THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, January 20, 1996 TAG: 9601200010
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 47 lines
There was nothing phantom about that spectacular run of ``The Phantom of the Opera'' at Chrysler Hall. The reality is that this was a cultural coup for Hampton Roads. And with the enthusiastic response to the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical hit, the region improved its chances to snare first-rate Broadway attractions in the future.
Customarily, touring companies spend one week here and draw 60 percent to 70 percent of capacity. ``Phantom'' stayed seven weeks and filled almost 93 percent of the seats. Performances from Dec. 26 until the final curtain Jan. 6 sold out.
Bill Luther, Norfolk's director of civic facilities, says the high ticket-sales percentage and the $6.4 million take compare favorably with numbers at the company's two previous stops, Hartford, Conn., and Providence, R.I., both of which are larger markets.
``All this will help us book other shows,'' he said. ``It puts us in a different cultural market.''
Too often, this region has drawn bus-and-truck companies, thin, cheaply assembled representations of the Broadway versions. The ``Phantom'' that came to Chrysler brought all the richness and spectacle of the New York show.
Permanent upgrades necessary to accommodate the ``Phantom'' set, including the crashing chandelier, equip the Chrysler stage to accommodate similarly ambitious shows such as ``Miss Saigon,'' with its helicopter-takeoff scene.
Many of the 116,170 people who saw ``Phantom'' were visiting Chrysler Hall for the first time, suggesting, in Luther's view, a larger audience has been created here not only for Broadway bookings but for cultural events in general.
The show also drew many visitors from across Virginia and from North Carolina and places even more distant. This boosted hotel occupancy, which usually falls in November and December. Restaurants and other businesses also profited from the influx.
Making an area viable and inviting requires many ingredients. The arts, among the most important, already enrich Hampton Roads life. Success of ``Phantom'' and what this implies for seasons to come suggest the arts' role will grow even more impressive. by CNB