Thank you, Katarina for that wonderful explanation. Believe I had heard before that the Phantom (although pitied) was not the good person we think he is (such as played by Claude Rains and Herbert Lom). Rather more like the somewhat corrupted Lon Chaney portrayal, but Lon Chaney is a force to behold in any of his films.

Lon Chaney, Sr. that is.

I haven't read the origional Leroux in the origional french, but i've read some good translations. O.G. is definently the hero.

This is my favorite musical, I firmly believe that hte Phantom is hte hero of the play, as he was only trying to help Christine achieve her greatness in the theater. He was the one that helped her at least get to the point in her career where she can be recognized. She was also the only one that didnt run away from him when she was with him. This was a classical love story.

not quite classical, but seeming so.

Has anyone read Phantom? I can't remember the author, but it's Erik's story, from birth to beyond his death, told by his mother and him and a few other people, very very good.

You mean Phantom by Susan Kay, right? I have read it and I loved it =)

Yah, that's the one I meant...didn't it explain so much? It might even be better than the origonal.

Hello.... Does anybody come here anymore? Echo...echo....echo....

Hi! I don't know if anyone is out there.... I read the book, saw the musical AND saw the Wishbone version!!! LOL

Yeah, Susan Kay's "Phantom" was wonderful. I couldn't put it down

I just saw this musical on Broadway and I loved it! The music is great, and the story, it really makes you think about stuff.....

I just signed on Russell and you look like I can talk to you! Did you read the book?

Anyone interested in discussing the play, we have a separate area you might like to visit. Just click the link on the left of this page for "Stage".

I love this show...I think it's beautiful. Anyways I just saw this dollhouse of POTO and it was LOVELY...I wish I had made it...

For somebody who asked what the Wishbone version was like, it was very concise and condensed because they told the story in about 10 minutes. Wishbone played the phantom of course.