Andrew Lloyd Webber strikes again!

I'm gonna tell a secret I've kept for over 30 years. On Christmas Eve of 1974 my brother was home on break from college. With him he brought a lot of dirty laundry and a cassette tape. (I'm sure he brought other stuff too...but that's all I remember as I was the tender age of eight.) We'd finished our Christmas rituals; eating chili for dinner, reading from the bible and opening one present and the children were down in the den playing while Mom and Dad were off doing boring parent things. My brother then brought out a cassette tape of some "forbidden music" and if I told he'd rip out my intestines. (To this day he still uses this threat. I'm no longer impressed by it, but at eight--even though I had no idea what intestines were--it seemed quite intense and so I would obey.) The tape was of Jesus Christ Superstar...and before the Overture was over I had sold my soul. It's a moment that years later when I discussed it with my brother he had no recollection. Why would he? His life didn't change that night...but mine did. Years later I became a professional director. I've directed Jesus Christ Superstar twice now...I could direct that show for the rest of my life. I know every note, ever syllable by heart.
Tonight I had Phantom of the Opera on HBO. Lydia heard it and came running in and plopped down on my lap and watched. She watched the whole thing. THE WHOLE THING. Well...okay, the whole thing until Raoul is taken prisoner...her little 16 month old body just zonked after that, but not because she wanted to sleep. She fought it bigtime. I'm not sure, but I think tonight Andrew Lloyd Webber claimed another soul.