Interview: Melo Ludwig on Playing Brave and Loyal Meg Giry in PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

Melo Ludwig is making her national tour and theatrical debut as Meg Giry in Phantom of the Opera, a milestone she admits still feels unbelievable.

Her first encounter with Phantom came when she was just 8 years old, when she saw the Broadway production with her family. During the performance, she remembers looking around and wondering, “Maybe the Phantom is going to be in our box,” knowing the character famously haunts the theater’s boxes.

She was enthralled by the ballet, music, romance and spectacle — all elements she now gets to experience from inside the world of the production. “It’s insane. It’s hard to wrap my head around,” Ludwig says. “We’re celebrating 40 years of Phantom this year. It’s such an iconic show, and to be a part of something like that, it’s magical.”

There are moments when the reality of it hits her unexpectedly, like hearing “Music of the Night” from her dressing room. “It makes me so excited and grateful.”

Having worked in TV and film, Ludwig had not previously been part of a musical or theater production. Now, she has been with the production since rehearsals began in September 2025 and has performed more than 300 shows.

And this is no small touring production.

The tour brings the grandeur of The Phantom of the Opera to audiences across the country, with a company of approximately 80 people and additional crew members joining the production in each city. For Ludwig, that scale is part of what makes touring so special — particularly because the tour spends at least two weeks in each stop, giving the company time to settle into each city rather than simply passing through.

“I’ve been loving experiencing each city as a ‘local,’” she says. “The memories I’ve made in each one are special to me.”

The tour also brings a particularly significant visual element back to the stage. For the first time since 2010, Phantom is being presented with Maria Björnson’s original design, returning audiences to the iconic visual world that helped define the production. “This one will be like the Broadway version,” she says.

The production also incorporates new elements, including the Pegasus, which Ludwig notes was not part of the original design. “It’s gorgeous,” she says.

The dancers have also been able to connect with local ballet communities along the way. “It’s so cool to take classes with other companies and learn from their artistic directors,” Ludwig says. In Seattle, for example, the Phantom dancers took classes with Pacific Northwest Ballet.

That connection to ballet runs deep for Ludwig, who has been dancing since she was 2 years old. It also shapes her understanding of Meg, not only as a character within the story but as a young dancer navigating the demanding world of the Paris Opera House.

“I love her. She is me,” Ludwig says. “We share a lot of similarities.”

In playing Meg, Ludwig has discovered that she is loyal, curious, smart and protective of Christine. She is also brave and bold for her time period, particularly as a ballerina and someone considered “low tier” in the company. “She’s sneaking around with her mom and speaking on behalf of the company,” Ludwig says.

That relationship between Meg and her mother has also become particularly meaningful for Ludwig. Although her mother can be harsh, there is still a deep love and connection between them. “We’ve gotten so close offstage that we can take that to the stage,” she says.

One of Ludwig’s favorite moments in the show is “Masquerade.”

“It’s a joyful celebration,” she says. “A specific moment is when we are all on the stairs with the iconic choreography. Everyone is on stage except the Phantom. Looking at the audience and doing that song, it’s an unbelievable time.”

For Ludwig, that moment captures something larger about the production itself. The Phantom of the Opera may be a story audiences have known for decades, but seeing it live — with its sweeping music, elaborate costumes, iconic choreography and spectacular design — is still an experience she believes can surprise audiences.

Ultimately, Ludwig hopes audiences feel the passion the company brings to the stage and allow themselves to be swept away by the spectacle. “And that it changes them,” she says. “Take in everything: the feelings, costumes, set. Appreciate it and remember it.”

Because for Ludwig, the word that best captures the experience is simple: “It’s just magical."

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