Michael Patrick Smith CBE (born 19 January 1942),[1] known professionally as Michael Crawford, is an English actor, comedian, and singer. He attended St Michael's, a Catholic school in Bexleyheath which was run by nuns whom Crawford later described as not being shy in their use of corporal punishment. Im from Arizona, and I remember my grandparents taking a road trip to LA to see Michael Crawford in it and telling me all about it. On Saturday 23rd October, the cast of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA celebrated the show's 10,000th . A lot of this business is about trying to fit in to get into the community, and then once you stake a claim, you have to do what sets you apart. Production stage manager Lisa Dawn Cave, TDF Executive Director Victoria Bailey, and accountant Robert Fried are this year's honorees. According to other people, hes sexy. Bens shirt is by Stephen F; bow tie by J. His Broadway credits include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Mr. Salt . What a treat to make that my first. Meanwhile, there is some sleight of-hand going on with the sound and the lights. May 1, 2023, By Aged just two, he and his family escaped across the English Channel in a boat from Nazi occupied Guernsey. [23], He later moved to New Zealand briefly, both to be near his daughter and her family in Australia[24] and to convalesce from his illness. Box 4666, Ventura, CA 93007 Request a Quote: bridal boutiques in brooklyn CSDA Santa Barbara County Chapter's General Contractor of the Year 2014! Watch THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Star Ben Crawford Sing "The - YouTube Howard is this ethereal specter on stage! Zodiac Sign: Ben Crawford is a Gemini. Rosemary Rosie Asheis currently touring in Sister Act, playing the role of Sister Mary Lazarus. The role of Piangi is currently played by Paul Ettore Tabone. What felt unique about your replacement process in Phantom? And worlds apart from the Phantoms I remembered, especially the soft baritone of Michael Crawford. Ben Crawford on Cameo! the ways the show relates to them," says Ben Crawford, who has played the titular character on Broadway . The chandelier still flies into the air (and down again) to the crashing sounds of Andrew Lloyd Webbers organ music; the gondolas still glide; and the gates still crash down in the lair. Her final stage role was as Mrs Potts in Disneys Beauty & The Beast. [3], Crawford made his first stage appearance in the role of Sammy the Little Sweep in his school production of Benjamin Britten's Let's Make an Opera, conducted by Donald Mitchell,[8] which was then transferred to Brixton Town Hall in London. [9] He also participated in the recording of that opera (as Michael Ingram, singing the role of Gay Brook) made that same year, conducted by the composer. The Bad Cinderella choreographer used to be asked, "what are you?" The Bad Cinderella choreographer used to be asked, "what are you?" It has given, I hope, audiences, for the last thirty-five years, an experience that will stay with them for years to come. In 2006, he made a small concert tour of Australia and New Zealand, as well as a one-night benefit to open the LaSalle Bank Theatre in Chicago. John Savident At age nineteen, he was approached to play an American, Junior Sailen, in the film The War Lover (1962), which starred Steve McQueen. For years an accomplished British actor in films, television, and stage musicals, Michael Crawford blossomed into full theater legend in the late 1980s with his impassioned performance as the Phantom in composer Andrew Lloyd Webber ' s production of The Phantom of the Opera. Read about our approach to external linking. "Ben Crawford and Kelsey Connolly Announce Engagement", "Ben Crawford Is Broadway's The Phantom of the Opera Starting April 16", Laird Mackintosh Will Play Phantom of the Opera's Final Broadway Performance; Principal Ben Crawford Sidelined, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ben_Crawford_(singer)&oldid=1152300654, Courfeyrac / Factory Foreman / Brujon / Champmathieu, This page was last edited on 29 April 2023, at 11:39. Hard work, but Hal [Prince, the director] was such a genius in how he gave you enough detail as an actor to find the character, but he didnt give so much that theres a specific form that each actor has to fit into. David Firth Suffice it to say, my daughter loved it. 6. After The War Lover, Crawford briefly returned to the stage and, after playing the lead role in the 1963 British film Two Left Feet, was offered a role in the British television series, Not So Much a Programme, More a Way of Life, as the Mod-style, tough-talking, motorbike-riding Byron. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Elf The Musical is back by huge demand! He played the lead role of The Phantom in the Broadway production of The Phantom of the Opera for five years.. It was like coming home. Sierra Boggess, who will play Christine in the first French version of Phantom, performed the song Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again accompanied by Lord Lloyd-Webber on piano. Ben graduated from FSU with a Bachelor's Degree. "The opening of 'Phantom' was an AIDS benefit and I was on the committee, so I took my mother to the opening," said the humorist. However, he was forced to leave the show three months later because of ill health caused by dehydration resulting from the enormous fat-suit he wore during the performance. "I have to pray I've got a voice tomorrow," Crawford quipped, "we've still got five days to go.". He isnt afraid to do whatever it takes to get what he wants. Sign up for reopening news, announcements, and exclusive discounts on tickets to your favorite shows! Intrigued, Lloyd Webber asked Ian Adam who his student was. The Muny is presenting Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST starring Ashley Blanchet as Belle, Ben Crawford as the Beast, Claybourne Elder as Gaston, Ann Harada as Mrs. Potts, Kelvin Moon Loh as Lumber, Eric Jordan Young as Cogsworth, Holly Ann Butler as Babette, Tommy Bracco as Lefou, Harrison White as Maurice, Debby Lennon as Madame de la Grande Bouche and Michael Hobin as Chip, June 22 - 30, 2023. [23], In 2006, Crawford attended the Gala Performance of the stage version of The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway at the Majestic Theatre to celebrate the show's becoming the longest-running musical in Broadway history (surpassing the run of Cats). "But it's quite expensive," added the show's producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh. At the end of the Second World War, his mother remarried, this time to a grocer, Lionel Dennis "Den" Ingram. Wishing the cast, crew, orchestra and alumni of The Phantom of the Opera an unforgettable closing night. