CMU School of Drama


Friday, April 14, 2023

‘Phantom of the Opera’ leaves Broadway: The women who played Christine

Washington Post: For 35 years, the man in the white mask has been synonymous with Broadway. But as Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera” nears its final curtain call in New York, ending a record-setting run, there’s another character who deserves an encore.

1 comment:

Emily Carleton said...

Congratulations to all current and former theatre makers involved with The Phantom of the Opera! I love how at each of the production's impressive milestones, the company continues to honor and celebrate everyone in the Phantom family. I remember how excited the internet was when Emilie Kouatchou made her debut, but I was surprised at how long it took for there to be a black Christine on Broadway. I wholeheartedly believe in celebrating these achievements and hope that the industry will continue to move in the direction of color-conscious casting. Especially for roles like Christine, where race does not impact the integrity of the character, it seems to me that the role would have been cast more diverse decades ago. My first technical director, who I had in high school, always talked about how much she loves Phantom, and I hope I will get to see it finally in a revival.