THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 30, 1996 TAG: 9606290036
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MAL VINCENT, ENTERTAINMENT WRITER
LENGTH: 56 lines
SO JUST HOW phenomenal was the ``Phantom''?
According to Amusement Business Magazine, the six-week ``Phantom of the Opera'' run at Norfolk's Chrysler Hall had the second-highest box office take in its category in the country for the past six months.
The top moneymaker in the ``roadshow, non-concert'' group was Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Spectacular in New York, which took in almost $41.2 million at 189 shows.
The Norfolk ``Phantom'' engagement took in $6.4 million at 54 shows from Nov. 23 to Jan. 6.
The Phantom's figures are drawing national attention to Norfolk as a threatrical market.
``Yes, it does mean that we're getting soundings for theatrical events that would not have been considered a year ago,'' said John Rhamstine, assistant director for Norfolk's Department of Civic Facilities, which manages Scope. ``It's true, maybe, that `Phantom' is a unique show, but its showing here, compared to other cities, proves that we are a theatrical town.''
Chrysler Hall is negotiating to bring in the effects-laden hit musical ``Miss Saigon'' for a one-month run, possibly in 1997. Rhamstine said negotiations were not complete and no date had been set.
`` `Miss Saigon' was not considered for this market until the figures for `Phantom' came in,'' Rhamstine said.
Marie Ratcliffe, who compiled the tally for Amusement Business magazine in Nashville, said the Norfolk figures were impressive.
``Radio City Music Hall's Christmas show was No. 1. It always is,'' Ratcliffe said. ``But you have to note that they had 189 shows. Your tally, in Norfolk, for 54 shows was very impressive. I'm sure that, at year's end, that showing will hold. The Norfolk engagement will be right near the top for the year-long tally.''
She explained that the box score was compiled for ``theatrical, family events that do not include concerts, such as rock shows.'' The tally measures shows that ended their run between Dec. 4, 1995, and June 10, 1996.
The tally shows that 116,639 people attended the touring musical ``Phantom'' in Norfolk.
That wasn't a total sellout for the run. A sellout of every seat for every show would have been 125,388. Patrons paid between $41.50 and $66.50 per ticket - a record price for a Norfolk theatrical event.
Doubters wondered if Hampton Roads theatergoers would shell out $66.50 for a show, or if the local theater market was large enough to sustain a long run.
The length of the show and ticket prices were about the same as at other cities on the ``Phantom'' tour during that six-month period.
Other ``Phantom'' runs have tallied bigger box office figures. Ratcliffe said that in 1994, the show brought in almost $6.6 million in Nashville in 54 shows, $6.9 million in 56 shows in Tampa, Fla., and $7.6 million at 43 shows in Atlanta. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
THE TOP 10
[For complete graphic, please see microfilm] by CNB