New Man Behind the Mask

Future Phantom Davis Gaines sits dining on scrambled eggs and salmon in a cafe at the Biltmore Hotel, where he is staying temporarily. Wearing a denim shirt and Levi’s, the 6-foot actor--who looks more like a model than a ghoul--is the picture of calm as he talks about taking over the role from Phantom phenomenon Michael Crawford Tuesday night.

“Last night (makeup artists) told me my nose was too perfect,” says Gaines, 32, stroking the bridge of his very straight nose. “So, they’re going to have to make a little bump to go on it--so I look a little uglier. They threw me in pretty fast, but I’m not apprehensive. Many people worry about hitting all the notes. I’m not really worried about it.”

Gaines is no stranger to “The Phantom of the Opera.” The Florida-born actor was a vacation replacement for Raoul--the Phantom’s rival--in the Broadway production for three months last spring. Another role Gaines has in common with Crawford is that of Cornelius Hackl. Gaines played the adventuresome storekeeper in “Hello, Dolly!” in 1983 while touring with Carol Channing. Crawford played Hackl in the movie version of “Dolly!”

The original director of “The Phantom of the Opera,” Hal Prince, takes credit for handpicking Gaines to don the mask and cape in Crawford’s wake: “In truth, when I put him in the role of (Raoul), I wanted to put him in the role of the Phantom, but he had to have an operation on his leg. When I heard him (sing) I said, ‘My God, this is the Phantom, not just a phantom, but an extraordinary Phantom.

“It’s an extraordinary voice and presence--its a little strong, but there’s something about the role that should put you on your guard and the audience should feel both thrilled and threatened and I would say he has those qualities. I want everyone to go into the audience ready to discover a star--and that’s what I think he is.”