Behind the Mask

A quick look at my interest in The Phantom of the Opera.

About Me
I've been a "phan" now for 12 years, ever since I first heard the Original London Cast Recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera.  A year later I read Gaston Leroux's original novel and have since read it on several occasions.  I've also read Susan Kay's novel, Phantom, many, many times.  She provides the depth of character that brings Erik to life.  I have experienced nearly every version of Phantom of the Opera available, whether literary, film, or stage.  Over the years I've seen the Webber musical numerous times both on Broadway and the U.S. National Tour, had the privilege of meeting many wonderful cast members, and even been backstage on several occasions!  Truly memorable experiences that I will never forget.

"What, do you think you're the Phantom or something?"
Of course not!  I've never had any experience with special effects or stage makeup, wig making, etc, but as I get further along with this project, I find myself more and more interested in these fields.  It's amazing what one can do with even the most basic supplies, and I'm looking forward to buying more sophisticated materials to try some new, more realistic effects.  It's a fun hobby that's completely different from anything I've ever done before.  Soon enough I'd like to get involved with some local theatre and see where it takes me.

Favorite Versions
There is a great intrigue associated with the story of Phantom.  The "look" of the ALW stage musical story drew me in.  He is such an extremely elegant figure in the musical with so much depth and danger that the show only begins to touch on.  I love listening to ALW's entertaining ("good" is dependent on who listens to it, I admit!) music as well.  The idea of Erik's human side (while not fully explored in the ALW musical) kept me interested in the story and digging deeper to discover all I could about this amazing character.  The original novel is a favorite of mine because it is where this whole phenomenon started.  Lon Chaney's masterful portrayal in the 1925 silent film is nothing short of genius.  To this day he remains the best film Phantom (indeed, one of my favorite of all time), and in my opinion is unlikely to ever be beaten.  He truly brought the character to life for the first time.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's blockbuster musical, while my favorite of the stage productions, is certainly not the first stage version of The Phantom of the Opera.  What draws me to it is its timeless elegance, and for better or worse, the romance.  While Leroux did not intend for his story to be a romantic one, Lloyd Webber infused that aspect into his musical and has created something beautiful.


Laughing at Myself
Yeah, this whole thing is worthy of a good laugh.  I admit it.  I think it's important to laugh at yourself a little.  In fact, I've created a humor page for everyone to  enjoy.

From the producers of "Phantom on a Budget" comes:
If We Didn't Laugh - POTO Humor