John Cudia is a musical theatre actor who has played many of the biggest roles in musical theatre on Broadway. He was born on September 21, 1970 in North Carolina, but he graduated from Monsignor Donovan High School in Toms River, New Jersey. Cudia began his career in regional theater. His credits include Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar, Lieutenant Cable in South Pacific and Tony in West Side Story. His first role on Broadway was Feuilly in Les Mis�rables. He went on to play many of the lead male roles in Les Mis�rables, including Jean Valjean. Cudia's claim to fame is his critically acclaimed portrayal of the Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera. His first encounter with Phantom occurred when he was cast as a temporary swing in the U.S. touring production in 1999. There, he met Kathy Voytko, an alternate Christine, who is now his wife. Nine months later, he was given the role of Raoul in the touring cast. He played Raoul on Broadway for 3 years, where he was an understudy for the Phantom. Finally he was cast as the "full-time" Phantom in the U.S. touring production in 2006. 

September 21st, 1970 in North Carolina (Age 54)