Rachel Eskenazi-Gold (Christine Alt), Ali Ewoldt (Christine Daaé) and Jordan Donica (Raoul) met with Hal Prince before joining Phantom of the Opera on Broadway on June 13, 2016. Photo courtesy of Phantom of the Opera/Facebook
Newly minted Phantom of the Opera stars Ali Ewoldt and Jordan Donica begin their run as Christine Daaé and Raoul respectively on Monday, June 13 at The Majestic Theatre (247 West 44th Street) in New York.
nbcnews.com: Ali Ewoldt Takes Stage as First Asian-American Female Lead in Broadway’s ‘Phantom’
Ali Ewoldt joins the Broadway Company as its new leading lady, the first Asian American to assume the role of Christine Daaé, the innocent young soprano on Broadway. Margaret Ann Gates was the first Asian American to play Christine in the Toronto company of Phantom in 1997. Ms. Ewoldt made her Broadway debut in 2006 in Mr. Mackintosh’s first Broadway revival of LES MISERABLES as Cosette. She joins direct from playing Tuptim in the Chicago Lyric Opera production of The King & I. She also appeared in the original cast of the current Lincoln Center Theater production. Other credits include Luisa in The Fantasticks (Off-Broadway), Maria in West Side Story (first national tour), Lili in Carnival! (Musicals Tonight) and the national tour of LES MISERABLES. Born outside of Chicago and raised in Pleasantville, NY, she has a BA in Psychology from Yale University.
Jordan Donica will make his Broadway debut in the role of Raoul, the dashing vicomte completing the musical’s leading trio. Regional credits include the title role in Jesus Christ Superstar, Dames at Sea and South Pacific, as well as notably playing Jean Valjean in Otterbein University’s production of LES MISERABLES. Mr. Donica is a native of Indianapolis and a graduate of Otterbein (BFA in Musical Theater, cum laude).
Current ensemble cast member Rachel Eskenazi-Gold will become the production’s new Christine Alternate (one of two cast members that rotate in the leading role). Eskenazi-Gold succeeds Rachel Zatcoff, whose final performance with the show will be June 11.
Continuing in their roles are current star James Barbour (The Phantom) and co-stars Laird Mackintosh (Monsieur André), Craig Bennett (Monsieur Firmin), Michele McConnell (Carlotta), Rebecca Eichenberger (Madame Giry), John Easterlin (Piangi) and Kara Klein (Meg Giry).
Based on the classic novel Le Fantôme de L’Opéra by Gaston Leroux, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA tells the story of a masked figure who lurks beneath the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it. He falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine, and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her extraordinary talents and by employing all of the devious methods at his command.
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is produced by Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group, has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and is directed by Harold Prince. Lyrics are by Charles Hart (with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe) and the book is by Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has production design by the late Maria Björnson, lighting by Andrew Bridge and sound design by Mick Potter with original sound by Martin Levan. Musical staging and choreography is by Gillian Lynne. Orchestrations are by David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
The performance schedule for THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is Monday evenings at 8, Tuesday evenings at 7, Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 8, with matinees on Thursdays and Saturdays at 2. Ticket prices range from $27 – $155 with Premium Tickets also available. To order tickets, visit www.Telecharge.com or call (212) 239-6200. A daily digital lottery with $28 tickets for all performances is available by visiting www.PhantomBroadwayLottery.com
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Lia Chang. Photo by Garth Kravits
Lia Chang is an actor, a multi-media content producer and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films, making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Bev’s Girl Films’ debut short film, Hide and Seek was a top ten film in the Asian American Film Lab’s 2015 72 Hour Shootout Filmmaking Competition, and she received a Best Actress nomination. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers, musicians and corporations. Lia is also an internationally published and exhibited photographer, a multi-platform journalist, and a publicist. Lia has appeared in the films Wolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman and Hide and Seek. She is profiled in Examiner.com, Jade Magazine and Playbill.com.
