The Evolution of Broadway and National Security Concerns

“The Phantom of the Opera,” the longest running show in the history of Broadway, will close its doors on Sunday after more than three decades.

We went backstage during one of the final performances before the show’s famous chandelier crashes down one last time.

Guest: Michael Paulson, a theater correspondent for The New York Times.

Background reading: 

• The show was originally set to close in February, but the announcement set off a surge in ticket sales. “Phans,” as they call themselves, rushed to see it one last time.
• In an interview, Cameron Mackintosh said weakening box office and rising production costs led to the decision to end “Phantom’s” run.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

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