Breaking News: Broadway Stars Norm Lewis and Sierra Boggess to Take Over in PHANTOM This May!- Page 2

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 3/20/14 at 3:56pm

I really have never had any particular interest in seeing this show, but now Mr. Lewis has made it a must see. Well played, producers, well played.

[justincharacter]

Posted: 3/20/14 at 3:57pm

Seriously, I've been wanting these two to do this show together for many years. The fact that it is happening is absolutely blowing my mind right now. My hat goes off to the producers and casting directors who imagined this.

[cknick]

Posted: 3/20/14 at 4:10pm

I think Sierra's ok, but she manipulates her voice in some weird way which makes her sound really odd. Norm Lewis? He's good but is he right for Phantom? Maybe he'll be great. It seems Phantom is going through casting rather quickly these days. Used to be actors had years with the show...now only a few months to a year. Anyway, it's an interesting casting choice and a welcome change in a show that's been running so long. Interested to see/hear how he is.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 3/20/14 at 4:13pm

Take my money not now....RIGHT NOW!

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 3/20/14 at 4:22pm

This is incredible! I think he should be playing Javert over at the Imperial, but anytime he is on Broadway is wonderful. Sierra? Meh.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 3/20/14 at 4:43pm

Ah! This is the PERFECT marriage of boring actor with boring role!

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 3/20/14 at 4:49pm

as awesome as this news is, I think it's a shame that it took this long for a person of color to play the Phantom on Broadway... wait... was Kevin Gray white or just ambiguous (since he played The Engineer in Miss Saigon)

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/20/14 at 5:22pm

Half white, half Chinese. http://articles.courant.com/2013-02-12/entertainment/hc-kevin-gray-dis-hartt-theater-professor-broadway-star-20130212_1_musical-theater-tab-hunter-performances/2

[darquegk]

Posted: 3/20/14 at 5:33pm

Robert Guillame was the first replacement Phantom. This is not a first.

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 3/20/14 at 5:43pm

I think it's a shame that it took this long for a person of color to play the Phantom on Broadway

Well come on, there have only been 12 people who have played the Phantom on Broadway. (Not counting understudies or limited engagement/vacation covers.)

[OperaBwayLover]

Posted: 3/20/14 at 6:29pm

Someone get me to New York, stat!

[thedrybandit]

Posted: 3/20/14 at 7:05pm

Robert Guillaume was never a Broadway Phantom though - he was the first replacement in Los Angeles. Nicholas Nkuna also understudied the Phantom in South Africa. This is a Broadway and West End first. A very damn exciting one.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/20/14 at 8:04pm

Robert Guillame was the first replacement Phantom. This is not a first.

Guillaume was the first replacement in Los Angeles, but not on Broadway. There has never been a black Phantom on Broadway.

Timothy Nolen was the first replacement Phantom on Broadway.

[BwayGeek2]

Posted: 3/20/14 at 8:31pm

Well, I guess I can add Phantom to my constantly growing list of shows to see this spring!

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 3/20/14 at 9:03pm

I think Norm Lewis is a brilliant actor and cannot fathom how he hasn't got himself a Tony so far. So with this news I should be ecstatic right? Wrong, I always regarded the role of Phantom should be sang by someone in the range of a Tenor, however I have always regarded Norm as a baritone.

[darreyl102]

Posted: 3/20/14 at 10:14pm

If someone is great in a role, what the hell is the problem if they keep coming back- that just means that more people who may have missed them before can get to see them- and they will see someone who is good in the role. If they like playing the role, who are you to say they need to move on. And I never understood why people frown when actors become replacements, has it never occurred to anyone that maybe they always wanted to play the part, and just haven’t gotten the chance, been able to make it work with their schedule. (Not saying that’s the case with Norm).

Note: this rant isn't directed at anybody personally, just has bothered me that through reading this threads over the years, I hear the same thing- and it bothers me.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/20/14 at 11:25pm

Wrong, I always regarded the role of Phantom should be sang by someone in the range of a Tenor, however I have always regarded Norm as a baritone.

You've heard of Brad Little, right?

Updated On: 3/20/14 at 11:25 PM

[justincharacter]

Posted: 3/20/14 at 11:34pm

...or Anthony Warlow

[adamgreer]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 12:27am

They both need to move on.

Norm Lewis has never (to my knowledge) played the role before. Why would he need to "move on"?

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 1:02am

I think Norm is certainly capable of singing the role...he's definitely a baritone but has a very strong higher register. I can't wait to see what he does with it.

[anmiller07]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 5:17am

Does the actor playing the Phantom typically have an alternate?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 7:52am

Nope.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 9:45am

The Phantom is indeed best sung by a tenor, but a baritone with a big range can pull it off. It's just a high tessa tura, but I think his top note is only an A flat.

[PB ENT.]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 12:08pm

Very happy that Norm will have a chance to do this, as are many of his fans and friends. It is indeed a dream role for him. He IS one of the nicest persons in the industry to work with and to know.

[James885]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 12:15pm

Does the actor playing the Phantom typically have an alternate?

From what I've been given to understand, the role of the Phantom is not a particularly vocally strenuous role, and since the character actually only has roughly about a half hour of stage time (and all of the Phantom's voiceovers are pre recorded), the role doesn't warrant having an alternate.

I believe the Vegas production double cast the roles of the Phantom and Christine, but that was probably more because that version played more than 8 shows a week.

Updated On: 3/21/14 at 12:15 PM