In this episode of Half Hour, we unpack Masquerade, the immersive revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera now running in New York City. We break down the concept of the experience, how the story is structured and guided through multiple spaces, and the way the production uses intimacy to bring audiences inside the Paris Opera House.

We discuss the interaction between cast and audience, from guided movement through the building to moments of direct engagement with performers, as well as the sound, orchestrations, and how the familiar score lands in this new format. We also examine Diane Paulus’s direction, the scenic and lighting design by Scott Pask and Ben Stanton, Emilio Sosa’s costumes, and the special effects that define this large-scale immersive environment.

The conversation highlights individual performances by company members such as Clay Singer, Riley Noland, Betsy Morgan, Francisco Javier González, and Tia Karaplis, while reflecting on our experience navigating the show and what this staging suggests about the production's future. 

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