Based on the novel by Gaston Leroux, The Phantom of the Opera is the winner of seven 1988 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The show tells the story of the hideously deformed Phantom, who lurks beneath the stage of the Paris Opera and exercises a reign of terror over its occupants. After falling in love with a young Soprano, the Phantom devotes himself to creating a new star, nurturing the girl's extraordinary talents and employing all the skills at his disposal.