A demanding 'Phantom'

As Phantom of the Opera returns to the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, its lead actor tells how he endures a role with so many emotional and physical challenges.

Compiled from staff, wire reports

© St. Petersburg Times, published December 17, 2000

Make no mistake: Having the title role of The Phantom of the Opera is more than singing and dancing across the stage for 21/2 hours.

Yes, each performance is that long, but the role of the Phantom is doubly demanding.

"It's emotionally and physically exhausting," said Ted Keegan, who portrays the Phantom in the touring company of the international hit musical opening Wednesday at Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center for a run of three-plus weeks. It's the third time the production has played the center.

"It's an emotional roller coaster. It's one of those great roles out there in which you must run the whole gamut of emotions. The character itself is a journey from the depths of despair to the heights of ecstasy.

"On top of that you're climbing ladders, crawling across the floor. You're yelling, you're screaming," he said.

Keegan performs the Phantom in full costume and in heavy makeup. Part of his makeup is a bald cap, a piece of latex that covers his head. That cap is a surface on which wigs are attached.

Some of the time on stage the Phantom wears a fedora. And, of course, there's the half-mask.

That means Keegan retains more body heat than the other actors, and that intensifies the exhaustion factor.

To head off exhaustion, he drinks bottles of water offstage during each performance.

He also must stay in shape. "I definitely lose weight and that's why hitting the gym every day on the road is important," Keegan said.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical premiered in 1986, with Michael Crawford originating the title role, and continues to run in London, New York and road shows. It is based on Gaston Leroux's 19th century novel of the same name and tells the story of a masked figure who lurks in the catacombs of the Paris Opera House.

The Phantom terrorizes everyone who inhabits his domain. Then he falls in love with Christine Daae, an innocent young soprano. He devotes himself to fostering her talents and using his devious methods to make her a star.

In the touring company, Rebecca Pitcher portrays Christine. Pitcher performed the role on Broadway 30 times before joining the road production in April 1999.

Keegan said he had performed Phantom with Pitcher in his previous experience with the touring company.

"It was terrific to rejoin this company (in March) knowing Rebecca would be here. We have a great chemistry together, a great time on stage. We enjoy working off one another," he said.

Also in the cast is John Cudia as Raoul, Christine's childhood friend, who resurfaces as the opera's rich new patron. Raoul falls in love with her the moment he sees and hears her perform.

Keegan portrayed the Phantom in the New York production off and on since 1995.

This is the fourth Broadway show Keegan has appeared in. He covered seven characters in the short-lived musical Cyrano and he covered a lead role in Camelot. In addition, he sang the role of Anthony in Sweeney Todd.

"For me, the role of the Phantom creates diversity," he said. "People can see that I did this, this and this, and say that he is well-rounded, capable of doing many different things."

A native of Watertown, N.Y., Keegan grew up in a musical family. In the sixth grade he began singing solos with a local choral society. Later, he sang in choirs and community theater shows, took voice lessons and learned to play the piano.

Keegan attended Ithaca College, earning a bachelor's degree in vocal performance.

From there he moved to New York City. For the first two years in the Big Apple he auditioned constantly while working odd jobs.

Keegan has the distinction of having sung Music of the Night in front of the largest live audience. That occurred during the halftime show of the 1998 NBA All-Star Game in Madison Square Garden.

He was pulled up into the center of the scoreboard over the court and made a spectacular wire-assisted flying entrance to the floor below as he sang the Phantom's signature number.

The musical itself is a mighty spectacle, with its crashing half-ton chandelier.

"It is one of those pieces that has something for everyone in the audience -- beautiful music, a love story, gorgeous costumes and pyrotechnics," Keegan said.

- Information from the Albuquerque Journal was used in this report.

Theater preview

The Phantom of the Opera opens Wednesday and runs through Jan. 13 at Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. The Wednesday and Thursday performances are previews, with discounted tickets from $17 to $60. Regular tickets are $27 to $70. (813) 229-7827 or (800) 955-1045.

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