As of September 7, Hugh will return to "The Phantom of The Opera" in the title role.

http://www.broadway.com/shows/the-phantom-of-the-opera/buzz/153294/hugh-panaro-and-sara-jean-ford-to-assume-leads-in-broadways-the-phantom-of-the-opera/

GAH!!!! I screamed when I saw this!!! ...my mom who I was on the phone with was NOT happy about the screaming but got excited when I told her what I was screaming about XD We saw Hugh when we was in Les Miserables in Philly (after we waiting since Lestat closed [and I saw u/s Drew Sarich in Hugh's role XD]) and she's now also a fan. She said I may be going to see him, since his Phantom is my FAVORITE, for my 19th birthday in early October XD

Anyone know how long he'll be in it? Or is it open ended as of now?

This makes me incredibly happy.

Yay! This is such good news

So excited about this news!!

And is this a new headshot? Cause I love it! (Finally it's something other than the one taken for the Barbara tour or the rose one!)

Definitely a new photo...and I love it.

The news has made for a crazy, crazy day...so many messages and e-mails.

I'm in love with the new headshot, seriously. And Hugh being back in Phantom makes me want to run back to NYC as soon as I possibly can. I'm so extremely excited. !

I'll be adding this to the site tomorrow morning, but I'm terribly glad to finally have a clear copy of this video of Hugh being interviewed about Phantom.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMV-XYi-RX8

I remember that video from 2005...it was the first time I'd see Hugh Panaro as himself and not in character and I remember thinking he seemed like a sweet guy.

And a screencap from it was the very first picture on the original front page of the site when it launched that August.

Props to RUG for updating the new cast lists on the official Phantom site:

http://www.thephantomoftheopera.com/new_york/meet_the_people/cast/hugh_panaro2010.php

here's to wishing Hugh many broken legs tonight for his first show back! (And Sarah Jean Ford as well!)

A really terrific interview at Broadway.com

http://www.broadway.com/shows/the-phantom-of-the-opera/buzz/153457/masked-man-hugh-panaro-on-his-20-year-history-in-the-phantom-of-the-opera/

A fan sent me a pirated tape of my last performance, and I listened to myself pretty objectively.

You know, when I first saw Next to Normal Off-Broadway one of my first thoughts was that Hugh would be a perfect actor to play the husband opposite Alice Ripley.

Cape Twirl wrote:

A fan sent me a pirated tape of my last performance, and I listened to myself pretty objectively.

You know, when I first saw Next to Normal Off-Broadway one of my first thoughts was that Hugh would be a perfect actor to play the husband opposite Alice Ripley.

I sort of thought of Hugh for the husband role back when I first heard about that show...around the time he did Artspeak. But he'd just announced he was going back to Seattle for Sunday In The Park so it was just a passing thought.

I cannot wait to hear all the details from tonight's performance...and I know BWW is doing photos, too.

Hugh says Hi! There were several professional photographers there tonight so be on the lookout for photos of the curtain call & after party.

Hugh was (as Seth would say) ah-mahzing! Best MOTN I have *ever* heard. He *really* sexed it up, his voice going almost guttural at times. Very seductive. This was also the first time he's performed with the new sound system, so that added to how incredible it sounded. *Loved* Sarah Jean Ford! What a beautiful voice! Everyone in the cast & crew are so lovely, they had a nice welcome back party for the both of them, very sweet.

This was the first time I'd properly seen the show in quite a long time! The last time I saw Phantom was Howard's last and that was from standing room. Before that was the tour in SF, from the very last row of the Mezz. It was awesome to be right back in it again, front row center (right behind the conductor!), to experience Hugh's triumphant return.



(Unbeknownst to me, the battery in my camera had run out as I hadn't used it in a month, but luckily my new cell phone has a good camera.)