Phantom of the opera seat recommendation

[mom of dragons]

My D and I will be in NYC in May and we are going to see Phantom. Ive heard about the chandelier drop, what would be good seats for this show?

[antonijan]

On tour...saw it at balcony and didn't enjoy it as much... usually...the closer i am...the more enjoyment I seem to have

[Justin D]

between 3 rows back and 10 rows back in the orchestra, or within the first 5 of the front mezz

[Lot666]

If this will be your first time seeing Phantom and you can afford to do so, I recommend getting seats in the center orchestra, somewhere between row B and about row K (if not your first time, consider rows BB-A as well). Most of these will be premium seats, so they will be pricey.

If you want to be under the chandelier, select seats in rows A-F, seat numbers 105-110 (these will definitely be premium seats).

IMHO, this show loses some of its impact when viewed from the mezzanine or balcony; front orchestra seating is a very immersive experience, while the upstairs sections feel removed to me (it felt like watching the show through a window).

[catmandoo]

Saw it yesterday afternoon for the ~10th time... Fourth Row Orchestra center. It was a great seat... chandelier practically falls right above you. I agree, closer is better.

[mom of dragons]

thanks!  we have tickets for Orch, Row C, seats 107 and 018.

[catmandoo]

I  believe I was in Row C...110? So you should have great seats!

[Lot666]

mom of dragons said: "thanks! we have tickets for Orch, Row C, seats 107 and 018."

Excellent choice - your view will be perfect and the chandelier will go right over your head. Don't forget to look up to the proscenium when you hear the Phantom's voice but don't see him on the stage!

[bwayphreak234]

mom of dragons said: "thanks! we have tickets for Orch, Row C, seats 107 and 018."

EXCELLENT seats! I sat there one of the times I saw the show, and it was so cool to be that close.

[RippedMan]

Going tonight via TDF, so hope it's a decent seat.

[Lot666]

RippedMan said: "Going tonight via TDF, so hope it's a decent seat."

Will this be Mr. Jöback's first show? If so, please let us know what you thought.

[mailhandler777]

RippedMan said: "Going tonight via TDF, so hope it's a decent seat."

I saw it through TDF and I was in 3rd row orchestra to the left. 

[mailhandler777]

mom of dragons said: "thanks! we have tickets for Orch, Row C, seats 107 and 018."

What is seat 018?

[Lot666]

mailhandler777 said: "mom of dragons said: "thanks! we have tickets for Orch, Row C, seats 107 and 018."

What is seat 018?"

It's a typo of "108" in which two characters were inadvertently transposed.

[RippedMan]

Was there tonight. I haven't been inside the Majestic since like high school, so it was pretty great to check out that theater. Just grand and gorgeous and so much history. 

The show itself is...interesting. I know it's kind of stuck in this 80s era, but why not update some of it? Some of it just feels so dated - design wise. When the curtain fell on "Masquerade" you could hear them pulling the stairs back, noise, flashlights, I saw stage hands a few times. 

Mr. Joback was good, but not my favorite. I wanted more power from his voice, and the ending to "Music of the Night" felt .... eh. He's also very short, so I don't know, he just felt less menacing. 

My real problem was with Ali. I'm not sure how long she's been with the show. But her acting was...oof. She basically played Christine like there was a gun to her head. She seemed timid about everything and scared of everything, and it all felt false and fake. Not for me. 

I just think the production needs a remodel. It's got great bones, but it's been 30 years. Things have changed. It's kind of the first of it's kind. No other show has run this long, so why not polish it up a little bit? The mannequins in "Masquerade" look silly. Some of the flats look like flats, etc. I just think the design could use some sprucing up. Surely there's an easier way to make the staircase disappear in "Masquerade." 

[Phantom4ever]

It is posts like the one above that terrify me. If they ever change one thing about Phantom’s sets or costumes or anything like that in the name of updating I will be so upset. It is such a treasure to go back again and again and see the same show. What a lamentable mess if would be to ruin a masterpiece in the name of trendiness.

[RippedMan]

By no means do I mean to change anything. I agree with you. It's fun to go back and see it as a "time capsule." But technology, etc, have changed. So why not use that your advantage? The chandelier falling could be more dramatic. The "Masquerade" scene could be better, etc. But I get what you're saying. 

I'm still curious how the boat works. Is it just remote control? 

[Phantom4ever]

The boat moves via a remote control. Any time the grosses dip a bit for Phantom, I get anxiety dreams where I imagine the new as campaigns: “If you thought the chandelier was thrilling before, just wait til you see it now! “ “Masquerade! Now featuring 33% more masks! And 79% fewer mannequins for you to needlessly focus on!”
When the new tour came out, that’s what scared me the most. I thought for sure they would change something about the original in a misguided attempt to keep things fresh.

Part of the charm of Phantom is that the dressing room set and the Masquerade set make noise as they move. I happen to love details like that. I’m sure there are Disney shows out there that have quiet sets that won’t distract you.

[Lot666]

Phantom4ever said: "When the new tour came out, that’s what scared me the most. I thought for sure they would change something about the original in a misguided attempt to keep things fresh."

[mozgrrl]

Phantom4ever said: "The boat moves via a remote control. Any time the grosses dip a bit for Phantom, I get anxiety dreams where I imagine the new as campaigns: “If you thought the chandelier was thrilling before, just wait til you see it now! “ “Masquerade! Now featuring 33% more masks! And 79% fewer mannequins for you to needlessly focus on!”
When the new tour came out, that’s what scared me the most. I thought for sure they would change something about the original in a misguided attempt to keep things fresh.

Part of the charm of Phantom is that the dressing room set and the Masquerade set make noise as they move. I happen to love details like that. I’m sure there are Disney shows out there that have quiet sets that won’t distract you."

Totally agree with you. It would KILL MY SOUL if they ever changed Phantom at the Majestic and that includes obvious technology things. I don't like the tour for that reason, it's different and it bothered me. Back in the 90's the tour was actually the same production as in NYC.

Oh and I am also with you when the grosses come out and it's "down"...my heart sinks a bit...lol

 

[RippedMan]

Nothing wrong with a little sprucing up. But being in the theater and seeing the original was pretty exciting. It was very grand, and sitting 4 rows back, felt very much the spectacle it is.

[Phantom4ever]

Rippedman.........what do you say we go see Phantom together sometime and we could argue over this at intermission!  lol

[ermengarde]

The problem is that the majority of the set pieces are nearing 30 years old. I know there's sentimentality of using the same set pieces that Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman used, however some of them are really in disrepair. The chandelier falls incredibly slowly as well.

I have seen phone flashlights through the see through scrim during the scene before Don Juan Triumphant where Raoul and the managers are locking the doors. I mean clearly they need to see to put the table out, but white phone flashlights really take you out of it. 

[Lot666]

ermengarde said: "The problem is that the majority of the set pieces are nearing 30 years old. I know there's sentimentality of using the same set pieces that Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman used, however some of them are really in disrepair. The chandelier falls incredibly slowly as well."

The fact that some set pieces are "nearing 30 years old" is not inherently a "problem", as the production is well-maintained. I've seen this show at least 50 times and I've been on the actual stage and backstage a number of times, and I've never seen anything "in disrepair". What, exactly, are you referring to?

I've also viewed the chandelier from up-close (close enough to locate and read the "Ruthie" nameplate), while it was sitting on the stage post-show. It is not "in disrepair"; the speed of descent was determined by and is subject to safety requirements.