Tonight is the 22nd anniversary of the Broadway opening of Phantom. And for the second year in a row, I’m stuck in Minneapolis while it’s being celebrated. Until last year I had been to every anniversary party since the 8th year.
There are lots of exciting things going on in my life and career right now, but Phantom has been the greatest constant in my life — I have worked there longer than I’ve known any of my friends, longer than I have lived in any home. So while I’m having a great time here, this one particular day of the year is the day when I feel like I should be at the Majestic to connect with something that has been so much a part of my life, and to share in celebrating its success with the people past and present who I have experienced it with.
I have a couple friends texting me from the party at the “Travelator Bar and Grill,” which is the traditional name for a party on stage, with the travelator bridge brought down to waist height, with the railings folded down, which makes for a handy automated buffet table. I had made a habit of taking blurry camera-phone pictures of the cake every year for the last few years, and I was just sent a picture of tonight’s (albeit half-eaten) cake:
Also, in my reflections on this historic event while I was in the shower this morning (where all great reflections come from), I did some math and realized that this coming June will mark my 15th year with the show, and surely that deserves some kind of huge retrospective on this site. As many of the photos of my early years are in non-digital format, this will require digging around for pictures and memorabilia during the relatively narrow windows when I’m at home. Preparations must begin soon. The real celebration I’ve been aware of for probably more than a decade will be the following year, when I will have worked on the show for half my life. I remember doing the math on that many years ago, and wondering if it was possible that the show could run that long. I’m not in the slightest bit concerned now. Who would have ever thought?
Anyway, a very happy anniversary to all my friends, and all members of the Phantom Phamily, past and present, and those who are no longer with us, who have been such a source of support and inspiration to me throughout my life.