FROM the Wimmera to London's famous West End, Horsham actor Alex Rathgeber has hit the big time in the world of musical theatre.
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Rathgeber, 24, will tonight begin the major role of Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera in front of a packed house on one of the world's most prestigious theatre strips.
In the crowd tonight will be proud parents David and Katherine Rathgeber who have travelled from Horsham to London for their son's West End debut.
Rathgeber told the Mail-Times from London he was thrilled to have his parents watch his debut performance.
He said he was looking forward to getting into costume.
"Once I get into the theatre on the night, that's when I'll get nervous," he said.
"It's kind of surreal. What I love is that everyone around the world knows Phantom."
Rathgeber said it was amazing to be a part of a production that is the most profitable piece of art ever.
"As soon as I got it I wrote to my friends and family in Australia and it was great because they could immediately identify it," he said.
Not only will Rathgeber begin his role tonight, but he will perform in front of the show's composer Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber.
"We have a new phantom, the understudy Ramin Karimloo, who is actually the youngest ever phantom in the history of the London production," he said.
Rathgeber plays Raoul, one of three main roles in the show.
"He's a gutsy guy who demands respect. It's a really heightened kind of story where they fall in love and there are deaths and accidents. It's pretty intense to play emotionally," he said.
Rathgeber said he loved the challenging role.
"I love working with this director. A show that has been going for 21 years, I didn't expect to have so much freedom that the director is giving me to make the role my own," he said.
Rathgeber said he ventured to London after major roles in Kiss Me Kate and Fiddler On The Roof in Melbourne.
"I pretty much just took a punt," he said.
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