Phantom of the Opera Memoir
If you’re a fan of The Phantom of the Opera, Ralph Lloyd Webber’s famous musical and movie, you’ve probably heard the rich voice of Byron Nease. In the musical, Raoul is the man competing
with the Phantom for the heart of Christine. In over 1500 performances of The Phantom, Byron Nease was Raoul. Nease’s self published book, Behind the Mask…No More, describes his life journey. A journey much more difficult and troubled than one might imagine of a Broadway theater star.
Raised in a musically-rich, but dysfunctional family, Nease was abused, shunted from family to family, and distanced from his father during the early years when young men need a male role model.
Imagine growing up as a young male struggling with sexual identity and eventually realizing he was gay. His father, distant
and remarried with his own family, was a minister with very fundamental beliefs about sexuality. No help there for young Nease.The book contains heart-rending letters Nease-in later life-wrote to his father attempting to explain his sexuality. His father’s responses will break your heart.
Behind the Mask…No More is both disturbing and entertaining. Nease, who is gay and HIV positive, shares his mental and physical struggles as he copes with his issues of health, relationships, love, and the physical side effects of his disease.
Several of his behind the scenes accounts of The Phantom are hilarious, giving the reader a view of the normal human interactions of even Broadway stars.
Behind the Mask…No More reminds us that everyone lives behind a mask while portraying themselves as the person the world will accept.
Behind the Mask…No More is available from booksellers such as Amazon.com.
