Current POTO tour?

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 3/2/04 at 10:21pm

I just bought tickets to see POTO when it comes here in chicago...tomorrow actually. I was wondering....how are the actors? Are they good singers? Any response regarding this tour would be great! thanks!

[Juliette Capulet]

Posted: 3/2/04 at 10:26pm

Rebecca Pitcher is my least favorite Christine.

I haven't seen Gary Mauer as The Phantom.

Tim Martin Gleason as Raoul has his good nights, but the last time I saw him I wasn't impressed.

David Cryer and D.C. Anderson are brilliant as the Managers.

I wasn't impressed with Kim Stengel as Carlotta.

Patti Davidson-Gorbea is an amazing Madame Giry

Jimmy Smagula as Piangi is really good!

and Kate Wray is the best Meg I have seen yet.

Tendres Baisers,
Juliette Capulet

[bially082]

Posted: 3/2/04 at 10:57pm

My mom wants to see the chicago production. I'll have to tell her about this

[Kev]

Posted: 3/2/04 at 11:31pm

Patti Davidson-Gorbea is indeed amazing in her role. The best I have seen...

Tim Martin Gleason was fine, but pretty bland. Rebecca Pitcher was awful, as was the Meg u/s. Kim as Carlotta was fine, but her lyrics were very unintelligable.

I look forward to seeing Gary Mauer in the role.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 3/2/04 at 11:46pm

i belive I saw Gary Mauer as Raoul and i adored him.


Sarah Pfisterer is my personal favorite Christine... I long to see her again

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 3/2/04 at 11:53pm

I last saw the show last summer, so I hope whoever I mention hasn't left yet (but I'm trying to keep track):

Tim Martin Gleason was a very dorky Raoul and a very angry Phantom full of unfocused energy. I like his voice; his diction is a little odd since he seems to kind of chew his words. But he's very endearing and protective of Christine.

Kim Stengel's Carlotta is mostly one-dimensional, and her voice is hardly as impressive as 3 other Carlottas I've seen, and Lydia Rajunas, one of Kim's understudies I saw in San Francisco.

Patti Davidson Gorbea is an excellent Mme. Giry. She's not as creepy as I prefer, but she's wonderful in the role.

DC Anderson and David Cryer are HILARIOUS. I love their Andre and Firmin. They're completely overwhelmed without appearing overwrought.

Kate Wray is a better dancer and actress than singer, but I like her as well. She plays it very young, but also very plucky. Updated On: 3/3/04 at 11:53 PM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 3/3/04 at 12:47am

I agree about Rebecca Pitcher, I don't like to say that people are terrible, but I think that in her case it is a matter of diction and annunciation. She lacks the purity that the part requires. If the audience cannot understand what Christine is singing then the show is lost... Because I'm a fan of the show I knew what she was saying and didn't even notice it until my mom brought it up during intermission. But this was actually in 1999 I hope she may have found a new way to bring the part to the audience. I have faith in people. She has a beautiful voice it was just hard at times to understand what she was singing, that's all.

[Faith2]

Posted: 3/3/04 at 7:06am

I'll let you know next week what I think about the current touring company of "The Phantom Of The Opera"...I'm seeing it a week from today, (next Wednesday), in Chicago! I am so looking foward to it

I am a Phantom lover, you know! LOL!

Updated On: 3/3/04 at 07:06 AM

[PB ENT.]

Posted: 3/4/04 at 7:04pm

Co-incidently, Gary and Brad Little( departing Phantom) did a concert this Fall in PA. with the Pitt. Symphony, that I attended.
Though I've not seen him as Phantom, I hear that he is doing quite well in the role. Though he has big LITTLE shoes to fill. Brad is an awesome Erik! I believe he just set a record as the actor who has played Phantom more often than anyone. Don't quote me, though.

