Black HERstory Spotlight: Emilie Kouatchou, ‘Phantom of the Opera’ first Black lead actress

black women

Feb 24

By EEW Magazine Editors // Black Women // Black HERstory

Black HerStory is about celebrating Black women trailblazers—both historical and current— that paved the way for the rest of us to follow in their footsteps.

For Broadway fans, it is a pure delight that after 34 years, Broadway’s longest running show, “Phantom of the Opera” finally elevated a Black woman, Emilie Kouatchou, to its leading-lady role.

Meet the astonishingly gifted 25-year-old Chicago-born actor and singer who is the embodiment of Black Girl Magic. Kouatchou, who studied musical theater at The University of Michigan, graduating in 2019, took over the role of Christine Daaé full time in Andrew Lloyd Weber’s hit musical for the show’s anniversary on Jan 26, 2022.

But it didn’t happen overnight.

Kouatchou unsuccessfully auditioned for the musical twice before landing a role as the understudy, reports NBC. Now the past is behind her as she tries to take in the enormity of the opportunity.

“Humility is great and all and being kind and humble is very important, but I’m very conscious of not allowing myself to be small, especially in a situation like that,” Kouatchou said to People when recalling how she felt after her very first post-show bow as Christine. “I just wanted to feel like I could take up as much space as I could,” she added, “because I felt like I deserved it.”

“Phantom of the Opera” is based on Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel about a love triangle that unfolds after two businessmen take over a haunted opera house. The Phantom, a mysterious character who lingers in the rafters, keeps sabotaging the opera to get what he wants from the new owners.

Christine, a fair, young soprano, joins the musical with a small role at first. But, when she becomes the Phantom’s love interest, he uses his influence to get Christine the lead role by any means possible.

Christine is a beloved character known for her sweeping ballads “Think of Me,” “All I Ask of You” and “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again.”

Kouatchou’s rich, vibrant vocals bring a distinction and power to the role while simultaneously introducing much-needed diversity to Broadway. A 2019 report by the Actor’s Equity Association found that just 8% of Broadway’s nearly 52,000 actors and stage managers are Black.

“It took this long for any Black woman to play Christine, but there have been so many talented Black women who could have,” Kouatchou noted. “I just think that Black women, especially in theater, have to be — and it shouldn’t be this way — ten times better and work ten times harder.”

While Kouatchou is grateful for the platform personally, her aspirations are not merely to secure her own legacy and success. She hopes that her groundbreaking opportunity will normalize inclusion on Broadway, allowing Black actors and singers to land lead roles as significant as this one. “I’m honored that it’s me, and I’m honored that I’m making history, but I’m really excited for when it’s not even a question, it’s not even a thing, the first Black Christine,” Kouatchou said.

Though there is yet a ways to go for her dream to be fully realized, she is already inspiring the younger generation. “I’ve had a lot of girls reach out and say, ‘Hey, this is a dream role of mine, and you’re making it possible for me to achieve that goal,’’ Kouatchou told NBC.

However, as amazing and inspiring as that may be, her new fans and supporters are not the only ones on Kouatchou’s mind when she steps onto the stage. According to the songstress, she also constantly thinks of the trailblazing Black women that were overlooked but who made it possible for her to play Christine—which makes her emotional.

“I think about it every day. Even when I did my first show as the full-time Christine, I remember doing ‘Think of Me.’ I was really trying to center myself because I was feeling so emotional because I was thinking about all the women who have come before me who made it possible for me to be in this spot. People I look up to in the industry. Just feeling the weight, but also like I was covered by something bigger than myself,’” Kouatchou said.

During the 2017 – 2018 Broadway season, 20 percent of the shows on and off Broadway in New York City were created by people of color. Yet, nearly two-thirds of the roles were filled by white actors, and 94 percent of the directors were white.