Michael Crawford in Concert

If you've seen Ted Neeley belting out his tortured version of "Gethsemane" in Jesus Christ Superstar, Michael Crawford's opener might strike you as a little on the El Wimpo side (we're talking Christ's passion here, for heaven's sake, not a mere stroll in the garden). Still, fans of the Man In the Half Mask will enjoy his renditions of "Phantom of the Opera," "Music of the Night" and--trying on Raoul's role--"All I Ask of You," as well as another Andrew Lloyd Weber hit "Love Changes Everything." Filmed before a live audience in Los Angeles' Cerritos Center, Crawford's set ranges from Broadway musicals (such as "Tonight" from West Side Story) to inspirational numbers (the trilogy "Not Too Far From Here," "On Eagle's Wings" and "Spirit of the Living God"). Crawford's in-between-tunes patter is entertaining, if slightly exaggerated, and I daresay that the applause given up at show's end was genuinely heartfelt. "Phantom" fans will surely want to share this amiable night of music. Recommended. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)