[iminsidethemusic]

Posted: 3/13/04 at 8:04am

I saw the tour in Orlando this January, and the casts were almost all amazing. Gary Mauer was good if still a bit wary of the new role (I saw him a week after he took over.) Rebecca . . . well, one of the nights I saw her she was great but the other two . . . left a little to be desired. The tour has a great understudy Christine though - I saw Beth Southard and she was amazing, a very different Christine than I'd ever seen before. Tim was fabulous all three times I saw him (two as Raoul and once as the Phantom - oy vey!) The understudy Raoul, Peter Lockyer, is pretty darn good too (and I have trouble finding Raoul's who I actually like so coming up with two on this tour was like oh wow!) The supporting cast was great too


Which kinda brings me to a question and it would settle a bet I've got going with a few of my friends. Does ANYONE know when Tim Martin Gleason's birthday is? I swear, he's the only actor I've ever come across that I don't know that? Anyway the bet is on what his sign is so knowing his birthday will solve who wins Thanks guys!

[JP]

Posted: 3/13/04 at 4:36pm

Just curious...what sign do you think he is?

[dotmarie]

Posted: 3/13/04 at 5:00pm

I saw it in December when it was in LA. My god, Brad Little is phenomenal...his voice! But I take it he's not in it anymore. I agree with those who said Kate Wray was a great Meg Giry. Overall I really enjoyed it, and I went in unbiased as it was my first time seeing it. Lovely show. :)

[iminsidethemusic]

Posted: 3/13/04 at 7:52pm

Just curious...what sign do you think he is?

My guess was Leo on the Cancer cusp - Based on what I've seen onstage when he was the Phantom versus his persona at the Stage door (that guy has a beautiful blush)

Now, if someone would prove me right or wrong . . .

*I'm Inside The Music*

[Sally]

Posted: 3/13/04 at 8:01pm

I saw two reviews of the current tour in Chicago papers. The Sun Times writer didn't care much for Gary Maur; the Tribune writer clearly doesn't much like the show itself although he complimented the scenery and lighting. I'm seeing it anyway at the end of March.

[Faith2]

Posted: 3/14/04 at 12:44pm

I saw the current "POTO" tour production here in Chicago at the Cadillac Palace theatre last Wednesday, 10th March, and I absolutely loved it. No disrespect to the reviewers, but it is a matter of opinion after all.

I have seen many productions, including productions in New York as well as London, and I would rank this current tour right up there with any of them, IMO! I absolutely loved this production.

On Wednesday 10th March, (matinee), the leads were:

The Phantom.....Tim Martin Gleason

Christine Daae...Rebecca Pitcher

Raoul.....Peter Lockyer

Monsieur Firmin.....David Cryer

Monsieur Andre....D.C. Anderson

Carlotta Guidicelli....Kim Stengel

Meg Giry.........Kate Wray

Madame Giry...Patti Davidson-Gorbea

I would love to see Gary Mauer and Tim Martin Gleason in their regular roles as the Phantom and Raoul, respectively.
I guess I will just have to go and see it again...oh well...

Very, very talented cast!

Updated On: 3/14/04 at 12:44 PM

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 3/14/04 at 2:20pm

I really hope i get to see Peter Lockyer in the role of raoul. Since i saw him in Les Miz in nyc! =D

[Kev]

Posted: 3/14/04 at 6:38pm

Peter should BE Raoul FULL-TIME

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 3/14/04 at 6:43pm

Is his Raoul a little wuss like his Marius was?

[beacon1]

Posted: 3/14/04 at 6:59pm

Is Raoul SUPPOSED to be a wuss??? It's been a while since I've seen it...I saw a film version several years ago and remember Raoul being irritating...how did ALW design the part?

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 3/14/04 at 7:20pm

No, he's not supposed to be one, but having endured several too many performances of Peter Lockyer as Marius, I can only imagine how much blank staring and overall wimpiness his Raoul encapsulates.

[bwayfan1225]

Posted: 3/14/04 at 9:36pm

I am a huge fan of Peter's! I saw him as Marius six times and there was never anything wussy about his performance. I also saw him as Rodolfo twice in La Boheme. Again, he was amazing. I've heard nothing but great things about his Raoul.. would you mind going into detail about his performance, Faith2? I would really appreciate it!

[bwaybabe85]

Posted: 3/15/04 at 9:15am

Same here! I saw Peter as Marius and Rodolfo and would love to see him as Raoul. I've also heard great things about him in that role. Please give us details!

