It may be an internationally-renowned Broadway musical, but a Kiwi production of The Phantom of the Opera is giving local performers a chance to tread the boards in Auckland’s Civic Theatre.

Director Grant Meese says the New Zealand community theatre scene has a strong reputation, using a blend of professional and amateur performers to stage such elaborate productions.

“We’re actually quite lucky in New Zealand because we get [the rights to] these big theatrical shows released to us quite often first in the world – as an example, last year we got Mamma Mia and New Zealand was the first in the world to perform it on an amateur basis,” said Mr Meese.

This local production of The Phantom of the Opera features costumes and set designed and built in collaboration with both New Zealand Opera and the Royal New Zealand Ballet.

Set in the Paris Opera House, it tells the story of a lonely disfigured musical genius who is captivated and driven to obsession by the voice of his protégée, Christine Daaé.

Actors Chris Crowe and Barbara Graham portray the lead roles of the Phantom and Christine Daaé respectively and say the costumes – while beautiful and intricate – present challenges on a practical level.

“Because they’re so authentic to the period, they’re very heavy and this is the first time we’ve performed the show in a summer season,” says Mr Crowe.

Both Mr Crowe and Ms Graham are reprising their roles from the Wellington production of the show, which first opened two-and-a-half years ago.

“I have a lot of [costume] changes side-stage,” says Ms Graham.

“They are beautiful costumes which of course is amazing, who doesn’t want that, but it takes a lot to get into each costume with all their layers and petticoats.”

But director Grant Meese says it’s this production value that forms part of the allure of the Andrew Lloyd Webber show, which has kept its appeal since it first opened nearly 30 years ago.

He says his favourite number is “Masquerade”, which opens Act Two.

“It’s big and it’s proud and it represents the glory-days of the 1800s and the beauty of the Opera House.”

But recreating the opulent show with its depiction of the Phantom’s underground lake-turned-lair, the Opera House stairway and crowd-pleasing crashing chandelier, doesn’t come cheap.

The pro-amateur production boasts a budget of around 1.5 million dollars.

Grant Meese says it would be nice to have more Government funding in the local theatre scene, which relies on hundreds of volunteers juggling their day-jobs to pull off the large-scale productions.

“[It would be good] to make it as equal as, and I won’t get on the high-horse here, but as equal as sport... because what we can deliver back to people is as big as going to an arena for a great rugby game.”

This year The Phantom marks its 30^th anniversary since it first opened in London, and it’s estimated to have been seen by more than 140 million people worldwide.

The Auckland production runs from February 11 – March 5 in Auckland’s Civic Theatre.