Injury to lawsuit and back again: The Michael Crawford Story

Melissa Schorr

Friday, May 22, 1998 | 10:27 a.m.

Michael Crawford must be a very forgiving man.

Why else would he return to perform a concert in the same casino he left in a huff 18 months ago?

Crawford, the world's most beloved "Phantom of the Opera," filed suit five months ago against the MGM Grand hotel-casino for releasing him from his contract after he sustained injuries from his star performance in the $40 million dollar production "EFX."

Now, the singer is back -- stopping one night only in Las Vegas as part of his three-month summer tour to promote his seventh album, "On Eagle's Wings."

And -- puzzlingly -- he will perform at the very venue of his current partner in litigation: the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Does this mean the star has declared "bygones," or is it just a matter of business making strange bedfellows?

"It's two separate issues, as I understand it," MGM publicist Lynn Holt says, suggesting it's the latter. "He's on a national tour and this venue made the most sense for him to perform in this market."

The MGM was approached by a third-party intermediary, promotion company Bill Silva Presents, which has a strong working relationship with the casino. When the MGM approved of the concert, the venue was offered to Crawford, who, in turn, accepted. (Crawford could not be reached for comment.)

"We had the option of presenting this concert or not, and it's the perfect show for our audience," Holt explains. "When faced with the decision of whether or not to host it here, we chose to. From my perspective, it's a normal touring show. There's nothing different about how it's been arranged or how we've promoted it."

Although it's been hypothesized that Crawford's stop on the tour was a condition of being released six months early from his contract, Holt could not confirm or deny whether the two are related.

But for long-time fans such as Regina McCullough, it seems clear that Crawford made a deliberate choice to return to Las Vegas -- and specifically to the MGM.

"I think he has a point to make," McCullough says. She is a Las Vegas member of the Michael Crawford International Fan Association, a 3,000-member fan club recently dubbed the "legion of the legend."

"He wanted to come back and show everyone he was well, because when he left, he had been injured," she says. "I think he's one of those people, when he falls off a horse, he gets on the next day. But now, he's back in force -- and we're all thrilled to be a part of it."

Crawford originated the lead role in March 1995 and left in September 1996 due to a hip injury sustained during rehearsals for the special effects-laden extravaganza. David Cassidy currently stars in the production.

Now, Crawford is back with his new album, his second worldwide tour and a successful PBS concert special,"Michael Crawford in Concert," which aired nationwide in March.

The Crawford magic still seems to mesmerize: The concert (which will air again May 30 at 7:30 p.m. on KLVX Channel 10) was one of the top five revenue generators of the fund-drive, raising $15,543 for the local affiliate, Kurt Mische, KLVX's director of development, says.

"He has a large and loyal following here," Mische says. "We're looking forward to him being here."

No one is anticipating his arrival more than the 50 Las Vegas fan club members, and an additional 300 out-of-town admirers, who are all expected to converge in Las Vegas (bearing T-shirts declaring "the triumphant return") to attend Saturday night's show and a private soiree with Crawford that afternoon.

"This is his first time back after having left the show, and we're here to show support for him," McCollough explains. "(Being at the MGM) also has a sense of nostalgia -- we had some great times, and were rather pleased he went back there," she adds. "There is closure of a sort for all of us."

Bobbee Cline, executive director of the MCIFA, expressed a similar sentiment. "I see it as a nice healing of such an unfortunate situation," she says. Cline traveled to Houston last Saturday to see Crawford's first performance of the tour.

"He sang (the 'Phantom of the Opera' song) 'Music of the Night' as I've never heard him before," she sighs. "Six years ago, I would have said, 'That's perfection.' How does he keep perfecting what's already perfect?"

Las Vegas fans such as McCullough secretly hope that Crawford marks his stop here with a number from the original cast album of "EFX" -- either "Somewhere in Time" or "Tonight."

"Since he's at the MGM, it would be a great thrill for all of us to hear him sing that again," McCullough says. She saw the show no less than 25 times during Crawford's tenure -- and only once since. "He was gone 18 months and that's a long dry spell."

What is more likely is that Crawford will perform selections from his new album, which takes the singer's persona into a new realm: from ghostly to ethereal.

Inspired by the church choir of his youth, "On Eagle's Wings" features inspirational/religious music, with classical pieces such as "Amazing Grace" and "Ave Maria," as well as a few more modern songs.

Released in March, the album is currently in the No. 3 spot on the Contemporary Christian charts. In Australia, where Crawford has a large fan base, "the album is outpacing Metallica," Cline happily points out.

While this is the first time Crawford's work has been overtly spiritual, Cline says it has been a facet of his personality all along. "There was a spiritual message in 'EFX,' she contends. "We chuckled that he managed to convey his outlook on life in the middle of a Las Vegas spectacle."

A contrast to his dark, haunted "Phantom," Crawford poses on the album's gleaming white cover dressed in white Armani, looking freshly scrubbed and angelic.

Heavenly is exactly how fans see him -- what draws their adoration is his virtue as much as his virtuosity.

"He's deeply involved in his children's charities," McCullough says. "You can admire him not just as a performer, but as a person. We look at him as a role model, as well as someone we can admire."

His urge to express those sentiments vocally may have deepened with his recent travails.

"He's spent so much time healing from emotional and physical injuries that he's drawn upon his spiritual side," McCullough says.

The liner notes explain that the album represents the singer's "search for peaceful reflection ... Through the joys and losses of our lives, Crawford offers us the songs he hopes will ... bring us closer to our spiritual being."

The British stage and film star certainly knows something about loss: In the past year, he has had to deal with the loss of his health, the "EFX" role and, possibly, the coveted role of the Phantom in the long-delayed film version as well -- Antonio Banderas and John Travolta are rumored to be among those being considered for the part -- given the desire for a megawatt "name" celebrity.

But what he hasn't lost is the respect of his fans.

Cline says: "He came back from what another performer might have seen as a career-ending injury -- more powerful than ever."