misspaula74:

No official details right now (as contract negotiations aren’t over), but Hugh is not leavingPhantom just yet.

"Awesome to behold"

hughpanaronet:

From a February 2012 review:

“First of all, I have to focus on stage presence.  Hugh Panaro (The Phantom) is powerful.  His first booming voice sent chills down my spine.  He creates a focus around himself that other actors can only envy.  In fact, it was well after intermission that I realized he was actually quite short.  Call it a quirk of character placement on stage, but when he stood next to Trista (Christine Daaé) towards the end of the play they were actually of a similar height.  He simply appeared a grander and larger character by sheer force of will and voice.  Awesome to behold.”