successful weekly family variety program YOUNG TALENT TIME. During
this five year period, he became a household name and was part of award
winning performances that included concerts at The Sydney Opera House and
Melbourne's Myer Music Bowl, as well as a string of recordings and TV
Specials.
As an adult, John has toured many parts of the world starring in major
musicals. He has played the romantic lead character of Raoul in more than
1000 performances of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA as well as Ambrose in
HELLO DOLLY, Hero in A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO
THE FORUM, The Narrator in CATS and productions of JOSEPH and THE
FANTASTICKS. He has performed in some of the world's great theatre
venues in over 35 cities such as... Shanghai, Sydney, Beijing, Auckland,
Dubai, Singapore, Seoul, Melbourne and London.
John has been involved in hundreds of TV specials and Gala concerts
alongside stars such as... Olivia Newton-John, Jeremy Irons, Debbie
Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Tina Arena, Sir Cameron Mackintosh, The Seekers,
Stephanie Lawrence, Anthony Warlow, Eartha Kitt, Sir Andrew Lloyd
Webber, Tom Jones and Michael Ball.
A recent career highlight includes singing alongside Elaine Paige at The
Great Hall of The People in Beijing. The concert spectacular, called
MASTERPIECE, was performed for Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber in celebration
of his music, in front of a live audience of 20,000 people and a TV audience of
many millions! It has since been released worldwide on DVD and video.
Even before THE BOY FROM OZ had hit the Broadway stage, with Hugh
Jackman playing the role of the Australian star, John had co-written and
performed his own tribute to the great songwriter in THE PETER ALLEN
SONGBOOK. The highly successful tour gave rise to a recording of the same
name.
John has produced two other CD's: HOOKED ON A FEELING, as well as a
tribute to writers of great classic popular songs entitled TRIBUTE.
He is a recipient of two Mo Awards, two Green Rooms Award nominations,
and Gold certification for his first recording at the tender age of ten years old.
John has reprised the role of Vicomte Raoul de Chagny, and is currently
performing in the Australian production of THE PHANTOM OF THE
OPERA.
Thank you so much John, for this interview and being such a wonderful
person.
Sandra - What has meant for your artistic career being part of the Phantom of
the Opera, Webber's musical?
John - Phantom is one of the most celebrated musicals of all time and to be
part of this huge theatrical event, which has included so many talented
people, is a real honour.
I have always sought to be involved in work I enjoy and I love stepping out
on stage in this show, especially when you know that it is so loved by the
public.
Sandra - What are some of the aspects you have brought into your
interpretation of the Raoul?
John - I have tried to always play Raoul with honesty. He is an aristocrat and
can appear arrogant, so I try to imbue him with honest emotions and motives
that seem logical from moment to moment. What starts out as a romantic
reunion between Raoul and Christine quickly becomes love. All I Ask of You
is the moment that Christine asks me to commit to her and the drama then
starts for Raoul, as he struggles to understand the dangerous position she
finds herself in, with regard to the Phantom.
Sandra - What scene/song of the Phantom musical is your favourite and why.
John - I love the moment in the rooftop scene when I take back the hood from
Christine's face, and she looks up at me before she hugs me, and I comfort her
with the beautiful lyrics..."No more talk of sadness, forget these wide-eyed
fears..."
It is easy to feel touched by a moment like this because it is a moment we all
wish for: the moment when someone will hug you and comfort you and really
listen to your needs.
Sandra - Can you tell us a good anecdote you remember playing Raoul's role?
John - Some people have asked me if I really make the jump off the
travelator? I always say, "Does it look like I really jump?" I think some
people assume there is some trick to it but I assure you the jump is real and
unassisted! I don't like heights so some nights it can feel a bit scary!
Sandra - What is it, in your opinion, that makes the show so appealing?
John - It is the combination of all the parts coming together. It looks great,
the design is beautiful, it is a dramatic plot filled with romance and beautiful
tunes.
Sandra - You have played Raoul's role more than 1000 performances, do you
feel the same illusion as the first one?
John - I never find it hard to perform the role. My job is fall in love every
night! That is a nice job and I really enjoy telling that story.
I love our cast and we have a lot of fun.
Sandra - What is your opinion about your character, Raoul, and the other two
main characters, the Phantom and Christine?
John - The musical is larger than life and the drama in it is truly
melodramatic but our characters are just like ordinary people in extraordinary
circumstances. I think that is why people really identify with the show even
though it is from another era and seems unreal.
Sandra - Now you are playing the lead role of Raoul in the new Australian
production, how do you feel as part of a musical which return to Australia
after so many years?
John - It is wonderful to have this amazing response from the Melbourne
audience after all this time. It is sold out every night and the audiences jump
to their feet. The Australian public really adore Anthony Warlow and it is
exciting to be on the stage when so many people are expressing their pleasure
and excitement.
Sandra - You have been in wonderful musicals like Hello Dolly, A funny
thing happened on the way to the forum, Cats, Joseph...what role would you
like to play some day?
John - I would love to play Bert in Mary Poppins. It was a favourite of mine
when I was child and I played the record all the time when I was very small.
I think it would be fun to play that part as an adult.
Sandra - Tell us what are your future projects and can you dedicate some
words to your fans?
John - I can honestly say that I am thrilled to have made a career in this
business that I love and I look forward to any opportunity I have to continue
to travel and perform in the future. I would like to offer a very big thank you
to all those people who love musical theatre and love Phantom. I do.
Interview exclusive for this site.
Please, don't copy this text without my permission.
Copyright by Ladyghost.
(Christine from US touring co) and Brad Little
(Phantom from Broadway)
Asian tour, 2006
Plessis as Carlotta.
