I saw him four times on tour and he is amazing!!! Anyone who sees him will not be disappointed. Also his wife was the Christine alternate and she was fantastic as well. Too bad she isn't joining him on Broadway for the short time as well.
If you hide from yourself, be someone else for someone else's sake, that would be the greatest mistake - bare
I guess I'm the only one who's seen Gary Mauer as the Phantom and HATED him. Saw him on tour a couple of years ago. Frankly, that whole touring company was terrible, and not just the actors. Out of the 4 or 5 times I've seen Phantom, this production was BY FAR the worst. And sadly, Mr. Mauer was right up there with the rest of them.
peterjoshua - I can't say I "hate" him, but you're not the only one who didn't like him.
I saw him on the tour last year and I was terribly let down. He was the fourth Phantom I've seen live (not counting a few others I've heard quite a bit) and he was one of my least favorites.
I'll even give him the benefit of the doubt and say I either went in with my expectaions too high or that he was having an off-day.
I'd heard him praised highly for the better part of a year before seeing him so I was quite eager for this performance. I enjoyed Jim Weitzer's Raoul (I've heard a couple with better voices, but his was good and his acting balanced it well) and I really loved Beth Southard's Christine...lovely voice and very good acting.
But Gary...well, I was bored with him before the end of MOTN and he never recaptured my interest.
However, to each his or her own...the friend I took with me absolutely loved him and was quite teary-eyed in the end.
I'd given him a second chance if I'd had time to get down to NYC while he was filling in for Howard, but I've been insanely busy lately. But, in general, he's the sort I'd only go see if I really wanted to see someone playing opposite him.
I disliked him...he was passible. Nothing remotely spewcial about his Phantom other than a fabulous voice.
He didn't seem to really understand who the character was, thus his portrayal lacked subtle moments (due to lack of exploration), which I think the character needs to work.
When I saw him for the second time last year, he was so poor that he was put in the back of my mind, and for the first time the show was Christine's story from my perception. Marie Danvers commanded that stage like nobody's business.
How to properly use its/it's:
Its is the possessive. It's is the contraction for it is...
Wow, such a snob- if a particular performer is not your own cup of tea , why do you feel you have to spoil others mood and spit vitriol- you don’t sound knowledgeable you sound like someone who has no self control. I’ve seen just about every performer in phantom- including Michael Crawford.
I have my personal favorites, but I feel no need to snipe.
If you can’t say something nice best say nothing.
Everyone who has sung the role has deserved it.
Spare us your bitterness and hatred. No one wants it here
Pearlbox said: "Wow, such a snob- if a particular performer is not your own cup of tea , why do you feel you have to spoil others mood and spit vitriol- you don’t sound knowledgeable you sound like someone who has no self control. I’ve seen just about every performer in phantom- including Michael Crawford.
I have my personal favorites, but I feel no need to snipe.
If you can’t say something nice best say nothing.
Everyone who has sung the role has deserved it.
Spare us your bitterness and hatred. No one wants it here"
You joined the board today just to bump a 10 year old thread?
You get yelled if you bump an old thread and you get yelled at if you start a new thread instead of bumping an old thread. I am upset because I thought this was a thread about a new Phantom for the 30th anniversary. Lol
I can totally understand where you're coming from. Every so often criticism or speculation will go beyond what seems kind/tactful. It definitely happens every time something scandalous or particularly newsworthy happens. However, i can say from observation/experience that posts like yours (no matter how well worded) usually don't do much to change people's opinions. While I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiment, i would hate for the boards to cause you undue frustration by such posts never getting the optimal response. If this sort of thing really upsets you, the block button is your best friend.
I'm not trying to pretend that I know you or why you decided to join and comment as you did. Just wanted to share that with you, if it would help.
I hope you have a lot of fun discussing theatre here!
Nope , I dropped this site long ago- but just happened to rejoin- some of these folks must be really young.
One reason I left. I revisited and was kind of curious why none bothered to point out that the choreography in that musical is exactly the same from when it was originated in 86 or 85 I don’t really remember. What marks one hits at what time during the show is all a cookie cutter pattern of Crawford. Right down to the shin pads. Performers might be different heights and have different voice qualities.
But to imagine that this guy, or that guy or this understudy
doesn’t understand the character Or is somehow else lacking. Hasn’t really seen the show. As everyone does the same exact motions at the specified moment
ok different people move differently - and perhaps some of these young ones are attributing their opinion to these subtleties And voices differ, that’s a subjective thing as well
I've been around a long time- if any of these folks truly are aspiring actors , they of all people should know you may work one day with someone you disparage today
sorry for stepping on anyone’s toe
I was surprised no one mentioned the facts I just did
Gary Mauer was a great Phantom and actually married to his alternate Christine on the tour (he played both Raoul and the Phantom opposite her) Elizabeth Southard