Behind the Mask: The Christines of Masquerade on Vocal Stamina, Sisterhood, and Singing Eight Shows a Week 

What does it really take to sing Christine Daaé eight shows a week?

The answer, as it turns out, is a lot more than pristine high notes.

In Masquerade — the brand-new off-Broadway immersive Phantom of the Opera experience directed by Diane Paulus — six extraordinary women rotate through the role of Christine across simultaneous “pulses” happening throughout the building. The result is a reimagined, multi-perspective Phantom unlike anything Broadway has seen before.

Two of those women, Haile Ferrier and Francesca Mehrotra, joined me on the Broadway Vocal Coach Podcast to talk about what it means to share one of musical theatre’s most iconic soprano roles, how they take care of their voices through intense performance schedules, and how collaboration—not competition—fuels their artistry.

Listen to the conversation on episode 94 of the BVC Podcast.

Meet the Christines

Haile Ferrier is a New York–based actress best known for her work with the Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen, where she covered both Zoe and Alana on the first national tour straight out of college. Recent credits include Guys and Dolls (Sarah, Maltz Jupiter Theatre, dir. Al Blackstone) and Sunset Boulevard (The Kennedy Center, dir. Sammi Cannold). Haile is thrilled to return to a classic soprano role, bringing fresh energy to a beloved favorite in Masquerade, directed by Diane Paulus.

Francesca Mehrotra is an Indian-American singer and actor who finds her artistic home in telling stories through song. She’s currently starring as Christine in Masquerade, with previous appearances in Titanic (Caroline, Marriott Theatre), A Little Night Music (Ogunquit Playhouse), Sweeney Todd (Johanna, Pacific Symphony), and The Pirates of Penzance (Mabel, Opera Colorado). Francesca brings a rare blend of operatic technique and theatrical storytelling to this reimagined production.

Q&A: On Vocal Stamina, Technique, and Collaboration

Christine’s music is notoriously demanding — legit soprano, coloratura, emotional storytelling. What does it take to maintain that kind of vocal stamina week after week?

Haile shared that balancing the show’s vocal and emotional demands has been a thrilling challenge. With some moments leaning fully operatic and others whisper-soft, she’s found joy in exploring that contrast. Her background in Dear Evan Hansen gave her the flexibility to blend styles, incorporating a healthy mix sound alongside legit soprano technique. Over time, she’s learned to tell Christine’s story through vocal color — moving from the youthful, open sound of “Think of Me” to the mature, grounded tone of "Point of No Return."

Francesca agreed that Masquerade allows each performer to tell the story through her own instrument. “Technique has to serve emotion,” she said. She recalled a powerful moment in performance when she and co-star Hugh Panaro made a spontaneous acting choice that caught her off guard emotionally. The shift moved her to tears, and she realized how crucial her technical preparation had been: her voice carried on automatically even as she cried. “If I hadn’t built that into my muscle memory,” she reflected, “it wouldn’t have come out.”

What does your pre-show vocal routine look like?

Francesca’s routine changes daily based on how her voice feels, but it always begins with awareness. If she’s feeling fatigued, she steams before heading to the theater. While getting her wig on, she nebulizes, then spends about twenty minutes warming up — focusing on waking up the entire voice rather than running the show’s material. She avoids singing full-out before the curtain rises, preferring instead to check in with her instrument and trust that her training will carry her through the performance.

Haile takes a similar approach. She uses her custom "Chelsea Wilson warm-up" every day as her anchor, adjusting as needed depending on how her voice responds. Over time, she’s learned not to rely on any one ritual for a “good show.” “If I do something one night and it works,” she said, “I try not to think, ‘If I don’t do that tomorrow, it’ll be terrible.’” Instead, she focuses on consistency and listening to her body.

What about recovery — how do you wind down after a performance?

Both performers emphasized that recovery is just as important as warming up. Haile’s post-show routine includes nasal irrigation, using Flonase, steaming, and showering to remove dust from the stage haze. She’s a big believer in regular nebulizing — sometimes even on the subway ride home. Francesca supplements her own care routine with red light therapy for the neck and larynx, a tip she learned from a speech therapist, and never underestimates the value of sleep. “If I don’t sleep well,” she said, “I can still get through the show, but I feel it.”

How do you pace yourself for an eight-show week, especially with the immersive staging?

Haile described the immersive nature of Masquerade as exhilarating but demanding. The show’s physicality — leading audiences through the space, reacting in real time, singing from within the crowd — requires stamina and constant adjustment. “You have to think about the physicality and adjust,” she explained.

For Francesca, this production redefined how she uses her voice. Because the audience often moves with her, she sometimes sings in spaces without amplification and must rely on her chest register to project. She credits years of classical training with giving her the endurance and awareness to adapt to those shifting conditions. “[I'm] grateful for access to chest voice in moments like that because I originally came from a school of training that was very head voice dominant. I didn't have access to the bottom half of my instrument until my later college and graduate school years. And that's saved me because I'm not gonna be heard if I'm pitching it in my head voice saying, "Follow me!"

What has it been like sharing this role with five other Christines?

Both actors lit up when talking about their fellow Christines. Francesca called the collaboration “the biggest gift” of the experience. There’s a shared group chat, a constant exchange of ideas, and genuine support among the six women. “We have a group chat — the Red Scarf Group Chat — it’s popping off!” she laughed. The culture, she explained, is one of encouragement and creative generosity.

Haile echoed the sentiment, crediting director Diane Paulus for fostering that spirit. She recalled Paulus’s guiding phrase, “Hold on tightly, let go lightly,” a mantra that’s shaped their process. Both noted that each Christine brings her own life experience and voice to the role. “It’s about the work, not the ego,” Francesca said. “My Christine isn’t Haile’s Christine — and that’s the joy of it.”

Final question — what’s one thing you’ve learned from playing Christine?

Haile said that playing Christine has taught her to trust herself. “I’ve learned to trust my interpretation of the character,” she explained. “I don’t have to copy anyone else.” The role’s legacy is rich, but she’s discovered freedom in finding her own expression within it.

Francesca reflected on how the role reshaped her perspective on strength. “Sensitivity is strength,” she said. Christine’s ability to lead with compassion — even in the story’s most painful moments — reminded her that listening and responding thoughtfully are powerful forms of courage.

Takeaway

Between them, Haile and Francesca offered a masterclass in vocal balance, artistry, and generosity. Both artists show that stamina comes not just from vocal skill but from discipline, community, and care.

In a show built on dualities—light and dark, love and fear, classic and reimagined—these two Christines remind us that the real magic of the theatre isn’t just in the music. It’s in the collaboration.