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Tim Martin Gleason To Become The 'Man Behind the Mask' for 'PHANTOM' US National Tour
By: Eddie Varley Mar. 30, 2009
On Tuesday, May 26, Tim Martin Gleason will return to the U.S. National Tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera and, for the first time, slip behind the mask as the elusive Phantom who lurks beneath the stage of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all its occupants. The international award-winning musical, directed by Harold Prince, is currently at the Music Hall in Kansas City through April 19.
Also featured in the cast are Trista Moldovan as the young soprano, Christine Daaé; Sean MacLaughlin as Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny; Kim Stengel as Carlotta Giudicelli; D.C. Anderson as Monsieur André; Michael McCoy as Monsieur Firmin; John Whitney as Ubaldo Piangi and Jessi Ehrlich as Meg. At certain performances, Kelly Jeanne Grant plays the role of Christine.
Chosen by the Creative Team to be Raoul for the record-breaking Broadway performance, he has a long history with the show, having first joined the National Tour in 2001. He quickly moved from the Ensemble to Raoul, which he played on tour for three years from March 2002 to May 2005. He joined the Broadway production as Raoul on May 27, 2005, taking a year-long leave (beginning April 2006) to open the new Vegas production as Raoul in the original cast. Following his time in Vegas, he returned to the Broadway Company on September 21, 2007 as Raoul, also covering the role of The Phantom and will play his final performance in New York on April 23, 2009.
With his time in the three Companies, Gleason holds the honor of the longest-running Raoul in North America for a combined total of 7 years and more than 2,600 performances.
Mr. Gleason succeeds John Cudia in the role of The Phantom. John leaves the coveted role to celebrate the birth of his newborn child with wife and actress, Kathy Voytko.The longest-running show in Broadway history (a feat it achieved in 2006 when it surpassed the then-record run of Cats), THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is the winner of 7 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Since its Broadway debut on January 26, 1988, the musical has grossed over $715 million, making it the highest-grossing show in Broadway history. Having since surpassed Cats' record by a phenomenal 3 years and 1,300 performances, it has now played over 8,800 performances - the only show in Broadway history to do so - and all with no end in sight.
Its international success - equally staggering - is represented by total worldwide grosses estimated at over $5 billion. This colossal figure makes PHANTOM the most successful entertainment venture of all time, surpassing not only any other stage production, but also far surpassing the world's highest-grossing film Titanic (at $1.2 billion) and such other blockbusters as The Lord of the Rings, Jurassic Park and Star Wars. Worldwide attendance is over 80 million people. Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber recently confirmed that he has greenlit production on a sequel to the show, Phantom: Love Never Dies.
Based on the classic novel Le Fantôme de L'Opéra by Gaston Leroux, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA tells the story of a masked figure who lurks beneath the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it. He falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine, and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her extraordinary talents and by employing all of the devious methods at his command.
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and is directed by Harold Prince. Lyrics are by Charles Hart (with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe) and the book is by Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has production design by the late Maria Björnson, lighting by Andrew Bridge and sound by Martin Levan. Musical staging and choreography is by Gillian Lynne. Orchestrations are by David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
The Phantom of the Opera U.S. National Tour upcoming schedule is as follows:
NOW through April 19, 2009
Kansas City, MO
Music Hall
www.broadwayacrossamerica.com/kansascity
April 22 - May 10, 2009
Hartford, CT
The Bushnell
May 13 - June 7, 2009
Minneapolis, MN
The Orpheum Theatre
www.hennepintheatredistrict.org
June 10 - July 5, 2009
Charlotte, NC
The Belk Theatre
July 8 - August 2, 2009
Houston, TX
Hobby Center
www.broadwayacrossamerica.com/houston
August 5 - August 30, 2009
Milwaukee, WI
Uihlein Hall
September 8 - September 27, 2009
Detroit, MI
Detroit Opera House
September 30 - October 25, 2009
St. Louis, MO
The Fox
For more information, visit the official The Phantom of the Opera website at www.thephantomoftheopera.com.
Photo by Joan Marcus
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