How is Phantom these days?- Page 2

[Elfuhbuh]

Posted: 6/16/18 at 10:50am

I say take a chance on Phantom! It’s still my favorite show on Broadway, and they really do make sure to keep the production in topnotch shape.

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 6/16/18 at 11:31am

One suggestion: have your friend listen to some of the music from Phantom, OOTI and other suggested shows. Maybe even watch a few Tony performance clips. Unless this is supposed to be a surprise.

[Impossible2]

Posted: 6/16/18 at 1:31pm

Miles2Go2 said: "Dolly80 said: "Can’t imagine seeing anything worse than this tired old show. Take him to something new like Mean Girls, or Dear Evan Hansen.

Heck I’d rather see Summer than Phantom."

Based on that horrendous Tony number, if you take him to Mean Girls he may never grace a broadway theater’s front door again. Of shows that are frequently listed at TKTS, I echo Once on This Island. Itjust won best revival, but appears to still be popping up at TKTS sometimes although not as frequently or as discounted. I think it was at TKTS yesterday at 30% off, but so far not seeing it listed at TKTS today. I’m seeing it a week from tomorrow!

Otherfrequent TKTS options might be: Hello, Dolly!, Kinky Boots or Spongebob (I’m seeing it for first time a week from today).

Update: I recommended these shows because (based on OP’s earlier post) it would appear that Phantom represents the things the OP’s friend detests about musicals. These shows (with possible exception of Dolly) might be more to the friend’s more apparent modern sensibilities."

I haven't seen the Tony's performance, but Mean Girls was very enjoyable and a good transfer of the film to the stage. Is it as good as the film, no, but it is still far better than it could've been. It had some fantastic performances in it as well, Louderman's voice was beyond incredible and was by far the most impressive I heard out of the 13 shows I saw on my last trip. Maybe they just chose a bad song to do? Everyone has off days and judging a whole show on one bad performance is not really fair. It's a very fun show and doesn't deserve half of the vitriol it gets on here.

[Mark_E]

Posted: 6/16/18 at 1:37pm

I caught Phantom last week Thursday (only Broadway show with a Thursday matinee!) and it was in fantastic shape. Really excellent. Audience seemed to be made up of mostly school groups but wow they were well behaved, and the reveal of the staircase at the top of act two got a big gasp - the magic of live theatre I'm sure for many who this may be their first Broadway show.

For your friend - have you considered Come From Away. It's so different to everything else on Broadway at the moment.

[Impossible2]

Posted: 6/16/18 at 1:43pm

Mark_E said: "I caught Phantom last week Thursday (only Broadway show with a Thursday matinee!) and it was in fantastic shape. Really excellent. Audience seemed to be made up of mostly school groups but wow they were well behaved, and the reveal of the staircase at the top of act two got a big gasp - the magic of live theatre I'm sure for many who this may be their first Broadway show.

For your friend - have you considered Come From Away. It's so different to everything else on Broadway at the moment."

Yes I went on a Thursday matinee and there was a school there and I was dreading it, but they were extremely well behaved. I was shocked.

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 6/16/18 at 1:51pm

Both Mean Girls and Come From Away are selling very well so I don’t believe either has been listed at TKTS and I believe (I could be wrong) that discount tickets are hard to come by in advance. I believe OP is looking for cheaper tix since he is treating his friend to tickets.

[Impossible2]

Posted: 6/16/18 at 1:55pm

Miles2Go2 said: "Both Mean Girls and Come From Away are selling very well so I don’t believe either has been listed at TKTS and I believe (I could be wrong) that discount tickets are hard to come by in advance. I believe OP is looking for cheaper tix since he is treating his friend to tickets."

I got a box seat for Come From Away for like 70 bucks and my Mean Girls tickets was also under 100 (but I had a code). Tkts is usually 80/90 for pretty much everything these days, so not a lot of difference.

[Dolly80]

Posted: 6/16/18 at 6:10pm

As good as Once on this Island is, I would not take a friend who has hardy seen any musicals to see it.

Save Phantom for someone you hate :o)

[TheatreRocks]

Posted: 6/16/18 at 11:24pm

BroadwayConcierge said: "I have nothing new to contribute, but that while theshow hasn't changed at all, theaudience is truly the worst on Broadway. Phones, chattering, food unwrapping... horrible."

I have seen the show 3 times in the past two years and I can not attest to this at all. I must be real lucky. As for how Phantom is these days, it's in brilliant shape with solid performances all around. 

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 6/16/18 at 11:58pm

They don’t make ‘em like Phantom anymore. Take your friend to see it just to marvel at the legendary stage magic and stunning effects. I have seen the broadway producion 69 times and one of my favorite things about seeing it is observing people around me gasping at the special effects. Some of the spoiled sports on this board would prefer projections but Phantom uses actual set pieces and a fly system and traps and .......everything.
Sit in the orchestra if possible to avoid the annoying audience members.

[Dave28282]

Posted: 6/17/18 at 7:47am

I think now is a good time to see Phantom, especially with Kaley Ann Voorhees as Christine.

She is the first girl in years (on Broadway) that actually looks and sounds like a Christine.

Updated On: 6/17/18 at 07:47 AM

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 6/17/18 at 7:53am

lovebwy said: "Funny. Yeah the things he said he hated about musicals are all there in Phantom."

What things does he hate about musicals? 

[theatered100]

Posted: 6/17/18 at 10:08am

I sat in the mezzanine about a month ago and was a bit annoyed by people heavily obstructing views of those behind them by leaning forward. Luckily, there were lots of empty seats in the mezzanine, which allowed me to move to a different seat during the intermission.

