In Masquerade, a new immersive Off-Broadway production directed by Theatre alum Diane Paulus '97, audiences get to step into the world of the Phantom of the Opera. The show is set in a haunted opera house and follows the young soprano Christine Daaé, being tutored by the titular Phantom. Audiences are split into six groups, each guided through multiple interactive rooms and floors by a different pair of actors playing the lead duo.
Acting alum Hannah Shealy '23 made her Off-Broadway debut in the production, performing as a vacation swing for several roles: Christine, the female lead; Carlotta, the prima donna of the opera house who has a rivalry with Christine; Madame Giry, a ballet mistress at the theater who is sympathetic to the Phantom; and Meg Giry, Madame Giry’s daughter and friend to Christine.
Shealy is an actor, writer, filmmaker, and Birth Doula based in NYC and London. She has performed on stage in The Rose Tattoo and Unknown Soldier at the Williamstown Theatre Festival and played Charlotte Astor in Season 3 of HBO’s The Gilded Age. Her original pilot Birth is For P*ssies—which she directed, wrote and starred in—was awarded the South by Southwest Independent TV Pilot Audience Award and the SeriesFest Audience Award. She was also selected by The Gotham Awards as a 2026 Series Creator to Watch.
Masquerade is modeled after foundational immersive production Sleep No More, a theatrical experience that sets audience members in a noir re-telling of the story of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Drawing on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1986 musical, the show features songs from the iconic score and new additions, as well as some other exciting twists on the Phantom story.
As part of the experience, the audience is encouraged to dress in their finest black, white, or silver; masquerade masks are required or will be provided upon entry. Most of the show requires standing, so comfortable shoes are recommended and, if needed, there is an accessibility path. The show is on an extended run until February 28, 2027, at 218 West 57th Street. If you purchase a ticket online, you will be sent a secret password 24 hours in advance of the performance.
