Dear Daaé: Backstage at 'The Phantom of the Opera' with Ali Ewoldt

Hired to helm an Americanized take on a British play, director Lloyd Fellowes does his best to control an eccentric group of stage actors. With a star actress quickly passing her prime, a male lead with no confidence, and a bit actor that's rarely sober, chaos ensues in the lead up to a Broadway premiere.

The Original Kings of Comedy achieves the seemingly impossible task of capturing the rollicking and sly comedy routines of stand-up and sitcom vets Steve Harvey, D.L. Hughley, Cedric the Entertainer, and Bernie Mac and the magic of experiencing a live concert show. Director Spike Lee and his crew plant a multitude of cameras in a packed stadium and onstage (as well as backstage, as they follow the comedians) to catch the vivid immediacy of the show, which is as much about the audience as it is about the jokes.

Fred and Lilli are a divorced pair of actors who are brought together by Cole Porter who has written a musical version of The Taming of the Shrew. Of course, the couple seem to act a great deal like the characters they play. A fight on the opening night threatens the production, as well as two thugs who have the mistaken idea that Fred owes their boss money and insist on staying next to him all night.

The assistant stage manager of a small-time theatrical company is forced to understudy for the leading lady at a matinée performance at which an illustrious Hollywood director is in the audience scouting for actors to be in his latest "all-talking, all-dancing, all-singing" extravaganza.

Steve Raleight wants to produce a show on Broadway. He finds a backer, Herman Whipple and a leading lady, Sally Lee. But Caroline Whipple forces Steve to use a known star, not a newcomer. Sally purchases a horse, she used to train when her parents had a farm before the depression and with to ex-vaudevillians, Sonny Ledford and Peter Trott she trains it to win a race, providing the money Steve needs for his show.

A group of dancers congregate on the stage of a Broadway theatre to audition for a new musical production directed by Zach. After the initial eliminations, seventeen hopefuls remain, among them Cassie, who once had a tempestuous romantic relationship with Zach. She is desperate enough for work to humble herself and audition for him; whether he's willing to let professionalism overcome his personal feelings about their past remains to be seen.

Every Little Step follows the plight of real-life dancers as they struggle through auditions for the Broadway revival of "A Chorus Line" and also investigates the history of the show and the creative minds behind the original and current incarnations.

Broadway producer Nickie North and press agent Scoop Trimble find an investor for their next show who insists that they cast his ex-girlfriend, Clarice Sheldon, in the lead role and rehearse out of town. The crew set up on a family farm, and all is well until the leading man falls for the farmer's daughter, Patience Bingham. When flighty starlet Sheldon finds out he has a new girlfriend, she takes off, leaving North and Trimble to find a new leading lady.

A fledgling producer finds himself at odds with his workers, financiers and his greedy ex-wife when he tries to produce live musicals for movie-going audiences.

Broadway producer, Max Bialystock and his accountant, Leo Bloom plan to make money by charming little old ladies to invest in a production many times over what it will actually cost, and then put on a sure-fire flop, so nobody will ask for their money back – and what can be a more certain flop than a tasteless musical celebrating Hitler.

Mama Rose lives to see her daughter June succeed on Broadway by way of vaudeville. When June marries and leaves, Rose turns her hope and attention to her elder, less obviously talented, daughter Louise. However, having her headlining as a stripper at Minsky's Burlesque is not what she initially has in mind.

The road-show troupe of a top Broadway show go cross-country while taking the audience along on the on-stage scenes as well as what happens and is happening back stage of the production. The spectacular dancing ensembles and colorful costumes and pulchritude on-stage offers a contrasting background to the drabness of the backstage, where joy, sorrow, tragedies, deception, and romance are intertwined.

The Magic Show is a one-act musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Bob Randall. It starred magician Doug Henning. Produced by Edgar Lansbury, it opened on May 28, 1974 at the Cort Theatre in Manhattan, and ran for 1,920 performances, closing on December 31, 1978. Henning was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical and director Grover Dale was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical. In 2001, a filmed performance staged especially for the cameras in 1980, directed by Norman Campbell at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Toronto, was issued on DVD by Image Entertainment. This production, originally intended for cinema release, differed notably from the original Broadway production, with several of the most memorable songs, such as "West End Avenue" and "Solid Silver Platform Shoes", removed. Doug Henning reprised his original starring role, while Didi Conn co-starred as Cal.

