QPAC HELPS SECURE NATIONAL RETURN OF THE PHANTOM

The world’s best-loved musical The Phantom of the Opera is returning to Brisbane next year with Living National Treasure Anthony Warlow in the lead role.

Arts Minister, Rod Welford, said the State Government-funded Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) had played a major role in securing the return of the musical to Queensland.

“QPAC has invested in this national tour which will come to Brisbane in January 2008 after opening in Melbourne this July,” Mr Welford said.

“I am thrilled to see QPAC working alongside producers The Really Useful Group and Gordon Frost Organisation in presenting this landmark production.

“This partnership shows QPAC’s leadership in working with Australian and international producers to create commercial opportunities for the centre and to ensure that the very best productions are available to Queensland audiences.

“Coming on the back of the world premiere of Sideshow Alley in Brisbane last month, this investment reinforces QPAC’s entrepreneurial reputation.”

Phantom of the Opera is the most successful show in musical theatre history having been seen by more than 80 million people worldwide, with a box office gross of approximately $US3.2 billion.

The New York production has won more than 50 major theatre awards and last year became the longest running musical on Broadway. It has played more than 65,000 performances in 110 cities around the world and recently celebrated its 20th birthday on the West End.

The Phantom last played in Australia between 1990 and 1998, selling over 1.5 million tickets.

In publicly launching The Phantom of the Opera tour today, Producer Tim McFarlane of The Really Useful Company cited QPAC as a leading example of the significant role that arts centres can take in supporting the arts sector.

John Frost of Gordon Frost Organisation worked with QPAC on a number of shows in 2006 including the acclaimed National Theatre of Great Britain production An Inspector Calls, and concert seasons of Mandy Patinkin and Debbie Reynolds.

Media contact: Marnie Stitz on 3237 1000 or 0419 734 985