“The Phantom of the Opera” is the longest-running musical in Broadway history.
So, Franc D’Ambrosio had the idea of teaming four actors who have played the Phantom in the past as a concert tour.
The Four Phantoms will appear in concert at 8 p.m. April 21 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel.
Brent Barrett played the Phantom in a Las Vegas production for two years.
“I also went over to Germany and had to learn it in German,” Barrett said. “I did the show for six months.”
Barrett has known D’Ambrosio, who had a 6 1/2-year run as the Phantom on Broadway, for many years. D’Ambrosio held the title of world’s longest-running Phantom for more than a decade.
Barrett and D’Ambrosio have been part of the Four Phantoms since its start. D’Ambrosio emailed Barrett about the Four Phantoms concept while Barrett was performing in Germany.
Barrett told him it was a great idea and would love to be part of it. John Cudia and Ciarán Sheehan have replaced the two other original Four Phantom members.
“We’re drawing from all of our careers, as well, as we’ve added a new section,” Barrett said. “I’m hesitant to say pop, but it’s not strictly Broadway.”
Barrett said there are a lot of four-part arrangements for the material that musical director Ryan Shirar arranges, and their solo songs.
Barrett sings a number from “Chicago” because he played Billy Flynn in that show.
Cudia is the only actor to have performed as both as the Phantom and Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables” on Broadway.
“Anyone coming is not going to be disappointed as far as there not being enough ‘Phantom’ material,” Barrett said. “It’s dispersed through the evening, and there is a large chunk later in the show. We also tell stories about our lives and how the music connects to us.”
Barrett said “The Phantom of the Opera” was a musical he always wanted to do.
“When I heard that they would be doing it in Las Vegas, I sent Hal Prince an email,” Barrett said, “I went and sang for (composer) Andrew (Lloyd Webber). You jump through the hoops, and they offered it to me. It’s important simply because of the historical context of this monumental show and me having been a part of it in some way. I’m from a little town in Kansas, and I’d never thought I’d live anywhere but New York City. When I came out to Vegas at a certain point in my life, I realized there’s a big world outside of New York and it kind of just gave me a glimpse into a life that I could have after New York, and so simply for that, I’m very grateful.”
For more, visit thecenterpresents.org and fourphantomsinconcert.com.
