Jason Mills is Chicago's New 'Phantom of the Opera'

On Thursday, November 29, Jason Mills will slip behind the mask as the elusive Phantom who lurks beneath the stage of the Paris Opera, exercising a reign of terror over all its occupants in The Phantom of the Opera. The U.S. National Tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's international award-winning musical, directed by Harold Prince, is currently playing at the Cadillac Palace Theatre through January 5, 2008.  Mills succeeds John Cudia in the role of The Phantom.

Also featured in the cast are Sara Jean Ford as the young soprano, Christine, Greg Mills as Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny, Kim Stengel as Carlotta Giudicelli, D.C. Anderson as Monsieur André, Bruce Winant as Monsieur Firmin, Rebecca Judd as Madame Giry, John Whitney as Ubaldo Piangi and Polly Baird as Meg.  At certain performances, Sarah Lawrence plays the role of Christine.

Jason Mills returns to the National tour directly from the Broadway cast of Phantom where he was seen as both the Phantom and Raoul.  He was in the original cast of Forbidden Broadway: SVU and can be heard on the cast recording.  New York credits include the Carnegie Hall South Pacific (also the PBS broadcast), Pardon My English and The New Moon (recording) at City Center Encores!, and the new musicals Lonely Rhymes, Illyria, and The Taxi Cabaret for the Prospect Theater Company.  Regional credits include Chris in Miss Saigon at Gateway Playhouse, both men in I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change; Phantom (The Phantom, Yeston/Kopit); Godspell; Camelot (King Arthur); and Fiddler on the Roof.  He has a degree in biology from Harvard University where he was vice president of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals.

The Phantom of the Opera is now playing in Chicago on a limited holiday engagement at the Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 West Randolph St.) through Saturday, January 5, 2008.  

Tickets for The Phantom of the Opera range in price from $28 to $85 and are available at all Broadway In Chicago Box Offices (151 W. Randolph St., 24 W. Randolph St. and 18 W. Monroe St.), by calling Ticketmaster at (312) 902-1400, online at ticketmaster.com, and at all Ticketmaster ticket centers (including Carson Pirie Scott, Hot Tix, select Coconuts and fye stores).  Groups of 20 or more may receive a discount by calling (312) 977-1710.  

For more information, log onto www.broadwayinchicago.com or visit the official The Phantom of the Opera website at www.thephantomoftheopera.com.  

Photo of Jason Mills by Joan Marcus