Show History

History

Inspiration

Phantom of the Country Opera is a Country-Western send-up of the story from the French novel, The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux.

Productions

Phantom of the Country Opera opened at the Marriott's Lincolnshire Theatre in Chicago in June of 1994, where it received positive reviews. It was also featured in the in the Festival of New Musicals, sponsored by the National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT), in 1994.

Since 1995, Phantom of the Country Opera has had more than 80 productions in the United States, and has been produced internationally in Australia, Canada, England, Kuwait and Russia.

Cultural Influence

• The title and story of Phantom of the Country Opera are a spoof reference to the very popular musical, The Phantom of the Opera, which has been running on Broadway for decades.

• Leroux's novel, The Phantom of the Opera, has been adapted many times for stage and screen, including a notable 1925 film featuring Lon Chaney.

Trivia

• Phantom of the Country Opera bookwriters Sean Grennan and Kathy Santen are husband and wife.

• The show was titled Phantom of the Country Palace when it premiered at the Marriott's Lincolnshire Theatre in 1994.

• NAMT has nurtured the creation, development, production and presentation of new musicals since 1985.