Howard McGillin
Howard McGillin
#0Howard McGillin
Posted: 6/11/06 at 10:31pmUm, what the hell happened during the generous 12 bars of Phantom that he sung....???
" I wish that the stage were as narrow as a tightrope wire, so that no incompetent would dare step upon it." -- Goethe (he wants you to go to my Myspace page www.myspace.com/jasonklemm
ShbrtAlley44
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/1/03
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#2re: Howard McGillin
Posted: 6/11/06 at 10:38pm
Poor guy. Did that seem under-rehearsed or what?! I still adore POTO just the same. :)
~Roz
Fabrizio2
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/20/06
ShbrtAlley44
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/1/03
#4re: Howard McGillin
Posted: 6/11/06 at 10:43pmNo, I think the applause drowned out the beginning of the song and he didn't hear it. They should have waited for him. That was ridiculous.
JasonM12480
Broadway Star Joined: 3/17/05
#5re: Howard McGillin
Posted: 6/11/06 at 10:45pm
Mr. McGillin did not screw up. The orchestra did.
*Calls Union - asks for 80 new musicians*
Blanche
Stand-by Joined: 10/1/04
#6re: Howard McGillin
Posted: 6/11/06 at 11:44pmBy the way, when then they introduced Howard they should have introduced Jennifer Hope Wills who was playing Christine. I thought that was a bit rude. She is playing the role on Broadway, after all. And if you haven't seen her Christine, you should. She's amazing.
#7re: Howard McGillin
Posted: 6/11/06 at 11:51pm
I don't think the orchestra had anything to do with the flub. It seems like he was singing an abridged version arranged for this performance and forgot to..."abridge" it. He went right on into "Touch me, trust me..." when it seems this version called for him to skip to the last line of the song. That's just what I got from it.
BTW, Jennifer Hope Wills along with Howard. I dunno' how that was overlooked. That's just my take.
Johnnytoc
Broadway Star Joined: 12/19/04
#8re: Howard McGillin
Posted: 6/11/06 at 11:54pmWas that Jennifer Hope Wills with him? I wasn't sure.
#9re: Howard McGillin
Posted: 6/11/06 at 11:55pmThat was Jennifer Hope Wills, she announced she'd be at the Tonys on her website.
"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one".
-Felicia Finley-
#10re: Howard McGillin
Posted: 6/11/06 at 11:58pm
The orchestra was not live. It was pre-recorded. I was at the rehearsal this morning. He got it right then, but there was a sound problem with his very last note.
What happened was Howard kept singing and forgot the song cut to a new section. It was his fault, but understandable. After singing the role for thousands of performances and many years, the guy must be like a robot.
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
--Aristotle
Tag
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/19/05
#11re: Howard McGillin
Posted: 6/12/06 at 1:00am
Why would the orchestra not be live in this case?
Also the make-up around his mouth totally did not registar well on televison.
Bialyhoos22
Stand-by Joined: 12/21/05
#12re: Howard McGillin
Posted: 6/12/06 at 1:08am
Howard McGillin is easily one of the greatest Phantoms ever to grace the stage and is the consumate performer; I felt terrible for him as he had no control over the proceedings. If they had used the live orchestra, they could've vamped until he came in, but he was already in trouble from the minute the sound operator pressed play - indeed a real shame. Surely he deserved a far better set-up to showcase his dynamic turn as the Phantom. I wasn't too thrilled with the entire Prince tribute either, they both deserved much more. All things considered, I thought he recovered as well as anyone could have.
Updated On: 6/12/06 at 01:08 AM
#13re: Howard McGillin
Posted: 6/12/06 at 5:52amThey really should have said "Howard Mc Gillin and Jennifer Hope Wills" , it was funny that Mc Gillin and Mitchell were in Prince's Kiss of the Spider Woman together along Vanessa Williams.
"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one".
-Felicia Finley-
#14re: Howard McGillin
Posted: 6/12/06 at 6:08am
hehe, muscle. Gee I wonder how you knew that? 
