BWW Interviews: 'Phantom' Tim Martin Gleason

The music of the night will begin playing again in Atlanta soon, for what could be the last time at the Fabulous Fox. The Phantom of the Opera, the smash hit, mega-musical that has become a worldwide phenomenon and a piece of musical theatre history will make its last stop at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre June 30 – July 18 before closing this November. I had the pleasure to talk about the tour and this beautiful show straight from the mouth of the Phantom himself, Tim Martin Gleason.

Tim, thanks so much for taking the time to talk with me today. I am excited to hear about the show and I know our readers will be too. We are really looking forward to Phantom’s return to Atlanta!

My pleasure.

Tell us about yourself. I understand you have a very interesting story of how you got into the business?

Well, I never thought in a million years of doing this for a living, so I never went down that path as I grew up. I went to school for psychology in college, only because I found it interesting. I didn’t quite know what I wanted to do with my life so I got my psych degree. I went off into business because that is what you did. I had been singing the whole time, in church choir and doing plays in high school and college, but always just for fun. A couple years out of school I was sitting in a dead end job, miserable and I decided I needed to do some theatre again. I figured that was what was missing in my life. So I started auditioning for community theatre, got a few roles and the bug bit me there. It was in New Jersey, so it was connected enough to New York where some people knew some people and they were like, “Hey! you should go.” So I started sticking my foot in New York a little bit. I was singing in a piano bar late one night and there was an agent there and that’s how it all started.

And this is the “farewell” tour of Phantom or sorts, right? How much longer does this tour have left?

The tour itself has been going seventeen years non-stop and they just decided a couple months ago that it was time to close. I think what they may want to do is shelve it for some time, and maybe redesign it to make it a little smaller. It is so expensive to move, with twenty year technology and it takes nineteen trucks to travel the show. With the economy and such, it just doesn’t sell like it used to, so they looked around and said maybe now is a good time to do this. So yeah, the tour is coming to a close in November and its kind of historic.

Does that weigh on you and the rest of the cast knowing you are bringing this phenomenon to a close (at least on the road?)

Yeah, I think it’s a little bittersweet. They told us about four months ago, which is nice. We had a nine month notice, which is more than you could ever ask for, so that was really great so we could process it and enjoy it. I am sure it will get sad at the end, but at the moment it’s business as usual.

And you have a very personal connection to the show, being the actor who has played Raoul the most, correct?

I believe it’s the most in American history, it could be the world. I don’t think they did the research outside the U.S.. But, yes in America I have done the most Raouls.