New Phantom tour

[Marway44]

Posted: 11/13/13 at 6:01pm

Has anyone gotten tickets to the new Phantom tour yet? I got tickets for its stop in Philly and am super excited! The show looks very good and the chandelier effect sounds really cool. So, is anyone going or planning on it? So, what's everyones thoughts on this new tour?

[Mike Barrett]

Posted: 11/13/13 at 6:12pm

I have tickets for the Boston stop but I'm considering selling them. I don't know this show doesn't seem to excite me that much. Also I think it would be hard to follow. I could barely follow the Les Mis movie so seeing this show without being able to stop it and fiqure out what's going on might be tough. But on the other hand it has been running for 25 years so it must be somewhat good right? Any help here? I will say though I've seen a few clips on the UK tour and the set looks beautiful!

[ukpuppetboy]

Posted: 11/13/13 at 7:31pm

Just intrigued but what did you read about the chanderlier effect that made it sound "cool"?

[Starship]

Posted: 11/13/13 at 8:46pm

@MikeBarrett - Phantom is an incredible show. For some people, it's a one-time thing, and for others, they could see it over and over again. Nonetheless, I think everybody should see it at least once (especially since you already have tickets). It's a true musical theatre gem.

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 11/13/13 at 10:06pm

As a die-hard fan of the original, I have mixed feelings about this tour. The staging is a big part of what I love about the show, so having that changed may not work. However, since the show has been given a fresh look, I'm willing to give it a chance. As for the chandelier, it was my understanding that there is no chandelier special effect in the new tour? No rising, no falling?

[Marway44]

Posted: 11/13/13 at 10:40pm

The chandelier comes down and rises during the overture. While it does not ” crash” at the end of the act, it shakes and sparks and from what I heard pieces of plastic rain on the audience. The set by the way really does look amazing. I'm intrigued about how Masquerade will look though without steps.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 11/13/13 at 10:50pm

Didn't Hal Prince seek some payment for them using so much of his staging uncredited?? At any rate, a huge percentage of the appeal of Phantom on stage for me (and I admit it's not something I'm in a rush to see again soon) is the amazing Prince/Bjornson staging. The clips of this just seem kinda like a watered down take...

[Wildcard]

Posted: 11/13/13 at 11:12pm

They have been hinting on Facebook that they made changes for the US tour and that the chandelier will fall.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 11/13/13 at 11:39pm

Since they are going into the primary markets first all of the necessary pick points to make the chandelier fall all exist from when the original tour went out, so it probably wouldn't be nearly as difficult of an effect to add in at this point if they wanted.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 11/14/13 at 12:08am

Mike, it's not like it's a complicated plot... really?!

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 11/14/13 at 12:14am

I don't think the plot of Phantom is hard to follow, but what would make it a bit harder than the average show is that so much of the singing is done with characters just standing and singing, rather than being involved in action while they sing. Does that make sense? With a show like Phantom, you have to listen to the lyrics more intently to get some of the plot.
And there are so many little things you can miss.....like at the Hannibal rehearsal, when the new owners ask the old owners why he is selling the Opera house, and he says "we take a particular pride in our ballets". If you're only half-paying attention, that could be a moment where you give up and say that the show is too hard to follow.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 11/14/13 at 12:15am

Find a summary, read it once or twice or maybe even just skim, see the show, and you're done. At least that worked for me when I was Mike's age, and I didn't even have the internet at home.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 11/14/13 at 12:26am

WIth all due respect to "phans," I would argue that Phantom's plot is better if you don't worry about all the little details in the lyrics. At its best, IMHO, it's more about the basic story and atmosphere (I mean really, if you start obsessing over details about Chritstine's dead father, and a possible relation to the Phantom etc you could go mad.)

[winston89]

Posted: 11/14/13 at 3:39am

i have always been of the mindset that if the backbone of a musical (score and book) are weak that the sets and staging can act as a mask over the weak basic material. A perfect example of this is Phantom, a show that is poorly constructed and written (yet I see it every now and again. Go figure) and yet in its original format has lavish costumes and staging. I feel that the lavishness of the sets does a good job in masking the flaws in the book and the score of the show. I feel that since this is a new production, many of the flaws will be highlighted and not come across as an overall good show since it doesn't have the original staging to back it up.

I remember comparing the new production of Phantom with the new one of Les Miserables awhile back when the new Phantom tour was starting in England. I feel that with Phantom, we need the original staging for it to work. Simply because it's not that good a show in and of itself. I feel that Les Miserables is the opposite. Sure, it would be nice to see the original staging with the turntable. But, the staging is secondary to the epic score that tells an amazing story.

[sbflyfan]

Posted: 11/14/13 at 9:16am

Links to the Facebook photos where new chandelier effect is hinted at:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=213326638847971&set=pb.148320885348547.-2207520000.1384438407.&type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=213125098868125&set=pb.148320885348547.-2207520000.1384438407.&type=3&theater

Updated On: 11/14/13 at 09:16 AM

[Marway44]

Posted: 11/14/13 at 1:48pm

So glad to hear it should fall now. That effect to me is very important to the story.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 11/14/13 at 9:47pm

I actually like the design of that chandelier a lot better than the one that's currently on Broadway, whether it falls or not.

