LOVE NEVER DIES - US Tour- Page 14

[pattilupwned]

Posted: 1/21/18 at 1:35pm

While Meghan Picerno is out performing in Candide, Alyssa Giannetti got to have her debut as Christine in Cleveland during the matinee yesterday. I got to see it, and let me tell you, if I hadn’t known it was her debut by reading Bronson’s IG, I wouldn’t have guessed it. She was stunning. Hit the notes to the title song flawlessly. I can only imagine how it had to feel at the end of it! Lots of love on stage from the cast when she took her bows. And for what it’s worth, I’ve seen Bronson twice now and he is magnificent. His schedule seems to be weekend matinees now as the Phantom alternate. Going back next Sunday.

[Pithyaspromised]

Posted: 1/24/18 at 10:09pm

I'm looking forward to seeing Bronson a final time on Sunday before the production leaves town!

An amendment to my previous review of Gardar: while I still think his body language is a bit awkward, he has beautiful chemistry with Alyssa Gianetti. The vocal strain I was hearing last week seems to have resolved itself, and get truly sounded fantastic during this past Tuesday night's performance!

[sbflyfan]

Posted: 1/27/18 at 7:19pm

There was some discussion a page or two back about the Christine portrait... I saw the matinee from the front row today and the portrait does NOT move on this tour.

I’m back for the evening performance and Michael Gillis is on as the Phantom. I was looking forward to seeing Gardar again.

[ermengarde]

Posted: 1/27/18 at 9:13pm

Anyone know if this they've booked tour dates for the next season or if it's going to Broadway? I personally strongly dislike this show but I'd rather see it on Broadway than on tour with a bunch of nobodies (besides Karen Mason). I assume they could get some Broadway names if it came to Broadway.

[dmwnc1959]

Posted: 1/28/18 at 6:20am

ermengarde said: "Anyone know if this they've booked tour dates for the next season or if it's going to Broadway? I personally strongly dislike this show but I'd rather see it on Broadway than on tour with a bunch of nobodies (besides Karen Mason). I assume they could get some Broadway names if it came to Broadway."

Never heard of Karen Mason. Is she famous or something? And lots of Broadway stars were literally “nobodies” (as you put it), or least not household names, before they became “Broadway-name stars”. The star doesn’t always make the show. And shows have failed, and/or received poor reviews, even with “famous name stars” in them. 

Hundreds of thousands of people in its 29 city, 192 day tour across the US would have enjoyed the performances of this touring show and by the leads and alternates in these performances by the end of its run, and you have summarily dismissed them and their hard work and efforts so callously. If you disliked the show that much, sticking “famous faces” in there isn’t going to make it any better. At the performance I saw the alternate leads had beautiful voices, sang their hearts out, and it was amazing. And I’m sorry you didn’t hear that through your “strong dislike” for this show. 

Updated On: 1/28/18 at 06:20 AM

[pattilupwned]

Posted: 1/28/18 at 7:48am

Pithyaspromised said: "I'm looking forward to seeing Bronson a final time on Sunday before the production leaves town!

An amendment to my previous review of Gardar: while I still think his body language is a bit awkward, he has beautiful chemistry with Alyssa Gianetti. The vocal strain I was hearing last week seems to have resolved itself, and get truly sounded fantastic during this past Tuesday night's performance!"

I will be there too today! :) Very excited to see it again before they leave town! Bronson is really wonderful in the role. 

[Lot666]

Posted: 1/29/18 at 12:45pm

ermengarde said: "Anyone know if this they've booked tour dates for the next season or if it's going to Broadway? I personally strongly dislike this show but I'd rather see it on Broadway than on tour with a bunch of nobodies (besides Karen Mason). I assume they could get some Broadway names if it came to Broadway."

The principal roles in this tour are played by:

Gardar Thor Cortes / Bronson Norris Murphy
Megan Picerno
Mary Michael Patterson
Karen Mason
Sean Thompson

These people are not "nobodies".

