Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular

In an easy-come, easy-go town like Las Vegas, it’s the rare show that has staying power. One of them is “Phantom — the Las Vegas Spectacular.”

The mega hit at Venetian Resort Hotel Casino recently celebrated its 2000th performance on the Strip. The musical is staged in a $40-million custom-built theater that seats 1,800.

The 95-minute production — slightly shorter than its Broadway counterpart and with no intermission — is directed by the legendary Hal Prince and stars the Tony Award-winning Broadway star Anthony Crivello.

It’s with a lot of help that the handsome Crivello is transformed into the hideously deformed Phantom.
Emmy Award-winning makeup designer Ron Wild glues to Crivello’s face three hand-painted and latex-based prosthetic pieces. The effect is so shocking that even those in the back of the theater draw a gasp when they see him unmasked.

On nights with two performances, Crivello stays in makeup for five hours straight. The sacrifice is worth it. The transformation is so stunning, Crivello told us, that even his mother did not recognize him the first time she saw the show.

Based on the novel by Gaston Leroux, the musical tells the story of the macabre Phantom and the object of his obsession, opera singer Christine Daaé.

One of the most successful and longest-running musical productions in history, Phantom has been seen by about 100 million people in 25 countries and has grossed more than $5.1 billion worldwide.

Monday and Saturday, 7 and 9:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 7 p.m.

—Anne Burke, Custom Publishing Writer

“PHANTOM – THE LAS VEGAS SPECTACULAR”
Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino
3355 Las Vegas Blvd., South
702.414.9000 or www.venetian.com
$72-$160
www.phantomlasvegas.com