[iminsidethemusic]

Posted: 3/16/04 at 12:21am

Faith:

You got close to the best cast you could get IMHO! I LOVED Tim and Peter as the Phantom and Raoul respectively. I'd give anything to see it again with them

Although I bet they did better with Beth Southard as Christine

* Peter should BE Raoul FULL-TIME *

Kev, I'd agree but only if Tim was Phantom full time Peter is my second favorite Raoul after Tim, but Tim is also my favorite Phantom.




Bwaybabe85 and bwayfan1225, I know you were talking to Faith but figured another perspective never hurt I saw Peter twice as Raoul in Orlando, once against Tim Martin Gleason and once against Gary Mauer. OMG. I DON'T like the character as a general rule (unless Tim is playing lol.) But Peter reminded me a lot of the first time I saw Tim as Raoul - he's got a fire and spunk in the graveyard and the final lair scenes that impressed me though I thought he could have been stronger in the manager's scenes.

Um, if you'd like examples further, e-mail me [e-mail]

* Is Raoul SUPPOSED to be a wuss??? *

Ummmm . . . if you've ever read the original Leroux novel . . . he's a bit of a pansy. pasty white and seemingly frail.

I've seen some actors who play him amazingly strong though. Peter Lockyer, Tim Martin Gleason, to name my two favorites Michael Ball was pretty good as well, and so was Steve Barton.


chinkie azn jai, if you want to see Peter in the role of Raoul, and you plan on going several times, after the first go to the stage door and ask him! I did that in Orlando with Tim, asked him when he was playing the Phantom because I had seen him in Philly and wanted to see him again, and he came out and told me he was going on later that week - and I luckily enough had tickets! So usually if you ask the actors, they have a pretty good idea of when they are going on and most of them are VERY personable at the stage door. Most of them will also if you ask, take pics with you

[beacon1]

Posted: 3/16/04 at 10:28am

* Is Raoul SUPPOSED to be a wuss??? *

Ummmm . . . if you've ever read the original Leroux novel . . . he's a bit of a pansy. pasty white and seemingly frail.

Hmmm...I have a distinct impression that for the upcoming POTO movie, Joel Schumacher and ALW did not have Patrick Wilson portray him that way. From what I've heard, its more a "dashing nobleman" role so that you are actually torn between Erik and Raoul. Should be interesting.

[Faith2]

Posted: 3/16/04 at 1:49pm

-quote- bwayfan1225

I am a huge fan of Peter's! I saw him as Marius six times and there was never anything wussy about his performance. I also saw him as Rodolfo twice in La Boheme. Again, he was amazing. I've heard nothing but great things about his Raoul.. would you mind going into detail about his performance, Faith2? I would really appreciate it!
--------------------------
-quote- bwaybabe85

Same here! I saw Peter as Marius and Rodolfo and would love to see him as Raoul. I've also heard great things about him in that role. Please give us details!
---------------------------

Hi bwayfan1225 and bwaybabe85

Sorry I was not able to get back here before now.

I really enjoyed Peter Lockyer's performance as Raoul. I thought his voice was strong and powerful. Actually, I was rather a bit used to Raoul having the 'weaker' voice of the two characters - Raoul and Phantom. It has always been my experience that Raoul was usually a 'higher' tenor, but not in this case.

While Tim Martin Gleason's voice, as the Phantom was very strong and very powerful, his tenor was a bit higher than Peter Lockyer's, and for me that was a bit surprising.

I don't know if that makes any sense, but I hope you can understand what I mean. It was almost as Peter's voice was a bit too 'low' for my expectations of what Raoul usually sounds like....other than that, he was perfect. I did not find Peter any more wimpy than any other actor who has played Raoul.

I think it is intended for Raoul to be characterized as a bit subordinate to the Phantom, of inferior importance, sort of secondary. The underdog, so to speak.

It will be interesting to see the film version of the musical, and to see Raoul on an equal footing with the Phantom.

I hope this helps, thanks for asking.

Updated On: 3/16/04 at 01:49 PM