Posted: 8/30/17 at 9:41pm
So I'm curious... wanted to take my niece to see a Broadway show and rather than the usual Wicked for a pre-teen girl (and she has already seen Lion King) I was thinking of Phantom. I know every kid is different. But thought I'd reach out to get some reaction from other people's experience
Posted: 8/30/17 at 9:48pm
In my experience, girls 10-16 seem to love "Phantom". I'd say it's a safe bet. Because it doesn't move at the fast pace of the glitzier "Wicked", I would suggest trying to sit relatively close. The individual performances make or break this show, imho.
Posted: 8/30/17 at 9:50pm
My kids were 5 and 6 when they saw it and they loved it. I made a point of familiarizing them with the score and the story before they saw it, so they were seeing a visualization of what they were already very familiar with.
Posted: 8/30/17 at 10:09pm
Phantom was one of my first (if not the first?) musicals - my mom took me to see it in Toronto for my 7th birthday. She managed to sweet-talk the box office into getting us orchestra seats under the chandelier, and I remember it was absolutely magical. I loved the show & loved the experience (including getting to dress up - got tons of compliments during intermission on my dress & shoes).
It's highly dependent on the child, but I LOVED it even at seven, and it sparked a lifelong love of theater. I remember being into Phantom & Les Miz as a preteen too - found it awfully romantic back then.
Posted: 8/30/17 at 10:49pm
I first saw Phantom at the age of 12 and I loved it because I could follow the story and I loved all Harold Prince's "shocks" in every scene. The scene with the Phantom trying to scare the ballerinas made a huge impact on me as a twelve year old. It made me realize how delicious and decadent theater can be.
Posted: 8/30/17 at 11:12pm
I would take her to Wicked. In my opinion, it's in much better shape at this time. I think it's a safer shot all around
Posted: 8/30/17 at 11:24pm
I think the risk you run is she'll either love it, or hate it. But she's definitely not too young for it.
Posted: 8/30/17 at 11:54pm
As others have said, she won't really be too young for it, but you might want to have a conversation with her afterward about not tolerating manipulative, stalker-esque behavior like the Phantom's. I think the musical sort of romanticizes his behavior because of his status as a lonely outcast, and girls can be very impressionable at 12. Not a reason to dismiss the show entirely, but something to be aware of, and something worth having a conversation about after the show, particularly if she really enjoys it.
All that said, I'd agree that Wicked is a better option.
Posted: 8/30/17 at 11:58pm
NOOOOO....she'll be bored. So much more... Kids her age love Dear Evan Hansen b/c it's about social media and they hang out at stage door to see actors.
I love Andy Lloyd Webber and I've seen show many times including movie, but it's slow moving.
Even Come From Away is fun and short 90 mins. Young teens hang by Evan Hansen. School of Rock which is also Lloyd Webber but kid oriented.
Posted: 8/30/17 at 11:59pm
I saw Phantom for the first time when I was 12, and honestly, I remember being rather bored. I saw Wicked the year prior, though, and was absolutely enthralled (and still am! 
).
It was in my mid-teens when I returned to Phantom that I truly appreciated the show and became a big fan. Twelve isn't "too young" for the show, but there are other shows your niece might find more engaging and interesting. Phantom will always be there to bring her back to later on!
Posted: 8/31/17 at 1:16am
^^ Oh yes, I forgot to mention earlier, School of Rock is also an excellent choice.
But back to Wicked, Jackie Burns is back in the show as Elpheba and if you are ever thinking of taking her to Wicked, now is the time. She is the best of the best.
Posted: 8/31/17 at 1:42am
I would typically say no to your question, but since a sex offender is playing the lead......
Posted: 8/31/17 at 11:10am
GeorgeandDot said: "I would typically say no to your question, but since a sex offender is playing the lead......"
And then there's that.
Posted: 8/31/17 at 11:50am
Do not take anyone to Phantom, let alone a young child, while James Barbour the child molester is playing the Phantom. Not only is he probably the worst Phantom ever (boring beyond belief, struggles with the higher notes) he has molested a young girl. The current cast is not very good besides Ali Ewoldt. I wish they'd clear the house and get some talent in there, there are ensemble members and understudies who have been there too long and have grown complacent. James Barbour may be leaving in October.
