The Phantom has been unmasked. In the historical surroundings of Benedict House in Queanbeyan, producer Anne Somes announced the stars of Free-Rain Theatre Company's 2013 Canberra premiere production of The Phantom of the Opera on Tuesday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
They will be Julie Lea Goodwin as Christine, and Michael Cormick playing the title role. Both performers showed off their vocal chops at the launch with ringing renditions of Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again, The Music of the Night and All I Ask of You.
Not that their credentials were in doubt. Cormick, who is 49, played the romantic lead, Raoul, in the Andrew Lloyd Webber megahit musical in London for two and a half years, and sang a couple of the Phantom's songs in the touring production The Music of Andrew Lloyd Web-ber that came to Canberra last year. He said modestly he thought that might have helped him land the role.
"It's perfect timing for me," he said.
And Cormick was interested in exploring the character's complexity and humanity: the Phantom is a mysterious masked man with a tragic past who lives beneath the opera house in Paris and becomes obsessed with the young singer Christine.
Goodwin, 25, is returning to the role with which she made her professional debut at 19, touring with the show for two years and 200 performances. It will be her first time performing in Canberra.
She said, "It's such a beautiful role to perform, it's got an amazing dramatic journey, beautiful soaring melodies and an element of dance in there as well."
Both actors have been busy recently – she playing Grace in Annie and Maria in West Side Story, he with film and television projects as well as playing Daddy Warbucks in the same production of Annie (but on a different part of the tour: their paths did not cross).
Somes also announced the director would be Mark Grentell, whose professional musical theatre credits include working as assistant director on Doctor Zhivago and resident director on Rock of Ages. Other key talents have been sourced from Canberra: musical director will be Ian McLean, the choreographer will be Jacqui Richards, the head of design Cate Clelland and the lighting and sound designer will be Chris Neal. Auditions for the other roles in the show will take place next year.
And how will they create the shows' special effects, especially the renowned chandelier? Everyone was coy on this point, but Cormick said, "Of course there'll be a chandelier; there has to be a chandelier."
We'll just have to wait and see.
The Phantom of the Opera is on at The Canberra Theatre Centre from August 9 to 18, 2013. Tickets $47.50-$81.75. Bookings: 6275 2700 or canberraticketing.com.au
