Flashy Unmasking : Phantom Fans Put on the Glitz at Benefit as Lavish as the Musical

“It’s here! It’s finally here!” gushed a party guest as “Phantom of the Opera” arrived in Los Angeles with all the thunder of a crashing chandelier.

The third performance on Saturday night, after previews on Friday night and Saturday afternoon, of the lavish, long-awaited Andrew Lloyd Webber musical was the first gala benefit for the Center Theatre Group (one of many, many benefit performances) that drew a glitzed-up crowd composed of the usual Music Center suspects, a smattering of celebrities and a former president.

They came for the show, but they also came for the post-performance party in a tent across the street from the Ahmanson Theatre.

But there were miles to go before one could do any serious celebrating. The evening started with a cocktail party on the Music Center Plaza. As the sun set on a cool evening, the guests arrived, were photographed if they happened to be someone, and headed for drink and food.

The latter consisted of blinis and caviar and very tiny hamburgers which were inhaled to stave off hunger until the next meal hours later.

“I’m terrified, but I’m excited,” said Nancy Vreeland, who was searching in the claustrophobia-inducing crowd for her husband Tim. Nancy Vreeland, along with Terri Childs, co-chaired the benefit, anticipated to be the highest grosser of any Music Center fund-raiser (profits were expected at $750,000).

Childs displayed a serenity unusual for someone at the helm of such a bash. “My mother taught me how,” she said with a shrug. “What can I say?”

Excuse for Extravagance

Obviously “Phantom” had inspired some women to dress for excess; cleavage-enhancing gowns sparkled with sequins and beads, had bustles and trains, feathers and fur trims, ruffles and rosettes. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn’t.

Jewelry designer Faith Porter designed her own elaborate beaded mask for the occasion. “In life you should have some fun,” she philosophized.

Watching the parade of pomp go by was 14-year-old Tamar, whose desire to see the show was fulfilled by the Starlight Foundation. The Foundation, which grants wishes to critically, chronically and terminally ill children, had tickets donated by Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota (which also underwrote the evening).

“I know every song, every tidbit about the show,” Tamar said. “I went on a backstage tour with Michael Crawford (who plays the Phantom). He’s the sweetest guy, and he showed me all the trapdoors. It was really neat.”

Tamar, who writes, acts and dances, said she doesn’t have designs on the “Phantom” female lead role of Christine. “I can’t sing!” she admitted.

Traffic-Stoppers

After two and a half hours the final curtain fell and the audience strolled across Temple to the party, some literally whistling the score and rhapsodizing about the production. (The only disappointment seemed to be how slowly the chandelier moved when it was supposed to crash down on the stage.) The party crowd was oblivious to the honking motorists, livid at having to stop for this black-tie parade.

Under the tent, the “Phantom” theme was executed without coyness or overkill. This wasn’t your ordinary tent-covered parking lot; this came decorated with pillars, lush Boston fern centerpieces, dance floors and chandeliers.

During dinner (catered by Chasen’s), designer masks by architect Frank Gehry, designers Bob Mackie, Nolan Miller, and Fabrice, sculptor Robert Graham and jewelry designer Kenneth Jay Lane were auctioned off in four-figure amounts.

“I’m very happy with the production,” said “Phantom” director Hal Prince, who was escorting Betty White and chatting with Ahmanson artistic director Robert Fryer.

“It went well. I can tell because of my stomach--it’s completely relaxed,” he added, patting his belly.

“I’m still dazzled,” said White. “I saw it in New York, and if anything, Michael Crawford has grown.”

“I think he has,” Fryer chimed in. “He’s magical.”

The Phantom’s Entrance

The real-life Crawford is, alas, a mere mortal, as he revealed when he traded his Phantom mask for a tux and made it to the party late. With Dale Kristien (Christine) on his arm, Crawford said one difference in performing in L.A. is that “It’s a lot warmer out there.”

He wasn’t referring to the generous applause; “It’s really hot in the theater. Every time I bent over I’d lose a great deal of water.”

Crawford did say the audience was “extremely receptive. The nicest thing is that they’re not testing us. They’re not asking us to prove anything.”

He and Kristien were greeted by more applause when they entered the tent. Among the crowd were John and Nancy Ritter, Esther and Tom Wachtell, Judi and Gordon Davidson, Roberta and David Haft, Stephen Cannell, Ginny Mancini and Jack Haley Jr., Nancy and Rusty Powell, Jean and William French Smith, Bob Mackie, Nolan Miller, Robert Graham, Eva Gabor, Valerie Perrine, Jane and Jerry Weintraub, Lee Minnelli and Bernard Perris, Andrea and John Van De Kamp, Garry Marshall, Peter Guber and Lucie Arnaz.

Ronald and Nancy Reagan had mingled at the cocktail reception and watched the performance, but skipped the after-party.

So did Andrew Lloyd Webber. He was allegedly sighted backstage with the cast after the show, but then limoed right out.

At 12:30 a.m. guests filtered out to the valet parking, only to find that their keys had been somehow mixed up, causing a key hunt free-for-all.

Inside, Nancy Vreeland finally plopped down at her table as pools of vanilla ice cream melted in balloon goblets. Would she find time to rest after all this?

“No,” she said, eyes slightly glazed over. “I have to do the opera opening.”