Since Michael Crawford performed the title role in The Phantom of the Opera’s Broadway opening in January 1988, there have been 12 actors who have played the starring role. Although the actors differed with the performances, the same woman has been behind all the men’s masks: make-up artist Thelma Pollard.
Make-up Artist Magazine went backstage with photographer Michael Loccisano to meet, watch and capture these images as Thelma worked on Phantom’s current star Hugh Panaro. Hugh is the 12th Phantom, but he was also the 10th (in 1999) for just a few months when he was snatched to star in the title role of Martin Guerre, before returning in 2003 as the Phantom.
If audiences could peek backstage they’d see that the real show begins with Thelma turning Hugh into the Phantom, as if in a well-rehearsed dance between partners. This pre-show starts about 7:15pm, just 45 short minutes before the curtain rises. The Phantom does not make his entrance until the third scene (about 20 minutes after the start of the show) but still, the time to turn a performer into the Phantom has dwindled significantly since Michael Crawford’s reign when the process took approximately 2 1/2 hours.
As Thelma slicks Hugh’s hair back, he blocks out his eyebrows with Mehron molding wax. Hugh says, “We are so used to working together that we can finish each other’s sentences.” Then as Hugh grabs the front edges of the bald cap (pre-colored with pax-paint) with his index fingers, Thelma pulls the cap snuggly around his head. After trimming around the ears, it’s glued down with spirit gum—and for the outer edges: medical adhesive. Once the edges are colored with rubber mask grease Thelma has it looking not only stage ready but also camera ready. She says “It’s my job to keep the performer from having to think about the makeup” And since the makeup at this point is not even near completion this is quite a task. Next the prosthetic pieces (made by John Dodd) and colored daily by Thelma are applied to one side of the face. While Thelma finishes Hugh’s foundation with panstick, he smears black shadow around his eye. Thelma paints Hugh’s lips with rubber mask grease, which Hugh prefers to lipstick, “Because I don’t taste it.” Next comes the alopecia wig. But first Thelma must secure Hugh’s mic under the wig and have it rest on the top of his eyebrow. Every other phantom has worn the mic on his cheek; but Hugh found, after many sound tests, this placement most comfortable and effective with his facial structure. The wire of the mic is camouflaged by the black eyebrow that Thelma paints on using rubber mask grease, which accentuates his eye like a frame around a painting. The makeup is completed with a lace front wig of slick, ash-brown hair, and of course the signature white mask, which is made of Vacu form.
The real miracle is that Hugh can still sing like an angel beneath all this makeup. But if audiences could see backstage it would give new meaning to his song “Angel of Music,” and there would be more applause for the other angel behind the mask.
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