Paloma Garcia-Lee was about preschool age when Kim Stengel was first cast in “Phantom of the Opera” 15 years ago. Now they’re both closing out the national tour together, a remarkable testament to the staying power of this ageless musical.

No other Broadway show could pull off a stunt like this — but “Phantom” is special. As Broadway musicals go, it’s the measuring stick against which all others are judged. Longest-running, highest-grossing — the superlatives go on and on.

But “Phantom” is much more than mere figures. Stengel knows this better than most. She has played Carlotta, “Phantom’s” resident prima donna, longer than anyone else in the world, a feat that still amazes her. Over the course of this “personal marathon,” Stengel has watched fans grow up, have children, and come back to her.

“It’s being connected to the audience for a lifetime, not just for a night,” Stengel said. 

On the other end of the generational spectrum, Garcia-Lee, a native of Minneapolis, was 17 when she was cast as Meg Giry in the Broadway production of “Phantom.”

People have told Garcia-Lee that she is “so honest in the role,” but she just laughs, because she’s essentially playing a version of herself. Like Meg, Garcia-Lee is young, spunky, serious — “things I am every day,” Garcia-Lee said.

For Garcia-Lee to be able to cut her professional teeth on a show like “Phantom,” especially in the company of veterans like Stengel, has been “absolutely thrilling.”

“This is what theater is supposed to be,” she said. “So to be with a group of people who are actually doing it as it’s supposed to be done is really awesome.”

Both Stengel and Garcia-Lee emphasized the magic of this particular cast. As the show winds down — the curtains will close for good on Oct. 31 — the stakes get higher. Each night represents one less opportunity to capture the full essence of a play that has stolen the hearts of generations. So they’re not holding back.

“It’s an amazing time to be an audience,” Stengel said.

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