"they could get some Broadway names if it came to Broadway"? Credits for Bronson Norris Murphy and Mary Michael Patterson include Phantom on Broadway; credits for Karen Mason include Sunset Boulevard, Mamma Mia!, and Hairspray on Broadway; and credits for Sean Thompson include Sunset Boulevard on Broadway. This is Megan Picerno's musical theatre debut, but she's hardly lacking in credentials; she's a bona fide opera singer.

[ermengarde]

Posted: 1/29/18 at 1:49pm

Mary Michael Patterson's credits- replacement Christine on Broadway (no small feat, I admit. I didn't like her as Christine but maybe she's more suited for Meg). Hope understudy in Anything Goes.

Sean Thompson's sole Broadway credit is the Joe Gillis understudy in a limited run revival. From what I understand Michael Gillis was rarely off. Some regional credits.

Bronson Norris Murphy was a swing and did like two Raoul performances. Only Broadway credit.

Not too much into opera but I did see Megan Picerno and thought she was okay as Cunegonde.  Beautiful voice. Gardar Thor Cortes I only knew because he played Raoul in London (saw him there) and was supposed to play the Phantom in Paris.

And I did mention that Karen Mason I would consider "well known". 

Maybe nobodies is harsh. I have not investigated this cast much since I disliked the Australian DVD and London production (saw both the original and revamped version). I wish everyone the best and from what I hear from my friend who saw it, it's the cast that elevates rather flawed material. I thought this was a thread for discussing the tour but it seems that certain people view it as a "Love Never Dies appreciation thread". I understand it's hard having one of your favorite shows trashed.

What I was thinking was they could get someone like Annaleigh Ashford as Meg. I thought Mary was rather "wallflower" as Christine but maybe she is different as Meg. 

 

[sbflyfan]

Posted: 1/29/18 at 1:54pm

Lot666 said: "This is Megan Picerno's musical theatre debut, but she's hardly lacking in credentials; she's a bona fide opera singer."

I felt like this was the best casting decision they could have made for this production. She has incredible control over her voice.  She consistently 'wows' you throughout the evening with her singing, but she cleverly saves a surprise for the climax of the title song. 

When she lets loose with her full operatic belt on the last few lines, it's breathtaking. Out of nowhere, she just projects and fills the theater with this incredibly rich voice. My reaction was, "Where has she been hiding THAT all night?"

This gives Christine's character a real star-turn "performance" moment separate from the standard vocals (which are excellent in their own right!) we hear from her throughout the show.

Updated On: 1/29/18 at 01:54 PM

[ermengarde]

Posted: 1/29/18 at 1:59pm

So is the cast so good that this is a "can't miss" even if I hate the plot? Is it worth seeing in Minneapolis? Should I see Rachel (who I loved as Carlotta) or Meghan? 

[Lot666]

Posted: 1/29/18 at 2:15pm

ermengarde said: "Maybe nobodies is harsh."

Yes, I think it is. IMO, "nobodies" suggests people who have never appeared on Broadway before, in any capacity. Most of these people have previously been in high-profile Broadway productions. Also, you seem to think that swings and understudies are "nobodies" by definition, when they are some of the hardest-working performers in the business.

ermengarde said: "I have not investigated this cast much since I disliked the Australian DVD and London production (saw both the original and revamped version)."

If you disliked both previous productions, I see no reason to expect your opinion will change by seeing the U.S. tour.

ermengarde said: "I thought this was a thread for discussing the tour but it seems that certain people view it as a "Love Never Dies appreciation thread". I understand it's hard having one of your favorite shows trashed."

You've missed the point. You are entitled to your opinion of the show, but you rudely and ignorantly dismissed a very talented cast whom you haven't seen or heard perform.

ermengarde said: "What I was thinking was they could get someone like Annaleigh Ashford as Meg. I thought Mary was rather "wallflower" as Christine but maybe she is different as Meg."

I saw Ms. Patterson several times in Phantom, and I think she's much better as Meg than she was as Christine.

[ermengarde]

Posted: 1/29/18 at 2:23pm

By nobodies I meant they're not a selling point. Very few people are going to see this show because of the cast members. Should have said "unknowns." 

