Hi, I'm Christopher Rokosz, actor and director of both stage and screen, and I'd like to
share with you some information about who wrote the musical, "Phantom of the Opera."
Well, the original writer of the musical "Phantom of the Opera," was a gentlemen by the name
of Ken Hill, an English playwright and composer. His version - musical version of "Phantom
of the Opera" inspired Andrew Loyd Webber to produce the "Andrew Loyd Webber" version.
That's the one that you may be familiar with; with the famous "Phantom of the Opera," "Music
of the Night;" it's been the longest running play on Broadway. Andrew Loyd Webber is also
the composer and writer of such other famous plays as, "Cats" and "Joseph and the Amazing
Technicolor Dreamcoat." Critically acclaimed, seven Tony awards, three Grammy awards, a
Golden Globe award, and Academy award, and he was also knighted in 1992 and had the Kennedy
Center award bestowed on him in 2006. So he's pretty not-- he's not really a "shlob." He's
a very, very famous composer; definitely check it out. Phantom of the Opera is an incredible
show. I enjoyed both the original Ken Hill version and the Andrew Loyd Webber version.
Now when you're talking about writing it, it's a little tricky; he is the composer and
credited -- given the writing credits, but Charles Hart is also credited as a lyricist
producing the lyrics for some of these famous things. So, between Charles Hart, Ken Hill,
and Andrew Loyd Webber; that's the trifecta of information about who wrote the musical
versions of Gaston Leroux's "Phantom of the Opera." I'm not Gaston Leroux, I am Christopher
Rokosz and we'll see you next time.