Is the role of Christine Daae in Phantom considered above the title casting?
Is the role of Christine Daae in Phantom considered above the title casting?
winston89
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/18/06
#1Is the role of Christine Daae in Phantom considered above the title casting?
Posted: 2/22/08 at 11:23pm
I was thinking about what shows have had above the title casting and what shows haven't. For some reason I was thinking about Phantom. I saw it the other day and on the poster outside the theatre where it has credits it says Jennifer Hope Wills as Christine daae. And then it says in smaller writing at certain performances Elizabeth Loyacano is Christine.
So, is Jennifer Hope Wills considered above the title casting if she is billed as the one playing Christine Daae or because it's been around for 20 years the above the title casting doesn't really matter much for this show.
LePetiteFromage
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/19/08
winston89
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/18/06
#2re: Is the role of Christine Daae in Phantom considered above the title cas
Posted: 2/22/08 at 11:31pm
I know what above the title means. I know that there are actors/roles who's names aren't physically above the title yet are still considered to be above the title billing. For example, Idina and Chenoweth were considered above the title billing in Wicked even though their names weren't literally above the title of the marquee.
I think ( for another example)that Lea Salonga was above the title during her stint in Les Miserables.
I was just curious about the role of Christine because whoever is playing the role it says their name in big letters and the alternate in smaller writing.
#3re: Is the role of Christine Daae in Phantom considered above the title cas
Posted: 2/22/08 at 11:32pmIdina and Chenoweth had above the title billing on the window cards and playbills.
LePetiteFromage
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/19/08
#5re: Is the role of Christine Daae in Phantom considered above the title cas
Posted: 2/22/08 at 11:47pmTo actually answer your question though no one has above the tile billing in The Phantom of the Opera. The star of the show is the show itself. Tourists don't care who's playing the leads.
theatreguy
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/31/03
#6re: Is the role of Christine Daae in Phantom considered above the title cas
Posted: 2/22/08 at 11:50pmAnd Lea Salonga was never above the title for Les Mis. She was below the title in alphabetical order with everyone else.
PUPPETMAN
Understudy Joined: 12/28/07
#7re: Is the role of Christine Daae in Phantom considered above the title cas
Posted: 2/22/08 at 11:54pm
This is a technical problem that would be answered by Actors Equity and has a baring on how the Tony awards are classified.
I have a winbdow card on my wall from PHANTOM the I got at the time it opened. No one is listed above the title. Michael Crawford is listed first, in slightly smaller letters is Sarah Brightman then Steve Barton followed by 5 others in smaller letters, then Judy Kaye in letters the size of Brightman's
finally very small letters read "at certain performances" then in medium size lerrers "Patti Cohenour" and under her name "plays the role of Christine". Even Andrew Lloyd Webber is not above the title, but is toward the bottom uncer the mask logo.
Unfortunately Patti Cohenhour was not elegible for Tony consideration as the committee ruled that she did not originale the role. It is a puzzeling technicality.
Sometimes the authors have a stipulation and no one can be billed over the title no matter how large their roles. If you look at the requirements for billing in the front of scripts from places like Samuel French who license productions, they state how the billings are to appear and what size the type must be.
Updated On: 2/22/08 at 11:54 PM
#8re: Is the role of Christine Daae in Phantom considered above the title cas
Posted: 2/23/08 at 12:08amIs it not like in movies? Many of the actors (in film) have requirements in their contracts that require that their names be listed ABOVE the title. But then, of course, they ALWAYS show up - so there's not the whole refund policy thing. LOL
#9re: Is the role of Christine Daae in Phantom considered above the title cas
Posted: 2/23/08 at 12:16am
"Unfortunately Patti Cohenhour was not elegible for Tony consideration as the committee ruled that she did not originale the role."
But she didn't. She was the alternate.
winston89
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/18/06
#10re: Is the role of Christine Daae in Phantom considered above the title cas
Posted: 2/23/08 at 12:25am
Puppetman,
The poster your talking about is the same on I am. It is posted outside the Majestic.
I was just wondering because her name is the biggest name on the poster does that mean above the title billing? In other words, if she isn't there ( during her scheduled time to be there) and Elizabeth goes on can you get a refund?
#11re: Is the role of Christine Daae in Phantom considered above the title cas
Posted: 2/23/08 at 12:33am
"I was just wondering because her name is the biggest name on the poster does that mean above the title billing? In other words, if she isn't there ( during her scheduled time to be there) and Elizabeth goes on can you get a refund? "
Yes... me, too - curious.
theatreguy
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/31/03
#12re: Is the role of Christine Daae in Phantom considered above the title cas
Posted: 2/23/08 at 12:33amDoesn't matter how big her name is, it's not above the title.
