‘Phantom' lights up Gammage Auditorium

Sean McLaughlin remembered seeing Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Phantom of the Opera,” when he was a child, and it changed his life forever.

“I was so flabbergasted and overwhelmed at the sets, music and storyline,” said McLaughlin. “This show made me sit back and say, ‘I want to act on stage for a living.’”

McLaughlin portrays Raoul, the Phantom’s rival, in the national tour of the hit musical, which stops Tuesday at Arizona State University’s Gammage Auditorium. From the famous chandelier scene to the masquerade ball, the actor always has enjoyed those elements of the show, even though he now knows the secrets.

“Those are some of the reasons why I fell in love with the show,” he said. “And now to be in it, I’ve definitely lost a little of the magic. It’s like going to Disney World and seeing Mickey Mouse without the costume, but I’m so proud to be in the show.”

Set in a Paris opera house, the musical follows a beautiful soprano, Christine Daaé, who becomes the obsession of a mysterious, disfigured musical genius known as the Phantom. Popular songs include “The Music of the Night,” “All I Ask of You” and “The Phantom of the Opera.”

Webber’s musical is still playing after 21 years in New York as the longest-running production in Broadway history. There also are a number of international versions, a 2004 film and the current U.S. national tour that features McLaughlin.

“The musical has a gorgeous, flowing sound and some unforgettable numbers, and that’s what makes it a memorable show,” he said.

In addition to “Phantom of the Opera,” McLaughlin has performed in Webber’s musical “The Woman in White” on Broadway. He’s always loved the composer’s music and jumped at the chance to be part of the national tour when it was offered to him.

“I remember singing parts from (“Phantom”) in my kitchen when my parents weren’t at home, so I couldn’t imagine not being here,” he said.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: “The Phantom of the Opera.”
WHEN: Oct. 28 to Nov. 22.
WHERE: Gammage Auditorium, 1200 S. Forest Drive, Arizona State University, Tempe.
COST: $25 - $83.50.
TICKETS: Ticketmaster, 480-784-4444 or www.ticketmaster.com; or Gammage, 480-965-3434 or www.asugammage.com.