Curtain rises once more for the Maestro and his troupe of ghoulish thespians in Phantom Theater Encore
The curtain will rise once more for the Maestro and his troupe of ghoulish thespians, who are eager to show off their unearthly talents in a performance of an after-lifetime in Phantom Theater Encore, a live stage show performed in the Kings Island Theater beginning June 4.
Many of our guests will remember the retired Phantom Theater attraction, which operated at Kings Island from 1992 to 2002. It was one of the most popular attractions in the park’s 50-year history, giving a total of 14,133,357 rides.
Audiences of all ages will delight in this spooky, zany, whimsical production that’s filled with music, comedy and mystifying illusions. Download our free mobile app for iPhone and Android for show times.
For those that did not experience Phantom Theater during its years of operation, riders took a journey through an abandoned theater while witnessing the spirits of past performers, stagehands, and Maestro, the former star who presided over this once stately venue.
Entering the theater lobby, the taunting voice of the Maestro warned riders that they were disturbing the silence that had settled within the theater for decades. Unaware of the surprises that awaited them, guests boarded cars that carried them on a journey through hallways, dressing, rehearsal and stage areas where the Maestro would periodically reappear and reaffirm that their intrusion was disturbing the spirits of past performers that inhabited the theater.
Guests encountered the great Houdelini practicing magic tricks as he grabbed the ears of a rabbit in a hat, and this monstrous rabbit with glowing eyes appeared. Along the route, a mummy case sprung open revealing its ancient contents, and a giant rat emerged terrifying a stray cat. Meanwhile, opera singer Hilda Bovine was seen preparing for her performance, and there was the great Garbonzo climbing into a cannon from which he would be shot. In the boiler room, tenders were stoking the fire which emitted an intense heat as the cars neared the flame with one of the characters asking, “How 'bout some heat?” At the end of the ride when guests exited their cars, voices repeated Maestro’s warning that they would not be forgiven for disturbing the spirits, and they’d be back!
Watch the video below for an immersive POV of the former Phantom Theater attraction before visiting Kings Island and watching the theater production of Phantom Encore.
Check back next week on the Kings Island Blog. One of our blog contributors, Kyle Kruthoffer, recently had an opportunity to sit down with the designer of the original Phantom Theater attraction will share the story on how the ride came to be.