[Marway44]

Posted: 11/15/13 at 10:29am

Their is an unexplainable appeal to the new chandelier. I'm very used to the Broadway, and previous national tours and while I love the design a new production needs a totally new look.

So, did anyone get tickets to see the show?

[someone.else's.story2]

Posted: 11/15/13 at 1:14pm

Very intrigued to see this (if it comes to LA. Fingers crossed)

[KylePKJP]

Posted: 11/16/13 at 7:37am

Have always loved Phantom since my 8th grade music teacher intorduced our class to it and then took us to Toronto to see the original Canadian company (including Colm Wilkinson, Rebecca Caine, Byron Nease and Neve Cambpell).

Have no interest in seeing this re-worked productiom but did see parts of a bootleg of the recent UK tour of the new show. At the end of Act 2 the chandelier does not fall but the act does end with the proscenium drmatically cracking and a "stage curtain" falling from the flys.

Also, from what I saw, some of the new staging and directions/blocking is odd.

[PTOPhan]

Posted: 11/20/13 at 10:45pm

I haven't been able to track down good seats at a decent price in a location relatively close to DC. My best shot is when the tickets go on sale Friday morning for the Philadelphia run. Boston has almost nothing in the first 10 rows of the orchestra, in the center section. I'm becoming worried that the subscribers have gotten all the good seats, everywhere -- either that, or the EBay scalpers bought them up. (I thought scalping had become illegal).

For me, aside from the music, the thing that gives me goosebumps is when the chandelier begins to shimmy and shake during the overture -- after the prologue's last line about frightening away the ghost of so many years ago, we hear a bang, followed by the loud opening chord, and the chandelier begins to rise. I sure hope that this is still in the show -- the angel and the staircase are gone, as are the statues during "Masquerade" and (I think) the moving walkway during the title number. I've heard different versions of whether the chandelier will fall.

All I can say is, they'd better keep the boat and "Music of the Night" or I'm going to curse the day they did not do, all that the Phantom asked of ... them.

[Marway44]

Posted: 11/21/13 at 6:44am

I got first row tickets in Philly. You shouldn't have a problem getting good seats their since the theatre is tremendous. Please report back the good news that you got good seats. As far as the boat, it's still their, but with a flame in front. "The music of the night" is intact as well! While the travelators are gone, the title number scene is stunning with a staircase coming out of a giant revolving drum. It's the look of the floating candles that worries me, but I've heard it looks beautiful. Time will tell.

Updated On: 11/21/13 at 06:44 AM

[sbflyfan]

Posted: 11/21/13 at 8:34am

All I can say is, they'd better keep the boat and "Music of the Night"

Yeah, they cut "Music of the Night" and instead, the Phantom whispers to Christine, "Hey, Patti, you wanna get up — or get down?"

Um, why on earth would anyone think they'd cut "Music of the Night"? That's part of the score... and the most recognizable song. It has nothing to do with changing the overall staging of the show for a new tour.

Updated On: 11/21/13 at 08:34 AM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 11/21/13 at 9:24am

LOL! That reminds me of someone on a message board asking if they kept "On My Own" when Les Miz revamped the show for its 10th anniversary...

[PTOPhan]

Posted: 11/21/13 at 11:24pm

Marway, I saw on the official Phantom site that, by clicking on the advance sale code info shown in a blog entry, it's possible to buy tickets now. (Alternatively, log onto the Kimmel Center cite and use the code "Christine.") I just got two dead center seats for row DDD, in the closest section to the stage. I think it may be the first row, based on its being the only row that shows up in that section, whether empty or occupied. Thanks for letting me know that it's possible to buy them before tomorrow.

SBFlyFan wrote: Um, why on earth would anyone think they'd cut "Music of the Night"? That's part of the score... and the most recognizable song.

SB, I was just being ironic about cutting MOTN -- I know they're not eliminating songs. The now-closed Las Vegas version of POTO, which was significantly shorter than the Broadway version, eliminated the rehearsal scene and crashed the chandelier at the end, instead of after Christine's replacing Carlotta in "Il Muto."

There are sometimes major changes in a so-called "new production" -- at least where it's a revival. When I saw the "Annie Get Your Gun" revival with Ethel Merman in, I think 1964, there was a new show-stopper song added ("An Old-Fashioned Wedding.") I wouldn't be surprised if the more recent revivals eliminated "I'm an Indian, too," because the song contains stereotypes that are offensive to modern ears.

The second "Forbidden Broadway" album contains a hilarious send-up of the title song in "Sweeney Todd," called "Teeny Todd (the smaller version of Sweeney)", which spoofs the significant changes that made the revival cheaper than the original.

In short, even though I know that "MOTN" is never going to be cut out of the show, my attempt at irony was not completely misplaced.