And I literally was a swing and understudy in a large scale production. Doesn't make me a name, if I told you who I was it wouldn't ring a bell unless you were familiar with this show. I claim the title "nobody" for myself. Shouldn't force it on others.

Well I think my time in this thread has been wasted as I managed to put my foot in it and didn't even get my question answered over whether this was coming to Broadway or not. 

[Lot666]

Posted: 1/29/18 at 2:34pm

ermengarde said: "Well I think my time in this thread has been wasted as I managed to put my foot in it and didn't even get my question answered over whether this was coming to Broadway or not."

That's because no one knows at this time, except for possibly Andrew Lloyd Webber and his inner circle, and I doubt any of them are on this board.

[Pithyaspromised]

Posted: 1/29/18 at 11:41pm

Glad we both got to enjoy Bronson's phantom one last time! I was able to chat with him before the matinee and after the evening performance, and he's the nicest guy! That final scene was just getting!

I also really enjoyed Yesy Garcia's debut as Fleck! Nice vocal complement to the trio. Overall, I think the current cast is extremely strong. Sean Thompson brings a little something different to every performance, and Mary Michael Patterson is rock solid day in and day out.

Having said that, if one didn't enjoy the Australian production, I can't imagine this tour will change minds. The rewritten "Beauty Underneath" is a high point of the show, but I doubt that would be enough to change minds that are firmly made up.

[felixleiter]

Posted: 1/30/18 at 9:06am

In (a semi) answer to the "is it coming to broadway?" question-It always seemed to me that the original intent was   for a late summer/early fall arrival when/if a theatre comes available at a good price after the tony's.  It's obviously not the strongest material,  but it's not out of the realm of possibility that it finds some sort of traction from the tourist crowd.  I think we have to wait and see what survives the spring to see. 

[Lot666]

Posted: 1/30/18 at 9:37am

Pithyaspromised said: "I also really enjoyed Yesy Garcia's debut as Fleck! Nice vocal complement to the trio."

You saw Fleck played by an actress who is not a little person? I'm curious how that changed the interaction of the trio and the audience's perception of them. Fleck was played by Niamh Perry in London, but they changed virtually all of the blocking and choreography for the Australian production, which "re-originated" the character as a little person.

Pithyaspromised said: "Sean Thompson brings a little something different to every performance, and Mary Michael Patterson is rock solid day in and day out."

I think Sean Thompson is the best Raoul I've seen in this show, both from a vocal and acting perspective. Joseph Millson (London) overacted the part and did a lot of shouting, which came off a bit hammy. I liked Simon Gleeson (Australia), but Sean Thompson plays the character as withdrawn and somewhat resigned to what has become of his life, which I think is just the right touch for the story.

Similarly, I think Ms. Patterson is the best Meg I've seen in this show. I like her much better here than I did as Christine on Broadway.

Pithyaspromised said: "if one didn't enjoy the Australian production, I can't imagine this tour will change minds. The rewritten "Beauty Underneath" is a high point of the show, but I doubt that would be enough to change minds that are firmly made up."

Agreed.

[Pithyaspromised]

Posted: 1/30/18 at 1:52pm

Lot666 said: "Pithyaspromised said: "I also really enjoyed Yesy Garcia's debut as Fleck! Nice vocal complement to the trio."

You saw Fleck played by an actress who is not a little person? I'm curious how that changed the interaction of the trio and the audience's perception of them. Fleck was played byNiamh Perry in London, but they changed virtually all of the blocking and choreography for the Australian production, which "re-originated" the character as a little person.

None of the blocking or stunts were changed for Ms Garcia's two performances that I saw. Gangle and Squelch lift her up and mover her around in the same manner as they did with Ms Kemp. For example, several times when they lift her up and she slowly peddles her feet downward, the actress kept her knees pulled tightly upwards to her chest, to keep up the illusion of slowly descending. Ms Garcia is very slim and petite, but I'm sure it required quite a bit more muscle control on the part of all three actors for certain scenes. In any case, her voice was lovely and a really nice addition to their little Greek chorus.

 

 

 

 

[pattilupwned]

Posted: 1/31/18 at 7:57am

Pithyaspromised said: "Lot666 said: "Pithyaspromised said: "I also really enjoyed Yesy Garcia's debut as Fleck! Nice vocal complement to the trio."

