Sandra Joseph is best known for her legendary performance as Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera, which spanned over 1,500 performances. But after a decade, Sandra took a leap from Broadway to become a one-of-a-kind musical keynote speaker, where she shares her passion for performance and her lifelong interest in personal growth and self-actualization. Sandra is also the author of Unmasking What Matters: 10 Life Lessons from 10 Years on Broadway. She married actor Ron Bohmer, who played The Phantom. The couple now are keynote speakers.
Despite captivating audiences as Christine Daaé, Sandra had to overcome a personal struggle with her fear of being in the spotlight—a surprising challenge for someone in the limelight. As a self-described introvert, Sandra says she fell in love with the art of performance.
"I don't struggle like I used to," she says. "I still prepare, rehearse, and craft every single keynote specifically for the audiences. I don't think I've ever done quite the same thing because I want it to be specifically relevant to whatever the event is and whoever the audience is."
Sandra notes her insecurity during her younger years resonated with many. She likens her struggle to The Phantom, who feels the need to cover up part of himself and present a perfect image to the world to be loved.
"I think so many of us can relate to that."
The Broadway star acknowledges that public speaking is a huge fear for many. But over the years, Sandra has managed to overcome her insecurity, thanks to personal development, therapy, and self-reflection.
"I can't say I don't ever have moments of self-doubt, but it doesn't stay with me like it used to," she says. "I'm well past 50 now, and the beauty of getting older, I think, is you begin to just inhabit your whole self in a much more accepting way, and I no longer feel that I must be perfect."
Sandra and Ron will be the keynote speakers at the East Bay Women's Conference (EBWC) 2025 on March 4 at the Lesher Center for the Arts in downtown Walnut Creek. This marks the 20th anniversary of EBWC, which aims to inspire women from all walks of life.
Sandra shared her journey in securing her role in The Phantom, adding it was not an overnight success.
"I got in my own way and made mistakes out of nervousness, insecurity, and fear," she recalls.
Her perseverance and determination kept her going, but the biggest takeaway from that journey was learning how to "get out of" her own way. She says sometimes people get insecure when they feel like they are taking risks or vulnerable.
"That's when those old insecurity voices start whispering in our ear. That's when we tend to put the mask on. We feel we're not good enough," she says.
"It took a lot of perseverance to finally get out of my own way, and magical things can happen when you don't give up."
Sandra says overcoming the need to be perfect and allowing herself to be vulnerable opened connections.
"I want people to take the pressure off themselves and relax into being an imperfect, vulnerable, flawed human. That's what we all are."
Sandra says she and Ron have been together for almost 30 years and have worked together for a long time but always find a middle ground to make things work.
Being artists, Sandra says she and Ron often have different ideas and opinions about their speaking engagements and other events, unlike in The Phantom, where they knew their roles.
"We laugh at how much conflict it evokes," says Sandra.
But Sandra admits that it's an interesting challenge, one that the couple is always working on by compromising, communicating, and listening to each other.