The show was fine to me. Ali was Christine at my performance. Lots of good moments, but my favorite was her singing "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again". It reached my heart.

[Pithyaspromised]

Posted: 6/17/18 at 10:21am

Do you have any idea what the alternate schedule is for Broadway? I've heard great things about Ben since he started, but I certainly wouldn't be opposed to catching Jeremy in the role. (apologies, but I've got it in my head that you're the go-to guy for phantom info...maybe it's the avi?)

[Elfuhbuh]

Posted: 6/17/18 at 10:33am

The Phantom doesn’t have an alternate schedule; Christine is the only role that’s officially double cast. Jeremy does go on sometimes as an understudy, though.

Updated On: 6/17/18 at 10:33 AM

[Lot666]

Posted: 6/17/18 at 10:40am

Pithyaspromised said: "Do you have any idea what the alternate schedule is for Broadway? I've heard great things about Ben since he started, but I certainly wouldn't be opposed to catching Jeremy in the role. (apologies, but I've got it in my head that you're the go-to guy for phantom info...maybe it's the avi?) "

It's not completely clear who you're addressing this to, but to answer your question, the Phantom does not have a regular alternate like Christine does (Ali Ewoldt is scheduled for six shows per week, with Kaley Ann Voorhees playing the role in the other two). The actor playing the Phantom is scheduled to perform eight shows per week and is only out in the case of illness, personal concerns, or vacation. If Mr. Crawford is out for one of the aforementioned reasons, Laird Mackintosh is the official first cover, followed by the swings who understudy the Phantom (Jeremy Stolle, Paul Schaefer, and Greg Mills).

[Pithyaspromised]

Posted: 6/17/18 at 2:11pm

Laird is actually out of the show currently, but I believe he returns to the cast sometime in July.

Interesting that there is no set cover for the role! Thanks for the info.

[labellaragazza1]

Posted: 6/17/18 at 7:08pm

Pithyaspromised said: "Do you have any idea what the alternate schedule is for Broadway? I've heard great things about Ben since he started, but I certainly wouldn't be opposed to catching Jeremy in the role. (apologies, but I've got it in my head that you're the go-to guy for phantom info...maybe it's the avi?) "

Jeremy sometimes announces when he is scheduled on Instagram. He posted he will be on July 3rd, but other than that, you usually get a few hours notice at best. Ben is also active on social media though, so he may post his scheduled absences as well. 

 

For Christine, the general alternate schedule is Wednesday evenings and Saturday matinees, but that’s always subject to change, depending on vacations and/or other obligations the performers have (ie this week when Elizabeth Welch was on from Wednesday to Sunday and Rachel Gold came back to do the matinees. Kaley was on vacation and Ali was in Boston)

[Lot666]

Posted: 6/18/18 at 9:33am

Pithyaspromised said: "Interesting that there is no set cover for the role! Thanks for the info."

To be clear, Laird Mackintosh is the first cover if the Phantom is out for any reason. He is not, however, an alternate like Kaley Ann Voorhees is for Christine.

[Dave13]

Posted: 6/18/18 at 9:43am

I have always enjoyed Phantom as it is a classic, but can’t say I am a big fan. It seems I have seen it every two to three years on Broadway since it has a Thursday matinee.

I saw it a few years ago and must say I was disappointed. I didn’t care for the casting in any of the main roles.

However, I did catch it over Memorial Day weekend, and thought it was in excellent shape. Crawford is phenomenal as Phantom. One of the best Phantoms I have seen. It didn’t seem dated at all. I would highly recommend it, especially on a Thursday matinee when nothing else is playing.

One last point worth noting, I must agree with the rest, that the Phantom audience was disappointing. I heard several interruptions behind me and can’t say it occurred in any other show I saw on my last trip.

Updated On: 6/18/18 at 09:43 AM

[lovebwy]

Posted: 6/18/18 at 5:04pm

Thanks again for all the great advice and information.

I first saw it on Christmas Eve of 1989. That was the only day there were tickets, and we got them six months in advance! 

I remember thinking there should have been more people during the Masquerade number. There were too few, from what I'd pictured in my head listening.

The next year, I saw the first national tour in Boston at the Wang Center. THAT was memorable. I went on opening night and Teddy Kennedy was a few rows ahead of me.

Anyway, yeah looking forward to showing my friend the story of the strange affair of the Phantom of the Opera. A mystery never fully explained...

 

 

 

 

[starcatchers]

Posted: 6/18/18 at 7:02pm

If nothing else, I would say to go just to see Ben Crawford as the Phantom. The whole cast I saw (recently, the first time I saw it not so much) was excellent, but he was brilliant. 

[greenifyme2]

Posted: 6/21/18 at 9:52am

Apologies that this is in the wrong thread but the search function on BWW seems to be down and this was the only Phantom thread I could find...

I won the lottery for tonight (finally after months of trying, woo!) and was wondering where the lotto seats have been lately?

[amygbrooks]

Posted: 6/21/18 at 10:38am

So, back in the 90s I LOVED Phantom and have seen it on tour maybe 4 times. I saw it for the first time on Broadway 4 years ago, and then again just a couple months ago, in April. When I left the theater this most recent time, I really felt like the whole experience had changed for me. It's such an overdone show, and that used to be fun, but now it feels heavy and cumbersome. I had forgotten how much of the stage time is devoted to the opera-within-the-opera, with super garish costumes and sets.

My guess is that if your friend loved Waitress, Phantom will be a step backward into theater cliche-ville, and you might be better off with something more contemporary.

[Lot666]

Posted: 6/21/18 at 12:23pm

amygbrooks said: "super garish costumes and sets"

I can honestly say that I've never before heard anyone refer to Maria Bjornson's designs for Phantom as "super garish".