For their first visit to Broadway, the exchange visitors of the Cross Cultural Internship Program (www.theccip.com) attended a performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera." One of the most famous musicals in the world, "The Phantom of the Opera" is the longest-running show in Broadway history and currently plays at the Majestic Theatre.

For the July 6th performance, 35 students bought discounted tickets through a group package. The activity leaders were Chun Wei Cheung (Matthew), who is studying at the University of Hong Kong, and Li En Chua (Leanne), who is studying at Nanyang Technological University. Together, they collected payments and arranged a meeting time for the group.

"I had never been to a big Broadway type play before," Leanne said. "It was very exciting. The show has so much spectacle and the theater was beautiful. I can understand why these shows bring in so many crowds year after year. This will definitely be one of the most memorable parts of my trip."

Later this month, the CCIP students will attend performances of "Les Misérebles" and the Broadway revival of "Cats." These three musicals are a few of the most popular and widely acclaimed in Broadway's history. Broadway is one of the hallmarks of New York City's famous art scene and is responsible for over a billion dollars in revenue every year. For the visiting students, this was an opportunity to experience something that makes the city truly incomparable.

"You can see the Phantom all over the world," Matthew acknowledged, "but seeing it on Broadway feels like a cultural event. My time in New York will be short, so I'm glad that CCIP is providing me chances to do as much as possible. I can now say I've seen a Broadway show, which is pretty special to me. There is still a lot of summer ahead of me, and I'm excited for everything else we're going to do.