In this musical, four young hopefuls from different parts of the country head to New York for a shot at Broadway stardom.

A young woman (Janet Leigh) leaves her small hometown in Vermont and travels to New York City with hopes of becoming a Broadway star.

This syndicated anthology series staged a different play every week covering all genres, dramas, comedies, musicals, fantasies, mysteries, et al, utilizing some of the best talent appearing on Broadway.

Laura Osnes gives you a backstage pass to see what it's like to work at the Broadway Theater and what it's like to be Ella in "Cinderella" on Broadway.

Newcomer Christiani Pitts, who is currently thrilling audiences as Ann Darrow in King Kong, will lead Broadway.com's latest vlog, Queen of New York, which will follow Pitts and her co-stars backstage and onstage at the Broadway Theatre where the new musical is playing to delighted audiences eight times a week.

This vlog follows Hailey Kilgore and her co-stars backstage and onstage at the Circle in the Square Theatre during the production of the Broadway play One Small Girl.

Sarah Stiles, the multi-talented Tony nominee who is currently delighting audiences as Sandy Lester in Tootsie, has signed on to lead Broadway.com's latest vlog, "What's Gonna Happen," which will follow Stiles and her co-stars backstage and onstage at the Marquis Theatre where the new musical is playing to thrilled audiences eight times a week.

Follow Tyler Hanes and the cast as they take you through a day in the life backstage at Cats.

"Kinky Boots" star Billy Porter (Lola) creates video vlogs for Broadway.com.

Talented Broadway veteran Paul Alexander Nolan, who currently appears as Tully, will lead Broadway.com's new vlog, Beach Bum, which will follow Nolan and his co-stars backstage and onstage at the Marquis Theatre where the new Broadway musical has audiences dancing in the aisles eight times a week.

Get ready for a one-of-a-kind look inside Broadway's longest-running musical, The Phantom of the Opera, with the hit show's strong-voiced title star, Ben Crawford.

You're not hardcore unless you vlog hardcore. Fortunately, this guy has that covered. School of Rock star Alex Brightman will swap his axe for a camera as Broadway.com's newest video blogger. There's no way you can stop...Hard Rock Life: Backstage at School of Rock with Alex Brightman. Brightman will offer a glimpse of backstage life at the Winter Garden Theatre, where he climbs to the top of Mount Rock, sticks it to the man and jumps around a lot. Expect appearances from a plethora of talented, head-banging kids, as well as Broadway.com vlogging alum Sierra Boggess.

We just can't wait! Talented Disney veteran Jelani Remy, who currently appears as Simba in The Lion King, will lead Broadway.com's new vlog, Pride of Broadway, beginning on February 1. The vlog will follow Remy and his co-stars backstage and onstage at the Minskoff Theatre where the acclaimed Broadway musical delights audiences eight times a week.

The Cher Show star Jarrod Spector (Sonny Bono) creates video vlogs for Broadway.com.

Leslie Kritzer, the multi-talented star who is currently delighting audiences as Delia in the Tony-nominated musical Beetlejuice, has signed on to lead Broadway.com's latest vlog, "Seize the Day-O," beginning on July 30, which will follow Kritzer and her co-stars backstage and onstage at the Winter Garden Theatre, where the new musical is playing to thrilled audiences eight times a week.

Eva Noblezada, the multi-talented Hadestown star who recently received her second Tony nomination, has signed on to lead Broadway.com's latest vlog, "Little Songbird," beginning on May 9. The vlog will follow Noblezada and her co-stars backstage and onstage at the Walter Kerr Theatre where the new musical is playing to thrilled audiences eight times a week.

Pete Firman and Alistair Cook, ace magicians and good friends, lead us on a mysterious tour of magic from Last Vegas to Madrid, Los Angeles to New York and Paris to Buenos Aires. On Pete and Alistair's road trip, we meet their heroes as they reveal secrets of the world's most legendary tricks.