Joshua488
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/29/04
#13re: Is the role of Christine Daae in Phantom considered above the title cas
Posted: 2/23/08 at 12:59am
"Above the title" means literally above the title, not the size of the name.
In regards to your post about Wicked, on the signs outside of the theatre and on the window cards, Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, and Joel Grey were all listed above the title, as you can (barely) see in the terribly small picture in the link I posted.
Original Wicked poster
#14re: Is the role of Christine Daae in Phantom considered above the title cas
Posted: 2/23/08 at 12:59amNone of the leads are above the title in this show. All three of them were, however, out this evening. I walked by the theater and saw understudies up for all of them. Although, to be fair, the only reason an understudy was on for Raoul was because the regular Raoul was going on as the Phantom.
#15re: Is the role of Christine Daae in Phantom considered above the title cas
Posted: 2/23/08 at 1:59amWhoever performs a role on opening night is generally the person considered eligable for the Tony Award.
Dover
Leading Actor Joined: 4/29/06
#16re: Is the role of Christine Daae in Phantom considered above the title cas
Posted: 2/23/08 at 2:14amNobody in Phantom is or has ever been above the title, which as others have said, literally means -above the title- generally the Playbill is considered the final record of that. So technically they're not required to give you your money back if anyone is out, but it would be at the discretion of the management if they felt like being accommodating.
winston89
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/18/06
#17re: Is the role of Christine Daae in Phantom considered above the title cas
Posted: 2/23/08 at 2:41am
New question.
Jennifer's schedule as to when she is to be going on as Christine is posted on her website. That being said. If I went to the show got a ticket and prior to it being scanned I saw on the understudy board that she is out when it is normally a performance she goes on for. Can I go to the box office and either ask for a refund/exchange for a new date etc because she is scheduled to be on that night? Or will I have to sit back relax and enjoy Elizabeth's performance? ( As if that were such a Shanda)
bohemianqueen
Understudy Joined: 1/18/06
#18re: Is the role of Christine Daae in Phantom considered above the title cas
Posted: 2/23/08 at 2:42am
winston89:
'I was just wondering because her name is the biggest name on the poster does that mean above the title billing? In other words, if she isn't there ( during her scheduled time to be there) and Elizabeth goes on can you get a refund?'
To actually answer your question - NO you would NOT get a refund. You would only get a refund if the name, as has been stated numerously here, is ABOVE the title. Literally. It doesn't matter how big the printing of the name is, if it isn't literally above the title, then you are not entitled to a refund!
Joshua488
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/29/04
#19re: Is the role of Christine Daae in Phantom considered above the title cas
Posted: 2/23/08 at 2:56amNo. She is not above the title. No refunds.
#20re: Is the role of Christine Daae in Phantom considered above the title cas
Posted: 2/23/08 at 3:10am
"And Lea Salonga was never above the title for Les Mis. She was below the title in alphabetical order with everyone else."
Go to the link, scroll down, and you will see that she, like a few other actors, was indeed billed above the title.
Here.
The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
bluetuna
Leading Actor Joined: 11/15/07
#21re: Is the role of Christine Daae in Phantom considered above the title cas
Posted: 2/23/08 at 3:11amIs there a reason you are so opposed to seeing the alternate or an understudy?
SahDu
Leading Actor Joined: 3/22/05
#22re: Is the role of Christine Daae in Phantom considered above the title cas
Posted: 2/23/08 at 9:06am
SticktoPriest-
Unless I'm doing something wrong, which is entirely possible, the link you provided was of a Miss Saigon disc, while the show in question regarding Lea Salonga was Les Mis.
Updated On: 2/15/14 at 09:06 AM
winston89
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/18/06
#23re: Is the role of Christine Daae in Phantom considered above the title cas
Posted: 2/23/08 at 11:49am
I have nothing against seeing her understudy/alternate go on. I saw the understudy go on on tuesday (A day that Jennifer would normally be on) and ended up seeing the understudy go on. I am a fan of Jennifer's work and I wanted to see her perform before my vacation was over.
I am going to the theatre tonight with hopes of trying to catch her in the role again. I know she has been out sick but I was sort of crossing my fingers that she would have been back by now.
That was until I read the post about someone seeing the understudy board at Phantom and saying that all the understudies were on for the leads.
#24re: Is the role of Christine Daae in Phantom considered above the title cas
Posted: 2/23/08 at 11:57am^^ That was me. Loyacano was on for Christine last night.
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