Calgary-born Laird Macintosh makes Broadway history as final Phantom

Calgary-born Laird Macintosh performed the role of the Phantom in the final Broadway performance of The Phantom of the Opera last Sunday. The musical closed after 35 years. (Photo: Twitter@PhantomOpera)

Western Canada High School not only produced two 2023 Juno nominees (Devon Cole and Tate McCrae), but it turns out an alumnus of the Calgary high school just made Broadway history.

Laird Macintosh, who was part of Western Canada high's school choir when he was a student there, performed the role of the Phantom in the closing night of Phantom of the Opera last weekend.

Macintosh, who first performed the role of the Porter/Marksman in Phantom in a Toronto production in 1993, stepped in at the last minute to fill in for Ben Crawford, who had a throat infection.

For Macintosh, who performed the role of the Phantom more than 200 times while performing the role of Raoul on Broadway between 2013 and 2019, it was a magical moment that was 30 years in the making.

"A week ago, we gave the final performance of @phantomopera," he wrote on Instagram Sunday morning, "and I became the luckiest guy on Broadway.

"This only happens when a lot of people are incredibly generous to you when they don't need to be. I am, day by day, making sure that I thank them all."

Earlier this week, Macintosh posted a photo of the curtain call of the final performance.

"Unquestionably the greatest honor of my career to be asked to step on as the Phantom for this performance," he said. "The overriding feelings are of gratitude and elation; it was such an unforgettable night. Will be burned in my memory forever!"

Phantom opened on Broadway in January, 1988 and ran for 35 years and thousands of performances.

It has grossed over $6 billion worldwide.

In a recent opinion piece for the New York Times, composer Andrew Lloyd Webber reflected on the impact Phantom has had on his career, and how it came to be in a collaboration with legendary Broadway director Hal Prince.