Joan Marcus/Courtesy

A  creepy, deformed, obsessive murderer who happens to have an awesome singing voice. Now, that's the kind of role a Broadway actor can really sink his teeth into.

Jason Mills has been playing the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber's “The Phantom of the Opera” for about 2.61/2 years, first on Broadway and now on a national tour. As the Phantom, Mills plays a crazed musical genius who terrorizes the Paris Opera House. He becomes obsessed with the ingénue Christine (Sara Jean Ford), and a bizarre love triangle forms when she falls in love with another man (Raoul, played by Greg Mills, no relation).

“The Phantom of the Opera,” the longest-running show in Broadway history, hits the Majestic Theatre for a 26-day run as part of the Broadway Across America-San Antonio series.

Jessica Belasco | 210SA contributor
 

You've had a lot of roles in your career. Are there any unique challenges to playing the Phantom?

It's very different from other things that I've done. It's very vocally demanding. Having the mask on is a unique challenge.

How does wearing the mask and prosthetics change your acting?

It puts a lot into your vocal inflections. You put a lot into the timbre of your voice. Hand movements and body language are important, too.

How do you get into the role of the Phantom?

Emotionally, it's kind of out there beyond the emotions that a normal person experiences. Everything he feels is so intense, it's hard to access that. It takes a while to get down to the experience of the Phantom. It's just trying to imagine yourself in those circumstances and get yourself into that intense, dark, needy place.

You've also played the part of Raoul in the Broadway production. Which do you prefer?

The Phantom is definitely the most fun. He's just so out there, and you get to run around and do things you don't normally do.

What sort of reaction do you get when you tell people you play the Phantom of the Opera?

They're usually pretty excited about it. Everybody knows about the Phantom. In terms of name recognition, it's the best that you do.

It's an interesting role because even though you're the star, you're not even onstage until well into the show. Are you just sitting backstage in your underwear?

I'm usually having my makeup put on.

How long does that take?

A little over 45 minutes, 50 minutes.

What's it like to play such a well-known role that someone like Michael Crawford made famous?

It's definitely a challenge because it's so iconic that a bunch of people have some preconceived notions, but the director gives me a great amount of freedom. I think people will see I do some things pretty differently from other Phantoms they've seen. And it changes night to night. I think I've definitely managed to make it my own. I've seen probably six or seven different people play the Phantom, and I've stolen little bits from all of them.

What's your favorite song?

My favorite scene is the last scene, which we call “The Final Lair,” but it's not really a song. It's a dialogue sung back and forth. It's the most fun part of the show for me.

I guess you're pretty sick of “Music of the Night.”

Not yet, not yet. Ask me in another year or two.