Posted: 8/31/17 at 12:38pm
johannabarker said: "Do not take anyone to Phantom, let alone a young child, while James Barbour the child molester is playing the Phantom. Not only is he probably the worst Phantom ever (boring beyond belief, struggles with the higher notes) he has molested a young girl."
Well it's not like he's going to jump off the stage and assault a girl. Not to defend him, but that assault happened over 16 years ago, and his misdemeanor conviction was over 9 years ago. Get over it. I won't even point out that the plot of Phantom includes stalking and kidnapping a young girl who is probably between 15 and 20.
Posted: 8/31/17 at 1:23pm
So while I don't think it's too young as I took my daughter at age 8 it depends on the child. Her only exposure to Broadway has been Lion King? I am not going to get into whether that is real theater or not, but I think at 12 without having experienced more shows Phantom as others have said could be a love it or hate it.
I took my daughter because she started seeing broadway shows at age 4-we started with Mamma Mia and Mary Poppins.
We saw Wicked when she was 5 in London.
At age 5 we left NYC and for various reasons we did not go back till she was 8. She saw Fiddler, School of Rock, and I took her to Phantom because she LOVED the music and watched the movie. I would definitely suggest having her see the movie.
Personally I would do Wicked. The cast is a strong cast now-I saw it for my 2nd time in NYC in August.
I think DEH tickets could be hard to get, and this would be something you'd need to talk with her parents. I would have taken my 9 year old if I could have gotten tickets that was not going to break the bank. But I am very open with my daughter about subjects like suicide. This is not a judgement thing-but with a show like this I would definitely ask the parents.
I wasn't blown away by Anastasia. And I'd certainly suggest Wicked over it. but tween/teens are loving it.
Posted: 8/31/17 at 1:32pm
Fosse76 said: "johannabarker said: "Do not take anyone to Phantom, let alone a young child, while James Barbour the child molester is playing the Phantom. Not only is he probably the worst Phantom ever (boring beyond belief, struggles with the higher notes) he has molested a young girl."
Well it's not like he's going to jump off the stage and assault a girl. Not to defend him, but thatassault happened over 16 years ago, and his misdemeanor conviction was over 9 years ago. Get over it. I won't even point out that the plot of Phantom includes stalking and kidnappinga young girl who is probably between 15 and 20."
Sorry, that's an unforgivable offense and you ARE defending him. Also, the Phantom is an awful person, but the fact that a person who relates so closely to the character, is playing him, makes it even worse.
Anyways, I saw Phantom when I was 10 and loved it. Really depends on the person I guess, but I was already seeing theater at that point. I'd say, take her to the usual Wicked! Guaranteed she'll enjoy it and has a much better message for young girls.
Posted: 8/31/17 at 3:21pm
Depends. Was the child traumatized by a falling chandelier at any point?
Posted: 8/31/17 at 3:30pm
johannabarker said: "Do not take anyone to Phantom, let alone a young child, while James Barbour the child molester is playing the Phantom. Not only is he probably the worst Phantom ever (boring beyond belief, struggles with the higher notes) he has molested a young girl. The current cast is not very good besides Ali Ewoldt. I wish they'd clear the house and get some talent in there, there are ensemble members and understudies who have been there too long and have grown complacent. James Barbour may be leaving in October."
He is NOT a child molester. He was in a consensual relationship with a 17 year old. Illegal? Yes. Child molesting? No.
Posted: 8/31/17 at 3:31pm
I was 12 when I saw Phantom for the first time, and it quickly became one of my favorite musicals. (And it still is to this day.) I say go ahead and take her!
Updated On: 8/31/17 at 03:31 PM
Posted: 8/31/17 at 3:57pm
I'm holding off on seeing Phantom based upon BWW's discussion of Barbour. It seems like the consensus is that the incidents aside, he isn't that great to begin with. I've waited this long to see it.
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