‘Phantom’ a Solid Hit as Fund-Raiser

Standing ovations and shouted “bravos” again ended a performance of “The Phantom of the Opera” at the Ahmanson Theatre on Tuesday night as previews of the show go on and charity organizations continue to reap the benefits of phenomenal ticket sales.

Proceeds from Tuesday night’s sold-out fund-raiser will go to the Philip Mandelker AIDS Clinic, part of the Gay & Lesbian Community Services Center, which provides care to people who have tested positive for the HIV virus.

‘Overflowing’ Clientele

According to the center’s director, Torie Osborn, their “Phantom” benefit will net about $250,000, and the money will supplement county funds to pay for new lab equipment and expansion of existing facilities of what is now an “overflowing” clientele.

“We wanted to raise money, and this was perfect,” said Marc Schwartz, one of the event’s co-chairs. “This is probably the biggest event theater-wise, even bigger than ‘Les Miserables.’ You’re buying a ticket to a good show, but supporting a good cause at the same time. Every time ‘Phantom’ is mentioned, so is this benefit, and it’s wonderful.”

“We’ve rarely had an opportunity to raise money so effortlessly,” added Rand Schrader, a local judge who helped found the Gay & Lesbian center in 1971.

“Phantom” is undoubtedly one of the hottest and most hyped theatrical productions to come to Los Angeles, so it’s understandable why so many charity organizations requested benefit shows, charging supporters several hundred dollars for tickets, often throwing in a pre- or post-performance party.

The Mandelker clinic benefit was one of at least 13 major benefit performances tied into the show. Various charity groups vied to secure a date during “Phantom” May 20 through 28, before the official opening Wednesday. These are considered the plum performances, and fund-raisers know they are the easiest tickets to sell.

“Obviously the attraction of having a pre-opening benefit is that you’re in on a sneak preview,” Ahmanson general manager Ellen Fay said. “That carries its own cachet.”

The groups that were chosen to have their benefits during previews are the Center Theatre Group, the Mandelker clinic, Duke University in North Carolina, Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles, CHIPS (the junior support group of the Colleagues), the Boston-based Eye Research Institute and the Center for Law and the Arts at Columbia Law School.

Some groups bought the entire house (2,000 seats, with 78 production seats reserved for each performance) while some reserved half or less.

Brief Benefit History

Groups that were not given preview dates were offered post-opening performances, but not all took them. Those that did include the Associates, a support group for the Vista del Mar Child and Family Services, Pet Orphans Fund, Family Service of Los Angeles and the Thalians.

Charity groups were asked by the Ahmanson for a letter describing their organization, the type of community they service and a brief benefit history in order to be considered for a preview date.

It was then up to “Phantom’s” New York-based general management company to decide which organizations received the preview performance dates.

Criteria included the spectrum of people the group serviced and its ability to sell tickets. The field was also narrowed so similar groups did not overlap constituency; for example, no more than one AIDS charity or children’s charity was chosen.

The Boston-based Eye Research Institute held a benefit when “Phantom” opened in New York and gave its “Man of Vision” award last year to “Phantom” composer Andrew Lloyd Webber (this year singer Ella Fitzgerald will receive the “Woman of Vision” award at the Los Angeles benefit).

“It was enormously successful,” a group spokesman said of the New York benefit, “and we thought if we could do it again it would be great.”

Although the institute is headquartered in Boston, benefit planners felt there were enough supporters and enough interest in “Phantom” to sell out half of the Ahmanson’s seats, which the organization has done, expecting to net a little more than $200,000.

“We asked for half of the seats because it’s a very big house and it’s a big thing for a nonprofit company to do,” the spokesman added. “We wanted not to be overambitious, but we didn’t know ‘Phantom’ fever would hit so hard.”