Shores native lands role in ‘The Phantom of the Opera

DETROIT/GROSSE POINTE SHORES — Some families enjoy camping or riding bikes with each other. In Jeremy Harr’s family, it was musical theater that brought them together.

“It’s been a part of my family as long as I can remember,” said Harr, 30, who grew up in Grosse Pointe Shores. “That became what I did as a kid and what we did as a family.”

Something he once did for fun has become Harr’s career. A professional opera singer and actor, he’ll be back home for his first major appearance here as part of a new national touring production of “The Phantom of the Opera,” which will be staged Feb. 4 to 15 at the Detroit Opera House.

In “Phantom,” Harr plays the comical role of Don Attilio, a character in the fictional opera “Il Muto.”

“He’s a buffoonish husband who has no idea his wife is having an affair,” Harr said.

As a bass, Harr wouldn’t be able to land most of the roles available in modern musical theater, which are geared more for tenors or baritones.

“I grew up on musical theater, but when I went to music school, I learned that my voice is better suited to operatic (songs),” Harr said.

So, “Phantom” is giving him an opportunity to come full circle and return to his musical theater roots.

“This is a role I didn’t know existed in the show,” Harr said. “It fit (my voice) so perfectly.”

He’s also a member of the ensemble, where he plays several roles and has about five or six costume changes.

Harr is the younger of two children; his older sister, Joanna Dreaver, is an attorney like their mother. The family worked on many Grosse Pointe Theatre shows together, including “Oklahoma” and “Big River.”

Harr’s parents — Laura Bartel, a professor at Wayne State University’s Law School, and Stan Harr, a retired choral director — said Jeremy was musical from an early age.

“I can’t remember when he didn’t have this interest in music. … Jeremy just took to it,” Bartel said.

Stan Harr recalls his son’s first Grosse Pointe Theatre show — a production of “Bells Are Ringing” — when Jeremy was about 10. Bartel said her son played a Boy Scout who helps someone cross the street.

“He came home and he said, ‘It was the best night of my life! I found a quarter on the stage and they put real popcorn in my bucket,’” Stan Harr said. “He was hooked.”

During his senior year at Grosse Pointe North High School, Jeremy Harr’s parents recognized that he needed to train with a vocal teacher to further hone his skills. Ellen Bowen, a high school choral director who Stan Harr knew, recommended professional opera singer Curt Peters, a tenor with his own school in Livonia.

“It was really technique oriented,” Stan Harr said of those lessons. “I think (Peters) made a world of difference in Jeremy’s development.”

Peters said Jeremy’s parents recognized the level of time and commitment their son’s training required and gave him an “excellent foundation” in music.

“In Jeremy’s case, he came with a lot of natural ability, a lot of natural talent,” Peters said.

But learning how to access a singer’s full range is something that doesn’t happen overnight, even with an innate gift for singing.

“He worked very hard in between lessons to develop his voice,” Peters said. “Jeremy had that desire and that drive as a high school student. … You have to have an impeccable work ethic. It’s a difficult field to begin with, but if you don’t have that work ethic, you’re not going to succeed.”

Harr has a Master of Music degree in opera performance from the University of Maryland Opera Studio, a bachelor’s degree in music from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and a Bachelor of Arts degree in theater/acting with a minor in politics from Oberlin College.

Harr was a resident artist at Pittsburgh Opera for two seasons, from 2020 through 2022, and has performed steadily across the country, landing roles with the Des Moines Metro Opera, Opera Saratoga, Salt Marsh Opera and Opera San Jose, among many others. In summer 2025, he made his debut with the Glimmerglass Festival. Harr was praised by “Opera News” for his “warm, smoothly produced bass.”

Peters is thrilled to see how well his former student is doing and how much he’s already accomplished.

“It’s one of the greatest rewards as a teacher to see your student go on to have significant success,” Peters said. “As teachers, we know how hard it is, so when you see a student like Jeremy get so far … it’s very gratifying.”

Harr’s family and friends are looking forward to seeing him perform in their backyard.

Bartel said they saw “Phantom” in Minneapolis but are “very excited” to see it again in Detroit, and to have Jeremy home during the show’s run.

“It’s always fun to have him around the house,” Stan Harr said. “He’s always singing in the shower. It’s always good to hear him sing. He can fill the whole house with song.”

Besides his vocal and acting talents, Bartel said Jeremy is “a wonderful young man.”

Her husband concurred.

“He makes us proud,” Stan Harr said.

This new production of “Phantom” features Maria Björnson’s original design and is based on the original direction by Harold Prince with musical staging and choreography by Gillian Lynne.

“It’s a very strong show all the way around,” Stan Harr said.

Jeremy Harr, who has lived in New York for the last two years, said rehearsals for “Phantom” started in mid-September and the tour started a month later. He’s signed for a one-year contract with the show, but he’d be willing to stay with it if the tour continues.

“I’ll stay with it as long as they’ll have me. … I love being a part of it, and I love seeing how much people enjoy seeing it,” Harr said.

At press time, tickets to “Phantom” were selling briskly. For tickets or more information, visit BroadwayInDetroit.com or call (888) 746-1799.