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Mary Godie of ABC News is reporting that Tony award-winner Norm Lewis, most recently known for playing the role of Edison Davis, Olivia Pope’s (Kerry Washington) love interest on ABC‘s hit television show Scandal, is making history as the first African-American to play the role of the Phantom in Broadway’s longest-running show Phantom of the Opera. Godie writes:
“Thirteen men have played the role of Phantom on Broadway, but the one making headlines is Norm Lewis. He plays Sen. Edison Davis on ABC’s “Scandal,” but the role as Phantom is his biggest yet.
‘I’m just so excited to be a part of this history,’ said Lewis.
African American actor Robert Guillaume played the title role in a Los Angeles production. But now Norm Lewis is making history because he is about to become the first African American Phantom of the Opera on Broadway.
‘People have a certain vision of a particular character and, a lot of times, we as minorities don’t fit that particular vision,’ said Lewis. ‘And now, I think that people are a little more open to that.’
The legendary creator of the show, Andrew Lloyd Webber, said the Broadway world is becoming more colorblind.
‘I think everyone’s moved on to the point that you really don’t think that way,’ said Webber.”
Read more at ABC News.
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