2008 European Tour
London: Les Mis, Lion King, Sound of Music, Joseph, Hairspray, Billy Elliot
France: Le Roi Lion, Cabaret
Germany: Der Konig der Lowen
Holland: Tarzan & Les Mis
London: Les Mis, Lion King, Sound of Music, Joseph, Hairspray, Billy Elliot
France: Le Roi Lion, Cabaret
Germany: Der Konig der Lowen
Holland: Tarzan & Les Mis
#15re: Howard McGillin
Posted: 6/12/06 at 6:59amAside from his mess up, I'm so happy he got to sing! Beautiful voice!
...What happened next, was stranger still, a woman breathless and afraid, appeared out of the night, completely dressed in white. She had a secret she would tell, of one who had mistreated her. Her face and frightened gaze, my mind cannot erase...But then she ran from view. She looked so much like you...
#16re: Howard McGillin
Posted: 6/12/06 at 7:05amI wish I could've seen KISS OF THE SPIDERWOMAN. Such a great score!
#17re: Howard McGillin
Posted: 6/12/06 at 7:13am
"What happened was Howard kept singing and forgot the song cut to a new section"
Actually, if you listen to it again (everyone taped it, right? you can hear two measures at the beginning that appeared to be an intro, but should have been the start of the song. If McGillin had started singing immediately, everything would've fit fine. The fact that he came in two measures late meant that the music changed while Howard was still trying to sing the verse.
Just clarifying that it wasn't a case of forgetting the new section, but a case of starting late against pre-taped music.
#18re: Howard McGillin
Posted: 6/12/06 at 7:16am
I found it rude they didn't introduce Jennifer too! I definately agree with Blanche...if you haven't seen her in the role, you should!
Howard tried to fix what went wrong...but it just wasn't working...I didn't think it was that bad though
Linds
Swing Joined: 6/12/06
#19re: Howard McGillin
Posted: 6/12/06 at 8:00am
Mitchell was still introducing him as the music started the "floating, falling..." bit. If Howard was supposed to enter there, then it wasn't his fault as the recording was well ahead of him. So rocky I agree with you, except that by the looks of it if Howard entered on time he would have had to sing over Mitchell.
Either way I feel quite terrible for him.
#20re: Howard McGillin
Posted: 6/12/06 at 8:34am
It was an unfortunate timing issue. 
I feel bad.
"TO LOVE ANOTHER PERSON IS TO SEE THE FACE OF GOD"- LES MISERABLES---
"THERE'S A SPECIAL KIND OF PEOPLE KNOWN AS SHOW PEOPLE... WE'RE BORN EVERY NIGHT AT HALF HOUR CALL!"--- CURTAINS
Born2cthelightsofbway
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/30/04
#21re: Howard McGillin
Posted: 6/12/06 at 9:13amI know, I felt really bad too, but I wasn't sure at the time who made the mistake. Either way, Mr. McGillin still did great. Truthfully though, I think that they should have given him a little more to sing.
"You alone can make my song take flight, it's over now, the Music of the Night!!!!!"
#22re: Howard McGillin
Posted: 6/13/06 at 3:42pm
The worst part is that he had to stand there for over a minute on stage staring out at 6000 of us while they went to commercial. Of course he knew what happened.
Music started too early, he jumped to catch up, and they dropped the score at the end because it wouldn't have fit the final note.
I felt awful for him, but it's not the end of the world. He will continue to get ovations every night at the Majestic.
Hamlet's father.
#23re: Howard McGillin
Posted: 6/13/06 at 4:07pmaww Howards awesome, he did a great job!
"Life will be frozen peaches and cream.
Baby, dream Your Dream" ~ SC
#24re: Howard McGillin
Posted: 6/13/06 at 4:22pmHoward can save anything! I'm sorry about the screw up, but love Howard nonetheless!
...What happened next, was stranger still, a woman breathless and afraid, appeared out of the night, completely dressed in white. She had a secret she would tell, of one who had mistreated her. Her face and frightened gaze, my mind cannot erase...But then she ran from view. She looked so much like you...
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