Katherine Stryker: Ramin Karimloo. Simple as that.
Jamie Scerbo: Ramin Karimloo!!!!!
Diana Puertas: Ramin Karimloo is the only answer.
Glen James Allen: Ramin – of course!!
Jennifer Brown: Can you honestly even think about casting anyone but Ramin.
Tyler Peavey: Ramin Karimloo…do you even have to ask?
Ann Marie Gayz: Ramin definitely! His version of "Til I Hear You Sing" is perfection.
…
Kiko Li: Came to count the number of Ramins people comment.
There was overwhelming support from Playbill.com readers for Ramin Karimloo to reprise his role, having played the Phantom in the London debut production of Love Never Dies, for which he was Olivier Award-nominated. The Iranian-born, Canadian-raised actor started his career on the West End as an understudy and was soon tackling roles like Valjean in Les Miz, a part he is currently playing in the Broadway production at the Imperial Theatre. Karimloo is also a solo concert and recording artist.
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Sebastian Antonio: I heard Tam Mutu's available…
Rob White: Tam Mutu
Rachel McLemore: Tam Mutu. He has an amazing voice, his "Til I Hear You Sing" is phenomenal and he understudied the role in its London run.
Lydia Albano: Tam Mutu!!!
Tam Mutu was another favorite, perhaps because the West End leading man is best known for his roles in the U.K. productions of Les Misérables and Love Never Dies. Mutu recently made his Broadway debut in the new musical Doctor Zhivago, starring as Yurii Zhivago. His other theatre credits include Faustus for Headlong Theatre Company and The Royal Hunt of the Sun, Love's Labour's Lost, Anything Goes and South Pacific, all at London's National Theatre.
Ben Lewis
Ilene Strongin-Garry: Ben Lewis
Richard Ritzman: After seeing the filmed production from Australia, I believe that Ben Lewis would be a terrific choice.
Hannah Lovejoy: I liked Ben Lewis, the Australian Coney! Phantom
Christina Ralph: Ben Lewis from the Australian production!!!!
Following the 2010 London premiere of Love Never Dies, which was not critically embraced, Lloyd Webber enlisted Priscilla Queen of the Desert director Simon Phillips and a new Australian creative team to stage a fresh production, which premiered in 2011. The new cast featured Ben Lewis in the leading role, alongside Anna O'Byrne, and the production went on to tour internationally and receive a DVD release.
Pam Muzyka: Brian Stokes Mitchell
One of the most respected leading men on Broadway, Brian Stokes Mitchell has performed in ten shows on the Great White Way and been Tony-nominated four times, winning once for Kiss Me, Kate. His Broadway credits include Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Love/Life, Man of La Mancha and King Hedley II. Stokes' powerful voice has made him a concert favorite, performing with some of the country's leading conductors and orchestras.
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Vini Costanzo: Norm Lewis
Tony Award nominee Norm Lewis recently starred in the title role of Broadway's long-running production of The Phantom of the Opera, opposite Phantom favorite Sierra Boggess. The role reunited the co-stars following their previous Broadway stint as the father and daughter in The Little Mermaid. Lewis, who boasts numerous Broadway credits, was the first African-American performer to star as the Phantom in the New York staging.
Leann Tegl: Hugh Panaro <
Sarah Scerbo: Hugh Panaro as the Phantom
Maggie Burns: Hugh Panaro and Sierra Boggess!
Hugh Panaro has had a longtime relationship with Phantom of the Opera, first appearing in the Broadway production as Raoul in 1990, a role he played for two years and over 900 performances. The singing actor returned to play the title role in 1999, becoming the 10th to be cast as the masked star. He returned to the role in 2010 and also in the 25th anniversary performance on Broadway. Panaro's stage credits also include Lestat, Side Show and Show Boat.
Chris Mann
Ivy McCombs: Chris Mann!! I saw him on the Phantom of the Opera tour in Florida. It. Was. AWESEOME!
"The Voice" star Chris Mann, who placed fourth on the second season of the hit NBC TV show, played the role of the Phantom in last year's Florida tour of the production. Classically trained Mann has also been seen in his own PBS special "Chris Mann In Concert: A Mann For All Seasons" and released his own solo albums.