You saw Fleck played by an actress who is not a little person? I'm curious how that changed the interaction of the trio and the audience's perception of them. Fleck was played byNiamh Perry in London, but they changed virtually all of the blocking and choreography for the Australian production, which "re-originated" the character as a little person.

None of the blocking or stunts were changed for Ms Garcia's two performances that I saw. Gangle and Squelch lift her up and mover her around in the same manner as they did with Ms Kemp. For example, several times when they lift her up and she slowly peddles her feet downward, the actress kept her knees pulled tightly upwards to her chest, to keep up the illusion of slowly descending. Ms Garcia is very slim and petite, but I'm sure it required quite a bit more muscle control on the part of all three actors for certain scenes. In any case, her voice was lovely and a really nice addition to their little Greek chorus.
"

I was there for her debut performance as well. I've seen the show two times prior to this and I honestly didn't notice any choreography changes. As Pithyaspromised said, the actress is very petite and was able to contort her body in such a way that the original choreography could be kept. If they changed much of anything, I didn't notice it! She had a great voice; vocally, I preferred her, although the role doesn't involve a lot of solo singing. 

I really do think the cast makes this tour. I do enjoy the music to the show overall but have always thought the book is a little eh. The cast is top notch and I'd recommend seeing this just as an opportunity to witness an amazing group of actors giving their all.

[Lot666]

Posted: 1/31/18 at 8:21am

I saw the tour three times during its local stop, and now I wish I'd seen the Fleck understudy at one of those!

[A Director]

Posted: 2/4/18 at 1:38am

Panned in Boston

https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/theater/dance/2018/02/01/love-never-dies-change-scenery-for-phantom-and-christine/LecTcezheBkIXMvTI9nXyJ/story.html

[chernjam]

Posted: 2/4/18 at 1:52am

A Director said: "Panned in Boston

https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/theater/dance/2018/02/01/love-never-dies-change-scenery-for-phantom-and-christine/LecTcezheBkIXMvTI9nXyJ/story.html"

 

That felt more mixed to me...  The "review" by the BWW boston reviewer was definitely a pan. But the review was so terribly written it takes awhile to realize that

 

[HunterK]

Posted: 2/4/18 at 2:27am

I’m seeing it in Boston tonight at 6:30pm and just wondering if anyone knows who will be on as The Phantom and Christine? I know a lot of understudies have been on this week, but not sure if certain people have Sunday evenings off. Just wondering. Thanks so much!

[Pithyaspromised]

Posted: 2/4/18 at 2:54pm

A Director said: "Panned in Boston

https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/theater/dance/2018/02/01/love-never-dies-change-scenery-for-phantom-and-christine/LecTcezheBkIXMvTI9nXyJ/story.html"

From the article: But “Love Never Dies” sometimes seems like the tragic story of a talented woman caught between two controlling jerks, one of whom happens to be into masks."

Well, duh. That's pretty much been Phantom's whole deal from the beginning. Christine's lack of agency is a specific plot point in the original show, and that continues here, right down to the same "don't think that I don't care" musical phrase. The book has a LOT of faults.

But this reviewer praised the performers, the costumes, the set, the orchestra...I'd not consider that a panned review. Mixed sure, but they didn't completely throw the baby out with the carnival bathwater.

[Pithyaspromised]

Posted: 2/4/18 at 3:00pm

HunterK said: "I’m seeing it in Boston tonight at 6:30pm and just wondering if anyone knows who will be on as The Phantom and Christine? I know a lot of understudies have been on this week, but not sure if certain people have Sunday evenings off. Just wondering. Thanks so much! "

It looks like Mr Norris Murphy was was the phantom in today's matinee, so Gardar is probably recovered from his upper respiratory issues from this past week.

[chernjam]

Posted: 2/4/18 at 4:51pm

Had to laugh realizing that LND is playing tonight in Boston... Obviously theatre people didn't realize this was Super Bowl Sunday and that the Patriots would be in the game.  Have to imagine lots of discounts for tonight's performance