Phantom Understudy

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 9/1/04 at 10:50pm

Has anyone else seen the Phantom understudy and want to share their opinon? I saw him the other day and I just thought he was way too operatic. It sort of annoyed me. People forget that Phantom is a musical and should be sung musical theatre style with exception of CArlotta and the opera scenes like Think of Me and Poor Fool. Yeah, All I Ask of You and Music of the Night are all musical theatre songs. I better go back and check Hugh again. Nice to see the show is still doing well.

[Born2cthelightsofbway]

Posted: 9/1/04 at 10:51pm

who was the understudy?

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 9/1/04 at 10:55pm

Michael Crawford.

[Born2cthelightsofbway]

Posted: 9/1/04 at 10:56pm

interesting, no seriously, who was the understudy?

[Born2cthelightsofbway]

Posted: 9/1/04 at 11:27pm

so who was the understudy?

[ChristineDaae]

Posted: 9/1/04 at 11:58pm

The Phantom understudies I know of are James Romick and David Gashen.

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 9/2/04 at 12:03am

It was James Romick. Great opera voice but wrong show.

[Ebonic_Singer]

Posted: 9/2/04 at 1:13am

I haven't seen him but I can see what you're talking about--when I saw the Les Miz tour the Marius was waaaaaay too operatic. It was frustrating.

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 9/2/04 at 5:33am

David Gaschen is awesome.

[CherylA928]

Posted: 9/2/04 at 12:34pm

Everyone is welcome to their own opinion but I’ve never found Jim Romick’s voice to be too operatic.

Jim Romick and David Gaschen are both top notch and shine in ever role they perform. I believe they are both swings, not understudies.

I’ve seen Phantom of the Opera quite a few times and hardly ever attend unless I’m sure that Jim Romick will be donning the mask and the cape.

Last week, Jim was filling in for a vacationing Jeff Keller and performing the role of Monsieur Firmin. It’s fun to see him play other roles, other than just the Phantom because you get to see him use different mannerisms and so many different voices.

The one problem with seeing Jim play another role is that someone else will be performing the Phantom. And, without a doubt.... they’ll still be trying to get it right!

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 9/2/04 at 1:11pm

"Jim Romick and David Gaschen are both top notch and shine in ever role they perform. I believe they are both swings, not understudies."

Even if they are swings, they both still understudy the Phantom, meaning they are understudies as well.

[chauvelin128]

Posted: 9/2/04 at 1:14pm

I'm confused by the talk of this elusive "musical-theatre style" singing...could someone describe this for me?

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 9/2/04 at 2:33pm

Jim Romick sang as operatic as anyone can.

[LilMiZBroADwaY23]

Posted: 9/2/04 at 4:07pm

I know the tour doesn't have the same people, but everyone in the cast was very operatic, it was so beautiful. Rebecca Pitcher has a beautiful multi-tonal voice, and Gary Mauer, who is also an Opera major I believe, was beautiful.

Mr. Webber wrote it so that most of it was in Opera form or deeply influenced. The more Opera in Phantom, the better. Now it'd be different if it was Les Miz or something like that, but I think it adds so much more talent to the show.

[CherylA928]

Posted: 9/2/04 at 5:01pm

I agree... I guess “too operatic” is a relative term. Jim Romick’s Phantom voice would be too operatic for Les Miz but NOT for The Phantom of the Opera.

LilMiZ ~ I never got to see Gary Mauer as Phantom but I saw his performance as Raoul many times. Every new Raoul, I compare to Gary. What a wonderful voice and such handsome man.

[ChristineDaae]

Posted: 9/2/04 at 8:17pm

"It was James Romick. Great opera voice but wrong show."

James Romick is good. Hes very nice also. Hes the one that took me backstage when I met him =-)

[beacon1]

Posted: 9/2/04 at 8:19pm

Where is Hugh Panaro???? He's still in the show, right!!!!!

[beacon1]

Posted: 9/2/04 at 9:14pm

Bump.

WHERE
IS
HUGH PANARO????

Is he on vacation????

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 9/2/04 at 9:15pm

Yes, he is.
http://www.phantomfans.net

Posted: 9/2/04 at 9:54pm

Yup. According to my sources, if you guys want to see David Gaschen and/or Jim Romick as the Phantom, go on Sat. Sept. 4th. David will be performing the matinee and Jim will be performing the evening show. Cheers! :)

~Rosalynn

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 9/2/04 at 10:44pm

NO! You're all worng! Bwahahhaa. It's Gerard Butler......oops

[Phantess]

Posted: 9/2/04 at 10:52pm

Dont forget John Cudia. John is also a Phantom understudy. This past week I believe David Gaschen went on as the Phantom u/s.

I have seen Cudia, Romick, and Gaschen as phantom understudies (Boy I have no Life). Gaschen is one of my favorites, so is John. These men all have really great voices.

Gaschen truely is my fav. u/s though.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 9/2/04 at 11:54pm

I saw David Gaschen at Bryant Park and Hugh Panaro at the show.

By the way, how is John Cudia as the Phantom? I am interested and curious in seeing him play that. It must be difficult to carry the two biggest parts in the show for men.

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 12:25am

I am comparing all the phantoms to Michael Crawford who did NOT sing the phantom in an operatic style. He sang it in a normal "lemiz" musical theatre style and I prefer that better.

[DickonDefysGravity]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 12:27am

anyone see eric little...he was pretty bad