| ~ Fascination with the Phantom ~ |
| It all began when I was about 5 years old. My parents had taken me to a bizarre form of dinner theatre in San Diego where the entertainer was an organist. This fellow began his show by coming onstage as the Phantom. He was dressed in a cloak and mask and was very menacing as he launched right into Bach's "Tocatta and Fugue." He played with such ferocity, employing all of Erik's passion into Bach's music, that it was terrifying and yet tantalizing at the same time. |
 |
 |
| Years later, I saw the Lon Chaney silent film of Gaston Leroux's story. Then, in 1988, came word of Andrew Lloyd Webber's new musical, "The Phantom of the Opera." The show was on its way to New York, and so was I! I had been accepted to a fine arts school in Manhattan, and I couldn't wait to hit Broadway! Two weeks after arriving in Manhattan, I went to the Majestic Theatre to see "Phantom." I was in the back of the theatre (standing room only), so I missed a good deal of the action that took place at balcony level, but I still got the gist of it. Timothy Nolen was my first Phantom, and he was incredible! He had taken over for Michael Crawford, who was preparing for the LA production. Nolen's portrayal was acclaimed for being more of a "living gargoyle," a darker, more sinister Phantom than Crawford's Angel of Music. I thought Mr. Nolen was quite exquisite, and I instantly fell in love with "Erik." |
| Timothy Nolen & Patti Cohenour |
| I must admit that after seeing ALW's "Phantom" once, I was not quite clear on all apsects of the story, so I went out and bought the soundtrack and Gaston Leroux's novel. I played the tape so much that it eventually broke (thank God for CDs). I also threw myself into the novel, delighting in the high drama of Leroux's story. I could not get the Phantom out of my mind, so I returned to the Majestic Theatre 10 more times to indulge in my "phan phetish." For my birthday, my parents took me to Los Angeles to see Michael Crawford's performance as the Phantom. It was a dream come true. He was amazing! I was completely hypnotized by his every move. Even when he was not onstage, I kept thinking, Where is he? When will he return? He was magnificent beyond words. Truly, my favorite Phantom. |
 |
| Michael Crawford |
| When I finished school in NY, I was offered a position with a theatre troupe in PA that was doing a tribute to gothic horror novels. My task was to condense Gaston Leroux's novel into a 20 minute show, which was a bit daunting to say the least. The director also wanted me to write a special monologue for Eric, detailing the adventures of his youth. So I started rereading Leroux's story, and I also discovered Susan Kay's novel, "Phantom," which completely captivated me. It was incredible! A must-read for any phan! These two sources provided me with all I needed to bring Eric to life as best I could. And the cherry on the cake was that I was cast as Christine. Shortly thereafter I came upon the marvelous online literature known as "phanfic." Of course I discovered this after I had written my script, but I didn't care. I was delighted with the Erik-Christine resolutions that "phans" were concocting. My most favorite was Cara Liane's / Lilith Sedai's "Flight of Angels," which was absolute Heaven! Sadly, I believe "Flight of Angels" is no longer on the internet, but I am always hopeful that it will miraculously return. Having dabbled in my own rescripting of Eric's story, it wasn't long before I began writing my own phanfic. I was greatly inspired by other online authors and by my own imagination. And since I'm an actor as well as a writer, I wanted to explore each character's point of view. I believe I've gone as far as I can on that front, so I've turned my writing towards short plays and stories, screenplays, and I'm even toying with the idea of writing a full length novel. It's not Phantom-based, but I do tip my hat to the Phantom and the great inspiration he has provided. |
 |
 |
| I've been living in NY for a while now and I'm always thrilled with the various "appearances" of the Phantom. His mask is on posters everywhere - on buses, in subways - and he and Christine even graced the recent issue of Time Out NY. I've also had the unique experience, since I'm an actress and singer, of meeting various Christines at other auditions. These actresses have all had interesting tales to tell, but I feel I must respect their privacy. Even the original Christine had her secrets, didn't she? So journey forth! I hope you will enjoy this little realm of phanfic. Best Wishes, ~ L.D. |
 |
| The Phantom's Masquerade |
| About the Authoress |