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The Phantom of the Opera has music by Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Charles Hart (with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe), and a book by Stilgoe and Lloyd Webber. It was inspired by a real incident. 'The Phantom of the Opera' closes on Broadway after 35 years After the closing of Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, Crawford continued to perform in plays and musicals, starring in Flowers for Algernon (1979) in the role of Charley Gordon, based on the book of the same title. CA License # A-588676-HAZ / DIR Contractor Registration #1000009744 Justin Crawford, Evan Crawford, and Erin Crawford are his younger siblings. He appeared as the cabin boy John Drake in the television series Sir Francis Drake, a 26-part adventure series made by ITC starring Terence Morgan and Jean Kent. May 1, 2023, By Broadway's 'Phantom of the Opera' plots a cautious return Actors Ben Crawford and Meghan Picerno stand on the stage with fellow cast members after performing on the re-opening night of. Crawford is best known for playing both the hapless Frank Spencer in the sitcom Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em and the title role in the musical The Phantom of the Opera. Ben Crawford Biography | Broadway Buzz | Broadway.com (Photo by Bruce Glikas/Getty Images) So happy Phantom of the Opera returns this fall: It was the last show I saw before COVID The rigging has two motors. He switched his major to theater one year into his studies. 2023 BBC. Ben Crawford (born May 22, 1982) is an American singer and stage actor from Tucson, Arizona. The illustrious group (ranging from title stars to scene-stealing co-stars) was shot at the beautiful West Village restaurant The Spaniard. He replacedBrian d'Arcy Jamesas Shrek during Shrek the Musical's original 2008 Broadway run. He replaced Brian d'Arcy James as Shrek during Shrek the Musical's original 2008 Broadway run. "Don't ask me to tell you those names," he said. Phantom of the Opera Cast Update 2021 - theatregold.com Tell me about your journey with The Phantom of the Opera, from your introduction to the musical to getting the offer to play the title role. When is Ben Crawfords birthday? May 1, 2023, By May 1, 2023, By He originally enrolled at the University of Arizona in their pre-med program, wanting to be a pediatrician. The actor received a standing ovation from a delighted audience as he joined cast members to sing "happy birthday" during a special finale at Her Majesty's Theatre on Monday night. Styling by Jake Sokoloff. ben crawford phantom related to michael crawfordoffice furniture liquidators chicago June 14th, 2022 mazda 3 2021 bose sound system But as the departing "Phantom of the Opera" shows, so does a relatable story. Once you got the gig, where did you start? The silver lining was the joy of introducing one of the best musicals of all time to my daughter, who was 12 at the time. Let Your Fantasies Unwind: Ben Crawford Says the Phantom of the Opera Yoanna Nikolova, Broadway's 'Phantom of the Opera' plots a cautious return Born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, Crawford received a BFA in Music Theatre from the University of Arizona. JUMP TO: Ben Crawfords biography, facts, family, personal life, zodiac, videos, net worth, and popularity. Ben Crawford - Biography - IMDb After creating the role of Meg,Janet Devenish went on to appear as Nicole in The Bakers Wife and is now cultivating the next generation of performers as Head of Tring Park Associates. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? Having been raised under the mantra "follow your dreams" and being told they were special, they tend to be confident and tolerant of difference. [9][10], In 1958 he was hired by the English Opera Group to create the role of Jaffet in another Britten opera, Noye's Fludde, based on the story of Noah and the Great Flood. Steve Barton In 1984, at the final preview of Starlight Express, Crawford happened to run into the show's creator, Andrew Lloyd Webber. At Phantom, its very much business onstage and a lot of fun offstage, but know where that line is and dont push it too much. Hair and makeup by Austin Thornton and Gianna Yanelli. The role of Christine Daa is generally cast with two lead actresses sharing the role. May 1, 2023, By Shrek The Musical (Dec 14, 2008 - Jan . The shows original Phantom, Michael Crawford, was notably absent. Michael Crawford - IMDb [13] Crawford starred in The Jokers (directed by Michael Winner) with Oliver Reed in 1967. His performance led to an invitation to star in a BBC television comedy series about a childlike and eternally haphazard man who causes disaster everywhere he goes. [3] However, he was forced out of the show on April 1, 2023 due to sickness, and his understudy was Laird Mackintosh, who has no relation to Sir Cameron Mackintosh, but similar last names.[4]. 'Phantom of the Opera,' Broadway's Longest-Running Show, to Close ben crawford phantom related to michael crawford Crawford will next be see starring as 'The Wizard' in Andrew Lloyd Webber's upcoming THE WIZARD OF OZ. 5. "I'm in charge of keeping my eye on the electrics of the show," said Lampel, who is one of eight people in his department (the Majestic Theater also has its own house electrician). ben crawford phantom related to michael crawford. Since 1987, he has served as the leader and public face for the British social cause organization the Sick Children's Trust.[2]. He informed Crawford that he was working on a new project based on a Gaston Leroux novel and wanted to know whether he was interested. And at the invite-only performance, it was a whos who of current and former stars of the show. They were instrumental in bringing classical music and musicals into my life. The answer is in this map, Phantom at 30: Tears & Tragedies of the Original London Cast. He has no relation to the originator of the role, Michael Crawford, but they both were Phantoms in 1988 and 2018, and they have the same last names. Tthey are not related, can you believe it?) I saw the show about six years ago. But you also have to get it in your body. [36], Crawford was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1988 and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2014 New Year Honours for charitable and philanthropic services, particularly to children's charities.[38].