1,800 people don 'Phantom' masks in Vegas

LAS VEGAS, June 28 (UPI) -- More than 1,800 people donned white masks to celebrate the fourth anniversary of "Phantom -- The Las Vegas Spectacular," the show's producers said.

The 95-minute version of the "Phantom of the Opera" stage musical plays at The Phantom Theatre at The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino.

Following a performance during the weekend, cast members handed out commemorative versions of the iconic mask to audience members in the sold-out house, who then set a record for the world's largest gathering of Phantoms assembled in a single location, the producers said.

"Congratulations to everyone involved in 'Phantom' Las Vegas and to the show's many loyal fans and supporters. I can't wait to see the video of this record-breaking moment," the show's creator Andrew Lloyd Webber said in a statement Monday.

"Celebrating our (fourth) anniversary with a house-full of Phantoms is a hell of an idea," said Hal Prince, the director of the original "Phantom production on Broadway. "I wish I could be there to see it. It's a real testament to the show's fan base and a celebration of the success we've had at The Venetian."