since then, the show has been seen by more than 145-million people in 183 cities and has grossed $1.3 Billion globally.

It last played in Toronto in January of 2020 at the Princess of Wales Theatre.

In making the announcement, Producer Cameron Macintosh cited rising costs on both sides of the Atlantic and a box office that hasn’t kept pace.  He didn’t blame the pandemic, as such, but said the pandemic was a catalyst.