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The mystery of Masquerade, The Phantom of the Opera immersive Broadway experience, begins to unfold as tickets for the initial run announcement have sold out. Don’t worry, Andrew Lloyd Webber “phans,” on July 9 there will be a new drop of tickets for an extension going into October of this year. Perfect for spooky season monster haunt lovers, dare we say? Hey, dark musical fans and immersive haunt goers have a very real overlap!
With the release of the Opera Ghost’s first batch of show dates, there has been a lot of speculation about what the show will entail. The uncertainty of whether or not it would be a musical was assuaged when Phantom favorites, including long-standing Erik the Opera Ghost Hugh Panaro, were announced as part of the leading cast. Panaro’s tenure as the Phantom, whose iconic take was based off silent-movie era star Rudolph Valentino, is in the thousands of performances—so this is really exciting because you don’t get Hugh unless he is singing. And of course there was the announcement of the show’s director, Tony Award winner Diane Paulus, with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s involvement.
Other members of the massive ensemble of around 40 includes noted Phantom veteran Maree Johnson, who recently played Mme. Giry, and Cats: Jellicle Ball immersive actress Baby Byrne of Internet TTRPG Game Master circles. The rest of Masquerade’s ensemble features a medley of past Phantom actors and rising Broadway musical actors, but it’s not been announced who is portraying which role. The mystery of who is who is a little odd, and it feels as if keeping the roles under wraps might be a part of the intrigue.
The reasoning for such a stacked cast is likely due in part to a pulsed performance schedule, which is a common feature in immersive theater. In this format, guests go from room to room as the story unfolds. So you may be following one cast as the next slot of guests behind you gets another roster of actors playing the characters. Tickets start at $195 but increase in price based on times and day of the week. A number of fans who will be attending reported on Reddit that their tickets cost around $211-$241.50, including fees.
Additionally, yes, the Opera Ghost has some demands for his guests. Hey, he’s the most dramatic of the literary monsters, so we’ll allow it. Some of the rules for attending Masquerade include a strict dress code. “Black, white, or silver only. Formal or cocktail attire is required” and “stilettos are forbidden.” The use of a masquerade-style mask is also required, and while it’s recommended you bring one of your own, they will offer complimentary ones you can wear for the duration of the show, or you can opt to buy a special Masquerade exclusive one.
The other big rule is if you’re late, you’re out of luck, and the Phantom will shut the doors of his party on you (at least he won’t have the chance to lasso you!). As rumors continue to swirl as to what will be a part of the multi-level experience, there has been speculation that the show, which we now can safely assume will have musical elements, might either stage the entire production or a selection of the most iconic moments in immersive settings. There are even some Broadway commentators who have alleged that once inside, there might be tiers to add on to unlock rooms.
It’s not uncommon for immersive experiences to have special moments hidden away for an unexpected element of surprise that some might get to experience, but an add-on cost would be an unfortunate paywall considering the barriers to entry already in place. io9 has reached out for more details on pricing and experience scope within the show’s run-time. That said, if there’s a room that teases music and events from the Phantom sequel Love Never Dies between the Phantom and Christine, that would be so wild.
With the level of secrecy and obfuscation meted against how far hardcore Phantom of the Opera fans are clamoring for the show’s return in any format after its 2023 closure on Broadway, it’s all a bit disconcerting. Those of us who experienced Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser know firsthand that just the IP brand isn’t always enough to deem an experience worth it. So it’s a huge gamble on their part to follow suit in that regard in the name of immersion. Sure, Masquerade is currently sold out with its first extension ticket drop scheduled for July 9 if you sign up for the Opera Ghost’s ledger, but we’ll be interested to find out in the long run if the spectacle will meet the mystique built around it.
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