Ben Crawford

Ben Crawford (born May 22, 1982) is an American singer and stage actor from Tucson, Arizona. He played the lead role of The Phantom in the Broadway production of The Phantom of the Opera for five years.

He made his Broadway debut in 2007 in Les Misérables as the understudy for Jean Valjean and Javert. His first principal role on Broadway was the title role in Shrek the Musical.

Early life Born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, Crawford received a BFA in Music Theatre from the University of Arizona.

Personal life On June 22, 2022, he announced his engagement via Instagram to former-Phantom costar, Kelsey Connolly.

The Phantom of the Opera Crawford made his debut performance in The Phantom of the Opera on April 16, 2018, following the tenure of Peter Joback. After a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Crawford returned to the role in October 2021 and was set to be the final Phantom when the show closed after a record 35 year run on Broadway. However, he was forced out of the show on April 1, 2023 due to sickness. He was covered the last fifteen days by Jeremy Stolle, Ted Keegan, and Laird Mackintosh.

He has no relation to the originator of the role, Michael Crawford.

Stage credits