'Phantom of the Opera'

Jason Fraley celebrates the 40th anniversary of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera,” which made its world premiere on the West End in London on this date in 1986 before setting the record as the longest-running show in Broadway history with nearly 14,000 performances. Jason spoke with lead actress Julia Udine backstage at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. in 2016 -- in between her two stints playing Christine Daaé on Broadway, first from 2014-2016, then from 2021-2023. Stick around until the end for a bonus laugh with Gerard Butler, who played The Phantom of the Opera in the 2004 film version. (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion")