John Barrowman: BARNUM or PHANTOM 2?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 5/17/08 at 12:41pm

https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=28063

And the obvious choice is:

All together now:



3...



2...



1...



BARNUM!

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 5/17/08 at 12:51pm

John, Barnum!!!! For the love of God, pick Barnum!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Weez]

Posted: 5/17/08 at 12:55pm

For the love of god, 'Barnum'! Now, I'm as big a Barrowman fan as any of us here (possibly slightly bigger than most, but that's with reference to my CD collection rather than physique :P), but if he goes anywhere NEAR 'Phantom 2', then I ain't speaking to 'im anymore. :P

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 5/17/08 at 12:56pm

John, please, step away from PHANTOM 2.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 5/17/08 at 12:58pm

Another vote here for BARNUM.

PHANTOM 2 will either close on the road, or flop when it gets to NYC (if history repeats itself).

[James885]

Posted: 5/17/08 at 12:58pm

Barnum! Barnum! This phantom sequel reeks of disaster!

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 5/17/08 at 1:10pm

To the tune of Garlic from Dance of the Vampires:

Barnum! Barnum!
The show that you should choose
The Phantom sequel
Stinks worse than doggy poo
The composer's got an ego
That's gotten his ass sued
With Phantom, you'll be screwed
With Phantom, you'll be screwed

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 5/17/08 at 1:12pm

Mattbrain, that was brilliant!

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 5/17/08 at 1:14pm

Thank you!

[bwaybabe2]

Posted: 5/17/08 at 9:13pm

Any show that has enjoyed a STRONG original version, should never have a sequel...the chances that anything to follow will be of equal or better quality, are very slim to none. Some people might go see it, since they loved the original. But when word spreads that there's no comparison (ie.: it's a flop), there goes the investment!
Producers need to start looking at this fact, as time has proven this to be very true. Movies can get away with this, but the stage needs to be more careful, as there are more moviegoers than theatre patrons.
A great original should be LEFT ALONE!
My vote is also for Barnum, of course

BTW, I heard they are having a production of Barnum at Sarasota Asolo Rep Theatre...they have a strong theater base over there (lots of financial support from the locals, I hear) with some very unusually outstanding work being done, even by the FSU student productions. Might be worth checking out, if travelling to Florida.

[roquat]

Posted: 5/17/08 at 9:33pm

Yes, PHANTOM's time is past...but would I be hanged if I suggest BARNUM is not really that good, either? It's SO relentlessly cheerful, and it whitewashes P.T. Barnum's story even more than those movie bios of composers Hollywood used to churn out...

[bwaybabe2]

Posted: 5/17/08 at 9:36pm

roquat, I will make it a point to learn a bit more about Barnum, but I've heard good things so far (?)

[MCfan2]

Posted: 5/17/08 at 10:18pm

How in heaven's name is that even a choice? It doesn't even deserve five seconds' thought. "Barnum," by all means! It's a wonderful show. But even if it were only moderately good, it would still be better than any misguided attempt at a "Phantom" sequel.

[insertclevernamehere]

Posted: 5/17/08 at 10:21pm

In the name of all that is holy BARNUM!

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 5/17/08 at 10:23pm

Jesus Christ, is there even a choice?

Although I am fascinated by the type of disaster that Phantom 2 will be. I can't wait to see it.

[kec]

Posted: 5/17/08 at 10:36pm

Add another vote for Barnum here...

[Sondheim_Geek]

Posted: 5/17/08 at 10:41pm

Barnum.

[still waiting for someone to try and piece together a Phantom argument]

[roseaddams]

Posted: 5/17/08 at 11:07pm

BARNUM. Please? I'm not the biggest fan of John Barrowman, but nobody deserves Phantom 2: The Empire Strikes Back.

[insertclevernamehere]

Posted: 5/17/08 at 11:10pm

If Barrowman does Barnum and it's a turkey, then that would be sad and he'd brush off his shoulders and move on. But Phantom 2 seems that it could be a career killer.

[pli1018]

Posted: 5/18/08 at 12:08am

As much as I LOATHE Barnum (which is a whole lot), he should pick that over Phantom 2. The idea of a sequel just spells flop.

[puppetman2]

Posted: 5/18/08 at 1:01am

BARNUM

Anyone who has read the book that Phantom 2 will be based on knows it will stink more than a large cess pool.

[bwaybabe2]

Posted: 5/18/08 at 1:10am

insert..."career killer", indeed!
MHOA (the A is for "also")

[Sally]

Posted: 5/18/08 at 3:46am

Barnum

I think ALW must believe "There's a Sucker Born Every Minute," and each and every one will come to see his Phantom 2.

[masb19872]

Posted: 5/18/08 at 3:49am

Barnum! He definitely can do better than Phantom 2.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 5/18/08 at 4:18am

The book to Barnum isn't that great but I've always enjoyed the score and I think John would be wonderful with "There's a Sucker Born Every Minute", "I Like Your Style", "Colors of My Life" and the rest of the songs in the show.

I would DEFINITELY want to see him in Barnum. Too bad we can't send the link to this thread to him.