Inject some life into Phantom

[BroadMagTech]

Posted: 3/15/16 at 2:25pm

The current grosses and reviews for Phantom are disappointing. They need to inject some life back into the show. Either with a new phantom/cast and/or upgrade the stage mechanics, refurbish/restore the sets and lighting. What do you think? When will we see a new phantom? What does the future look like?

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 3/15/16 at 2:41pm

If I'm not mistaken, a lot of the scenery and costumes were replaced and or refurbished for the 25th anniversary and the sound system was updated too. I'm not sure what else you would want them to do beyond that. There's really no reason to.

[BroadMagTech]

Posted: 3/15/16 at 2:47pm

I guess you're right. I do like James Barbour and was not aware of the refurbishments/upgrades. How long is his contract for?

[atuomala]

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

For me, the show never gets it. It may also be, in part, because they are competing with the powerhouse that is Hamilton right now.

[haterobics]

Posted: 3/16/16 at 12:17am

atuomala said: "It may also be, in part, because they are competing with the powerhouse that is Hamilton right now."

 

They are?! Can you unpack this further?

[ebontoyan]

Posted: 3/16/16 at 3:48am

I think this  show needs some fresh blood, especially a new Phantom. When does current Phantom contract end??!

[antonijan]

Posted: 3/16/16 at 6:22am

hire prince poppycock as a cast

[MannPhan24601]

Posted: 3/16/16 at 7:44am

antonijan said: "hire prince poppycock as a cast   I can actually picture that John Quale (PP) as the Phantom. He'd be also good as one of the fops. The last thing I heard about him was that he was doing some regional plays in LA about a year or two ago.... The tour has Chris Mann who's one of my favorite singers ever (As you can judge from my username). I hope he'll become Broadway Phantom someday....I know a few people on here don't like his interpretation of the Phantom though   

Updated On: 3/16/16 at 07:44 AM

[Dave19]

Posted: 3/16/16 at 7:56am

atuomala said: "For me, the show never gets it. It may also be, in part, because they are competing with the powerhouse that is Hamilton right now."  

 

This comment is ridiculous. There is a reason Phantom plays for over 25 years, I think the show is sheer beauty and has magnificent music and singing. It is a triumph of theatre. Most of it's visitors are tourists from all over the world. From countries that have never even heard of the show Hamilton. It might be some kind of temporary hype in the USA, but I think this style of rapping is not very timeless and will fade when the Americans who like to see it have seen it. I truly believe people will get bored of Hamilton because it doesn't hold up. Quality, musically and singing wise.      

 

Especially the lame approach of saying "There was this man, then this happened, his causin committed suicide, his father this, then this happened and everybody said, oh my god, this man is amazing, he is going to be the bomb, and then the man in question says "my name is this, my name is this", and to top it all off the "song" ends with saying his name again. That might be cute in a primary school production with challenged kids, but not in a professional musical. Imagine Phantom started like this, "there was a girl she liked to sing, then she got the opportunity and everybody clapped and said she's the bomb, what's your name girl. My name is Christine. I said my name is Christine. etc. Get out of here. That is no way of story telling. Now if the singing and music were fantastic you could get away with more, but this gets boring.

Updated On: 3/16/16 at 07:56 AM

[rodrigo_ca]

Posted: 3/16/16 at 10:41am

atuomala said: "For me, the show never gets it. It may also be, in part, because they are competing with the powerhouse that is Hamilton right now."

Of course! the Hamilton is such the ULTIMATE piece of theatre. I don't know why we haven't closed all productions to play Hamilton at all times.

But of course, I will have to check with you in 25+ years.

[Justin D]

Posted: 3/16/16 at 10:48am

Phantom is fine, was overhauled recently, everything is kept in good shape. Saw it back in February at a matinee and it was less than 50% full, but it makes up for it on weekends and summer.

James is scheduled to stay on another year.

[HarrietTaylor]

Posted: 3/16/16 at 10:58am

"It might be some kind of temporary hype in the USA, but I think this style of rapping is not very timeless and will fade when the Americans who like to see it have seen it. I truly believe people will get bored of Hamilton because it doesn't hold up. Quality, musically and singing wise."

Just because someone made an unnecessary comparison between the two doesn't mean you have to compare them. They are nothing alike. And I assure you that Hamilton is going absolutely nowhere. A modern classic.

 

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 3/16/16 at 12:11pm

I can not give you the exact dates, but as Phamtom approached the 20 and 25 year marks, the lighting and sound systems WERE replaced. The sound system was fully upgraded. The lighting design was not changed (it is still the last musical in Broadway and only musical currently running that does not use ANY moving lights), but the lighting console and some of the lighting instruments were replaced and cabling was entensively replaced. Some of the costumes were replaced, as they are periodically. 

