I was never a big fan of musical theater growing up. I was pretty cynical, and seeing all of those people singing in harmony about love and adventure completely turned me off. My parents were into some pretty corny musicals, and none of them seemed to satisfy my dark mood. I had pretty much given up on liking anything in the genre until I started dating a girl who loved musicals. When she heard about my feelings on the subject, she decided that she would change my mind. She took me to the Phantom of the Opera musical.

I had heard a little bit about the Phantom of the Opera, but only a few details. You see, most of the people I knew who liked musicals were in to a much brighter, more poppy sort of production. Don't get me wrong – Phantom of the Opera Music is very catchy, but it is also sort of dark and brooding. It relies heavily on organ and on minor keys. As such, I had simply never been exposed to something like it before. I was certainly in for a treat.

I would have to say that the Phantom of the Opera musical was one of the best things I have ever seen. It single-handedly redeemed a whole genre for me. After that, I decided I would give musicals and opera another chance. I never realized that there were such a possibility for interesting and dark themes in it. It still explored love, but it was a sort of twisted, obsessional love. There was still a very archetypal conflict between good and evil, but you were able to be on the side of evil. In short, it was everything that I usually look for in fiction or cult movies rolled up into a brilliant stage performance.

I also loved the special effects. Having grown up on movies, I had expected to be disappointed by live musical theater, but this certainly wasn't the case. Seeing someone doing a show up on stage like that really moved me profoundly. The bright flashes of light, the loud sounds, the precariously swinging chandelier – all of it created a sense of suspense that I never get when I go to see a movie. I realized that if anything, stage drama is more intense than even the best Hollywood blockbusters. It definitely left me wanting more, something that all good art does.