The Phantom of the Opera extends to Oct 2016

Long running musical The Phantom of the Opera has extended its booking period at the Her Majesty's Theatre in London's West End, where it is now booking to 1 October 2016.

The musical recently celebrated its 12,000 performance at the venue, after opening on 9 October 1986, following previews from 27 September 1986. Tomorrow will mark the show's 29th anniversary in the West End.

The current cast includes John Owen-Jones as 'The Phantom', Celinde Schoenmaker as 'Christine Daaé', Nadim Naaman as 'Raoul', Michael Matus as 'Monsieur Firmin' and Christopher Dickins as 'Monsieur André'.

They are joined by Lara Martins as 'Carlotta', Jacinta Mulcahy as 'Madame Giry', John Ellis as 'Piangi' and Alicia Beck as 'Meg'.

The Phantom of the Opera has has been seen in 124 cities in 25 countries and played to over 100 million people. Worldwide, the musical has grossed over £1.7 billion.

The musical is directed by Harold Prince and features music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Charles Hart. Based on the novel by Gaston Leroux this haunting musical traces the tragic love story of a beautiful opera singer and a young composer shamed by his physical appearance into a shadowy existence beneath the majestic Opera Paris House.

The show has won 70 major theatre awards, including seven Tony's on Broadway and three Olivier Awards in the West End. It won the 'Most Popular Musical Audience Award', voted by the public, in the 2002 Laurence Olivier Awards.