STAGE

Phantom Strikes Again: Another phantom will soon be lurking on a U.S. stage--but not an Andrew Lloyd Webber production. Houston will host a new musical production of “Phantom of the Opera” at the Theatre Under the Stars beginning Jan. 31. The $1.5-million production is written by playwright Arthur Kopit with the score done by lyricist-composer Maury Yeston; the two created the Tony-winning musical “Nine.” New York City Opera star Richard White will play the masked man. Advance ticket sales for the show are the highest in the 3,000-seat theater’s history, a spokeswoman said. She explained that this version of “Phantom” differs from Lloyd Webber’s production: “It investigates the characters much better.”