D’Ambrosio set to perform one-man show

Having appeared as the lead in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Phantom of the Opera” some 3,000 times, Franc D’Ambrosio is best known by the nickname “The World’s Longest Running Phantom.”

Ironically, when first approached about appearing in a touring company of “Phantom” back in 1992, D’Ambrosio initially said he simply wasn’t interested.

Opening the Northshore Performing Art Center Foundation’s (NPACF) newest season, D’Ambrosio is bringing his one-man show, “Franc D’Ambrosio’s Broadway,” to Bothell at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 2.

During a recent phone interview, D’Ambrosio said when he got that first call regarding “Phantom,” he had just come off Broadway with a role in “Sweeney Todd” and was riding high having appeared as the opera-singing son of Al Pacino in the movie “Godfather III.”

For the film, D’Ambrosio also sang the Academy Award-winning theme song, “Speak Softly Love.”

When approached about “Phantom,” D’Ambrosio said he immediately assumed he was being asked to take a co-starring role, perhaps as the love-struck Raoul. Then 29, D’Ambrosio said when the voice on the other end of the phone informed him he would be playing the lead, he quickly changed his mind and jumped at the opportunity to play the world’s most famous, disfigured, love-obsessed opera singer.

D’Ambrosio first took the stage behind that famous mask on April 15, 1992. His last performance as the Phantom was in San Francisco in 1999.

“So, basically, ‘Phantom’ took up a decade of my life,” he said.

Incidentally, if you saw the official “Phantom” touring company’s first Seattle appearance in 1992, you saw D’Ambrosio going through his paces.

Perhaps along with Webber’s “Cats,” “Phantom” is probably the best-known musical in the world. Since he’s intimately connected and familiar with the play, one obvious question for D’Ambrosio is, what makes “Phantom” so appealing?

“I think it’s a number of things,” he said.

“It’s a very accessible score and I think (Webber) wrote a beautiful score.”

But D’Ambrosio also talked about the show’s costumes, its lights and special effects. Still, from his point of view, D’Ambrosio contended the story is the key to the play’s success.

“Everyone in the audience can connect with someone on the stage,” he said, whether it’s Raoul or Christine, the show’s proverbial star-crossed lovers, or even the often menacing Phantom, who is beyond passionate for the beautiful Christine.

“We all know what it’s like to be in love and we all know what it’s like to lose love,” D’Ambrosio said.

After leaving “Phantom,” D’Ambrosio taught theater for a while in Europe, then eventually took the lead in the American production of Barry Manilow’s “Copacabana.”

Here’s a tidbit from his more recent career which D’Ambrosio promised was a Reporter scoop.

For whatever reason, D’Ambrosio has become popular with figure skaters, who use his CDs and sometimes have him sing live during their routines. One fan is Olympic figure Brian Boitano. Boitano has a new reality show about to debut on Food Network, “What Would Brian Boitano Make?”

As the theme song for the new show, D’Ambrosio sings, in what he called a very operatic style, the very silly “What Would Brian Boitano Do?” from the movie “Southpark: Bigger, Longer and Uncut.”

“I’ve gone from Julliard to ‘Southpark,’” D’Ambrosio quipped.

D’Ambrosio has performed one-man shows across the country, also mounting “D’Ambrosio’s Hollywood” in addition to the Broadway tribute he’ll bring to Bothell.

The show naturally features plenty from “Phantom,” including D’Ambrosio’s favorite song from the show, the famous, “Music of the Night.” He’ll also do selections from “Les Miserables” and a tribute to George Cohen, among other songs.

For D’Ambrosio’s appearance, the NPACF sponsored a contest, offering local singers a chance to take a master’s class with D’Ambrosio, as well as sing with him as Raoul or Christine during the upcoming show. D’Ambrosio seemed genuinely pleased with the opportunity, noting the competition attracted some 60 performers.

According to D’Ambrosio, economic realities and school budget cuts often mean the end of school arts programs.

“That’s not a good way to go,” he said, arguing such cuts greatly limit the types of arts to which youngsters are exposed.

“They don’t even know what it is they don’t know,” D’Ambrosio said.

• “Franc D’Ambrosio’s Broadway” plays at the Northshore Performing Arts Center on the Bothell High campus, 18125 92nd Ave. N.E. For tickets or more information, call the NPACF ticket line, noon to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday at (425) 408-7988.