BWW Blog: Sherz Aletaha of Off-Broadway's DISASTER! - Mothers And Phantoms And Disaster! Oh My!

The last few performances of Disaster! were very special for me; my mama was in town from California and in the audience! My parents were great about taking me and my big sister to the theatre as kids. When I was five, I saw my first show, The Phantom Of The Opera, at the Ahmanson Theater in Los Angeles. My parents knew this was a big hit musical from New York and wanted to take the family, but they didn't want us to be confused or overwhelmed because we were so young. They bought us the amazing two disc cast album to familiarize ourselves with the story and my sister and I were OBSESSED; we listened to it constantly. They went an unfortunate step further to prepare us for the show and decided to rent the movie to really make sure we knew what was up. You guys, that movie is a horror film. I was five. I nearly pooped my pants when they showed the Phantom's face, but my parents comforted me and said that the musical was not going to be scary. "The Phantom keeps his mask on the whole time!" my mother reassured her terrified daughter. Oh, mom...so sweet, so misinformed. The day of the show arrived. I wore a fancy dress. We had incredible orchestra seats and I remember peaking into the pit and seeing all the musicians before we sat down. Act 1: amazing! Couldn't get enough. Raoul is the dreamiest. Act 2: a little nervous when the Phantom appeared in his skeleton costume after "Masquerade" but whatevs, I was cool! Then it happened. Christine and The Phantom are singing "The Point Of No Return" then BOOM, hood down, mask off, petrified child. I jumped into my mother's lap and spent the remainder of the show staring at the exit sign, dreaming of the moment we would head it's way. For about a year, I genuinely feared that because I liked music, the Phantom would come through my mirror at night and take me away. How I ended up an actor pursuing theatre after my traumatic introduction to musicals, is a hilarious mystery to me!