LOVE NEVER DIES - US Tour — Page 14

While Meghan Picerno is out performing in Candide, Alyssa Giannetti got to have her debut as Christine in Cleveland during the matinee yesterday. I got to see it, and let me tell you, if I hadn’t known it was her debut by reading Bronson’s IG, I wouldn’t have guessed it. She was stunning. Hit the notes to the title song flawlessly. I can only imagine how it had to feel at the end of it! Lots of love on stage from the cast when she took her bows. And for what it’s worth, I’ve seen Bronson twice now and he is magnificent. His schedule seems to be weekend matinees now as the Phantom alternate. Going back next Sunday.

ermengarde said: "Anyone know if this they've booked tour dates for the next season or if it's going to Broadway? I personally strongly dislike this show but I'd rather see it on Broadway than on tour with a bunch of nobodies (besides Karen Mason). I assume they could get some Broadway names if it came to Broadway."

Never heard of Karen Mason. Is she famous or something? And lots of Broadway stars were literally “nobodies” (as you put it), or least not household names, before they became “Broadway-name stars”. The star doesn’t always make the show. And shows have failed, and/or received poor reviews, even with “famous name stars” in them.

Hundreds of thousands of people in its 29 city, 192 day tour across the US would have enjoyed the performances of this touring show and by the leads and alternates in these performances by the end of its run, and you have summarily dismissed them and their hard work and efforts so callously. If you disliked the show that much, sticking “famous faces” in there isn’t going to make it any better. At the performance I saw the alternate leads had beautiful voices, sang their hearts out, and it was amazing. And I’m sorry you didn’t hear that through your “strong dislike” for this show.

Updated On: 1/28/18 at 06:20 AM

ermengarde said: "Anyone know if this they've booked tour dates for the next season or if it's going to Broadway? I personally strongly dislike this show but I'd rather see it on Broadway than on tour with a bunch of nobodies (besides Karen Mason). I assume they could get some Broadway names if it came to Broadway."

The principal roles in this tour are played by:

Gardar Thor Cortes / Bronson Norris Murphy
Megan Picerno
Mary Michael Patterson
Karen Mason
Sean Thompson

These people are not "nobodies".

"they could get some Broadway names if it came to Broadway"? Credits for Bronson Norris Murphy and Mary Michael Patterson include Phantom on Broadway; credits for Karen Mason include Sunset Boulevard, Mamma Mia!, and Hairspray on Broadway; and credits for Sean Thompson include Sunset Boulevard on Broadway. This is Megan Picerno's musical theatre debut, but she's hardly lacking in credentials; she's a bona fide opera singer.

Lot666 said: "This is Megan Picerno's musical theatre debut, but she's hardly lacking in credentials; she's a bona fide opera singer."

I felt like this was the best casting decision they could have made for this production. She has incredible control over her voice. She consistently 'wows' you throughout the evening with her singing, but she cleverly saves a surprise for the climax of the title song.

When she lets loose with her full operatic belt on the last few lines, it's breathtaking. Out of nowhere, she just projects and fills the theater with this incredibly rich voice. My reaction was, "Where has she been hiding THAT all night?"

This gives Christine's character a real star-turn "performance" moment separate from the standard vocals (which are excellent in their own right!) we hear from her throughout the show.

Updated On: 1/29/18 at 01:54 PM

ermengarde said: "Maybe nobodies is harsh."

Yes, I think it is. IMO, "nobodies" suggests people who have never appeared on Broadway before, in any capacity. Most of these people have previously been in high-profile Broadway productions. Also, you seem to think that swings and understudies are "nobodies" by definition, when they are some of the hardest-working performers in the business.

ermengarde said: "I have not investigated this cast much since I disliked the Australian DVD and London production (saw both the original and revamped version)."

If you disliked both previous productions, I see no reason to expect your opinion will change by seeing the U.S. tour.

ermengarde said: "I thought this was a thread for discussing the tour but it seems that certain people view it as a "Love Never Dies appreciation thread". I understand it's hard having one of your favorite shows trashed."

You've missed the point. You are entitled to your opinion of the show, but you rudely and ignorantly dismissed a very talented cast whom you haven't seen or heard perform.

ermengarde said: "What I was thinking was they could get someone like Annaleigh Ashford as Meg. I thought Mary was rather "wallflower" as Christine but maybe she is different as Meg."

I saw Ms. Patterson several times in Phantom, and I think she's much better as Meg than she was as Christine.

ermengarde said: "Well I think my time in this thread has been wasted as I managed to put my foot in it and didn't even get my question answered over whether this was coming to Broadway or not."

That's because no one knows at this time, except for possibly Andrew Lloyd Webber and his inner circle, and I doubt any of them are on this board.

In (a semi) answer to the "is it coming to broadway?" question-It always seemed to me that the original intent was for a late summer/early fall arrival when/if a theatre comes available at a good price after the tony's. It's obviously not the strongest material, but it's not out of the realm of possibility that it finds some sort of traction from the tourist crowd. I think we have to wait and see what survives the spring to see.

Lot666 said: "Pithyaspromised said: "I also really enjoyed Yesy Garcia's debut as Fleck! Nice vocal complement to the trio."

You saw Fleck played by an actress who is not a little person? I'm curious how that changed the interaction of the trio and the audience's perception of them. Fleck was played byNiamh Perry in London, but they changed virtually all of the blocking and choreography for the Australian production, which "re-originated" the character as a little person.

None of the blocking or stunts were changed for Ms Garcia's two performances that I saw. Gangle and Squelch lift her up and mover her around in the same manner as they did with Ms Kemp. For example, several times when they lift her up and she slowly peddles her feet downward, the actress kept her knees pulled tightly upwards to her chest, to keep up the illusion of slowly descending. Ms Garcia is very slim and petite, but I'm sure it required quite a bit more muscle control on the part of all three actors for certain scenes. In any case, her voice was lovely and a really nice addition to their little Greek chorus.

I saw the tour three times during its local stop, and now I wish I'd seen the Fleck understudy at one of those!

A Director said: "Panned in Boston

https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/theater/dance/2018/02/01/love-never-dies-change-scenery-for-phantom-and-christine/LecTcezheBkIXMvTI9nXyJ/story.html"



That felt more mixed to me... The "review" by the BWW boston reviewer was definitely a pan. But the review was so terribly written it takes awhile to realize that

A Director said: "Panned in Boston

https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/theater/dance/2018/02/01/love-never-dies-change-scenery-for-phantom-and-christine/LecTcezheBkIXMvTI9nXyJ/story.html"

From the article: But “Love Never Dies” sometimes seems like the tragic story of a talented woman caught between two controlling jerks, one of whom happens to be into masks."

Well, duh. That's pretty much been Phantom's whole deal from the beginning. Christine's lack of agency is a specific plot point in the original show, and that continues here, right down to the same "don't think that I don't care" musical phrase. The book has a LOT of faults.

But this reviewer praised the performers, the costumes, the set, the orchestra...I'd not consider that a panned review. Mixed sure, but they didn't completely throw the baby out with the carnival bathwater.

Had to laugh realizing that LND is playing tonight in Boston... Obviously theatre people didn't realize this was Super Bowl Sunday and that the Patriots would be in the game. Have to imagine lots of discounts for tonight's performance