That said, Phantom is a relic. An impressive relic to be sure, but a relic nonetheless. It has become a landmark for visitors and a safe option for visitors who do not speak fluent English. I am not calling the show stale, but the theatre and production have become stale and nothing short of closing can change it. Yes, the leads may be strong and cycle in and out - though often recycled - with regularity, but the ensemble has been there for years and it often shows... A few years ago, I saw the show and one of the ballet girls, according to her bio, had toured with the show for 13 years in the ballet chorus before joining the NY cast and she had been there since the tour shuttered. The Majestid is also turning into a moldy pit and can not be renovated while the show is running. It is a beautiful, beautiful house but the wear and tear is taking a roll and it is looking run down and dusty inside, not to mention that painful air conductioning duct in the rotunda...

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 3/16/16 at 12:25pm

Phantom shut down for four performances in August 2008 so that an entirely new sound system could be installed. 

As many of you know, I see Phantom on Broadway quite often. I have seen it twice already this year and there has definitely been some housekeeping going on. The only thing that was a disappointment was Christine's shoes during Masquerade. She used to wear these awesome sparkly silver boots and now she wears random dark blue pumps. Guess they have to cut corners somewhere. 

Many of the props, costumes and scenic elements were replaced in the last few months. I usually sit in the first couple rows so when I saw the show in February I kept getting shocked when prop after prop came out and they were all clearly new. 

Harold Prince still checks in on Phantom every few months to keep things fresh. 

I hope that Phantom never has to resort to tinkering with the show in any noticeable way to keep the show open. 

To the poster who said the Majestic looks run down and dusty inside, would you care to elaborate? Which surfaces in the theater have dust on them? Did you run your hand on them to see the dust, or were you just able to observe it? When you say "run down", what do you mean? That the theater needs new paint, or carpeting? Just curious.  

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 3/16/16 at 12:25pm

Wanna inject some life into it? Cut the thing down to its length in Vegas -- 90, 95 minutes -- but leave in the intermission and the chandelier finale to Act One so the tourists feel like they got a real Broadway experience. A shorter show somewhat camouflages the material's many flaws, particularly book-wise.

[Mike Costa]

Posted: 3/16/16 at 12:29pm

I think I am in love with Dave19 and Rodriga.

Thanks for that.

Hamilton, will never rise to the level of Phantom, Cats or Les Miserables in the world.  Not that it needs to do that, they will be fine.  Probably more on the level of Rent ... which is a great level to be on.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/16/16 at 12:43pm

I liked this thread better when it was about Phantom and not other shows.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 3/16/16 at 12:45pm

LizzieCurry said: "I liked this thread better when it was about Phantom and not other shows."

 

I know. Why does Hamilton make it's way into (almost) every thread even when it's not the show being discussed?

 

You would think there were no Hamilton threads for the show to be discussed in.

 

 

[Justin D]

Posted: 3/16/16 at 2:04pm

If you think the Majestic feels run down (which I don't see when I go) you should go see Her Majesty's in London, the show there looks like it needs an overhaul badly. They had a chandelier running for over a year that was missing pieces. (they only recently fixed it)

[Valentina3]

Posted: 3/16/16 at 3:06pm

CarlosAlberto said: "You would think there were no Hamilton threads for the show to be discussed in."

 

I don't see any such thread. Can you stop making unfounded accusations that 7 out of first 50 threads are about Hamilton? #haters

 

PS - Yes, it's pretty annoying. My Hedwig casting post was hijacked by a discussion of Ham casting instead #facepalm

[FiddleMeThis]

Posted: 3/16/16 at 3:14pm

Phantom is doing quite well. The grosses are very consistent and the show continues to break house records during the holidays. They have slow periods like all long running shows do. It's still making money every week- why would the creatives want to spend millions on an overhaul? The new tour is a pathetic attempt to re-create the enduring "magic" of this show on a budget, and fails miserably. It would be great to see some of the Vegas-style special effects, but it's cost-prohibitive. The management takes exquisite care to maintain the high standards of casting, costumes, etc. And tourists love it because it reads well even if you don't speak English. This show will be open and making money as long as the producers care to keep it open, there is no real reason to close or spend money updating. Sorry haters!

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 3/16/16 at 3:42pm

Valentina3 said: "CarlosAlberto said: "You would think there were no Hamilton threads for the show to be discussed in."

 

I don't see any such thread. Can you stop making unfounded accusations that 7 out of first 50 threads are about Hamilton? #haters

 

PS - Yes, it's pretty annoying. My Hedwig casting post was hijacked by a discussion of Ham casting instead #facepalm

 

Ha! You haven't been here a month and I love you already Valentina3!