Phantom’s Rosenberg chats with broadwaytheatreblog.com
By Jon Chattman

Growing up, Sandy Rosenberg always loved to perform. “My earliest memories was at about five years old sitting on a piano at a hotel in the Catskills singing ‘When the red, red robin comes bob bob bobbin; along,;” she said in a recent interview with the Westchester Broadway Theatre blog. While she didn’t perform in grade school talent shows, Rosenberg performed in musicals and plays throughout camp, junior high, high school, college, and eventually, summer stock. The rest is history.

Throughout her career, Rosenberg has performed in a variety of shows regionally and on Broadway. Her credits on the Great White Way include Mama Mia!, which she starred in for over five years, and the original cast of The Scarlet Pimpernel. Her regional credits include Fiddler on the Roof, Funny Girl, and yes, Yeston/Kopit’s Phantom. Rosenberg can currently be seen in WBT’s production of the show, playing that lovable off-key diva Carlotta. It’s not the first time the actress has played the character. Some 13 years ago, she played the part at La Miranda CLO. What made her return to the role, read on!

What has the experience been like performing at WBT? What has the audience response been?
It’s been wonderful at WBT. I haven’t been here since the late 70s when I saw my friend Bradley Jones in the chorus of Funny Girl, and that was in the smaller theatre. It’s a great space to do a show. The cast and the crew have been so supportive and the audiences are just loving the show. Sometimes they even audibly respond when they think something bad is going to happen….strangely thinking that their words of advice will change the course of the play.

You’ve played Carlotta in the past. Why was now the right time to do the character again?
It’s always the right time when someone offers you a job! The good thing about being a character woman is you are often not locked into any specific age for your character. Therefore Carlotta can be in her 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, etc…

What drew you to Carlotta and the show in the first place?
In LA, I had been involved with an organization called APLA (AIDS Project Los Angeles) and yearly they did the S.T.A.G.E.S. benefit. The director of that, David Galligan, was directing Phantom and asked me to audition, and there you have it. An old friend of mine, Paul Ainsley, was hired to play Cholet, Carlotta’s husband, so it was a wonderful introduction to the Yeston-Kopit version of Phantom, which I personally prefer to the ‘other’ Phantom of the Opera. And I am not alone in this preference.

Your character is a diva to say the least do you share any similarities with Carlotta?
Geez, I hope not! Though she is quite the fashion plate, wouldn’t you say. Actually, she sings higher than I do.

Moving on, you’ve performed on Broadway in Mamma Mia! for five years. What role did you play? Are you psyched for the movie?
I was the crocheting Greek granny at the top of the show and made many a lovely huge doily, table cloth or whatever which we sold at the Broadway flea market for Broadway Cares. I did other roles in the ensemble and understudied Rosie: the first one being Judy Kaye, which meant I also got to perform with Karen Mason, your very recent and very wonderful Mama Rose. I’m very interested in seeing the movie. They’ve got a great cast. Meryl Streep became a big fan of the show, and although we didn’t meet her when she came a few years ago, she did send a lovely letter to the cast. Pierce Brosnan did come backstage and take photos with all of us, so my life is complete. I’d like to be invited to the opening in NYC since I did perform the show over 1,300 times, but I guess we’ll just have to wait and see next summer.

Definitely! Lastly, what’s up next after Phantom?
I don’t know….are you offering me a job?