Sandra Joseph: Dream a Little (or Colossal) Dream

Sandra Joseph thanks her lucky stars--and her hair--every time she crosses the stage anew as Christine in The Phantom of the Opera. The actress and singer, who began dreaming of the role when the Andrew Lloyd Webber epic was in its salad days, is now preparing for the record-breaking January 9, 2006 performance. Years after her own first glimpses of Phantom, as an audience member, then an understudy, and finally a replacement on the Great White Way, she is about to be a record breaker herself as the beloved musical's longest-running leading lady. What does it feel like to have such a fantasy come true? Here, Joseph divulges her feelings about the show she chased down out of love on the occasion of its Big Day.

"You were once my one companion
You were all that mattered
You were once a friend and father
Then, my world was shattered
Wishing you were somehow here again
Wishing you were somehow near…"

I sat up straighter in musical theater class as someone playing the part of a daughter, sang at her beloved father's grave. My father was still with me, thank God, but just imagining the circumstances made my heart nosedive straight to my toes. After class, I approached the singer to find out what show it was from. "The Phantom of the Opera," she said. "It just opened on Broadway. There's a great role in it for you. You have the same hair as Christine!" It was the late eighties.

It would be years before I'd have the chance to see Phantom for myself, and by the time I did, the buzz about the show had spread across the country like wildfire. A trip to New York was out of the question on my college budget, but I simply couldn't wait any longer. I made the road trip from my hometown in suburban Detroit to Toronto and bought the least expensive seat in the house. Colm Wilkinson and Rebecca Caine starred. Although she was the size of an amoeba from my obstructed view, my attention was drawn like a laser beam to Christine. I was so moved by her plight, her music-and my hair was just like hers! It didn't occur to me back then that the actors might be wearing wigs. I walked out of the theater that night dreaming that I might get to play Christine someday…at a community theater, or if I was really lucky, a professional theater somewhere in Michigan.

My personal lord and savior Oprah Winfrey says, "God can dream a bigger dream for you than you can for yourself." Preach, sister. Ain't it the truth.

I saw two more Christines before becoming a Phantom cast member. I saw Dale Kristien at the Ahmanson in L.A., and when I finally scrounged enough money to move to New York, I caught Tracey Shayne from a $15 standing room spot at the back of the Majestic.

If any of these girls are at the record-breaking performance on January 9, I hope they will sign my Playbills.

It's hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that I have now played Christine on Broadway longer than gulp anyone in the history of the longest running show in history. Oh, my!

Now, I am nobody's Pollyanna, and I will tell you truthfully that although I have felt blessed every day for the opportunity, there have been times when playing Christine has felt to me like running a marathon. In four-inch Jimmy Choos. Uphill.

Legendary actress Julie Harris was a Kennedy Center honoree this year, and she was quoted as saying, "[Performing in a long run] is like climbing the rock-face of a mountain. It requires determination and stamina…" I would add the following requirements:

A team of caring supervisors that keep you afloat when you're going under. Talented, inspiring actors can you say Howard McGillin? with whom to play. Oh, yeah, and it doesn't hurt to have Hal Prince at the helm.

Phantom has always been well cared for, but I have never seen the kind of TLC that has been lavished upon it of late. Hours of rehearsals, new costumes, wigs, props…on January 9, everyone and everything at the Majestic will be manicured, pedicured, salt-scrubbed, seaweed-wrapped and dressed to the nines.

This show has not only changed my life; it has given me the life that I love. In 1997, while on the national tour, I met Ron Bohmer, who joined the cast to play the Phantom. On June 1, 2002, he became my husband. Nowadays, Ron walks me to the Majestic Stage Door, kisses me and says, "have a good show, love." Then, he walks 50 feet down 45th street to the Marriott Marquis stage door, where he is starring in Andrew Lloyd Webber's newest show, The Woman in White.

Ron will be in the audience when Phantom breaks the record, along with my mom, dad, and sister, who will be flying in from Michigan for the gala.

Before the historic performance, I'm going to take a walk to the back of the theater and stand in the very spot where I watched the show from standing room so many years ago.

God can dream a bigger dream for you than you can dream for yourself. Believe it.