So, when I went back in time to play my younger self, I knew those seeds were always there.”Ī common criticism of Phantom is often a reduction of Christine’s character: she is too naive, too docile, too weak. “Living her future first, knowing who she becomes…not everyone has the seeds to blossom into such a strong powerful woman, mother, world-class-diva. It was a great responsibility, but the past five years had left Picerno more than prepared.Īlthough Phantom’s original director, Hal Prince, often reminded her that Christine in Phantom does not know her future the way that Picerno does, she still carried some wisdom with her into the role. As Phantom and the world around it shut down, Picerno and her cast members were faced initially with the challenge of navigating the pandemic as artists in isolation, and eventually in 2021, reuniting to pick back up one of Broadway’s most iconic shows after a year-and-a-half-long absence broke a 32-year-streak of performances. With extensive experience singing many of the scores that a real-life Christine Daaé would have, both Picerno’s voice and perspective give a stunning sense of realism to her Christine.įans had rallied for Picerno to join the Broadway cast for years, unaware their wishes would finally be granted just four months before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Surprisingly, her background in opera sets her apart from the status quo of Broadway Christines, whose repertoires are often rooted in musical theatre. The feisty, confident Christine to usher in this new era for Phantom is “phan”-favorite Meghan Picerno, whose life has been a full-circle whirlwind of Phantom since 2017, when she took on the role of Christine in the Love Never Dies National Tour, before joining the Phantom of the Opera World Tour as Christine in 2019.Ī dazzling coloratura soprano, Picerno first appeared onstage in operas such as Die Zauberflöte (Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall) but eventually made the transition into theatre when she was cast in the Hal Prince-directed Candide at New York City Opera. Not only had Phantom returned, it had reawakened with a fresh air of rejuvenation in its 33rd year. When the curtain of the Majestic Theatre finally rose again on October 22nd, 2021, Senator Chuck Schumer, onstage with Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh, declared that “Broadway isn’t back until Phantom is back.” Those words were met with a roaring response from the packed-house, and a vital part of our world was alive once again. As Broadway’s longest running show, many would argue that Phantom of the Opera is intrinsic to New York City theatre culture.
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