MASQUERADE Previews Thread

[FANtomFollies]

Posted: 7/30/25 at 5:23am

'Masquerade' starts previews tomorrow, July 31st. Is anyone here going? I went past the building a couple days ago and you would never know shows were starting so soon. Glass is still papered over and the Lee's Art sign is still up. 

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 7/30/25 at 6:46am

It may well stay that way. You had no idea what was in the Sleep No More venue from the outside. The world inside felt even more transformative that way, to me. 

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 7/30/25 at 7:59am

I do think it’s interesting - given the proposed plans laid out here - that the outside of the building still looks like Lee’s. It’s possible they decided to pivot to keep it looking like a mostly non-descript building to give it the McKittrick Hotel effect, but they definitely planned at some point to have it changed to a Théâtre D’Opéra façade. Maybe after opening once the cat’s officially out of the bag.

I ended up buying a ticket because I’m an immersive junkie and a friend on the creative team helped me out, but the hunt for affordable cocktail attire that doesn’t look like a hand-me-down is proving tiresome.

Updated On: 7/30/25 at 07:59 AM

[Kad]

Posted: 7/30/25 at 9:41am

A friend who attended the invited preview last night has been raving about it. 

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 7/30/25 at 11:17am

Also just heard from a friend who was there last night. They said they were expecting to hate it, but they were surprisingly moved and said what they’re doing in the building is stunning. According to them, there’s still some audience kinks to iron out, and the size of the audience itself was larger than they were anticipating, but it’s altogether really impressive. Also confirmed it’s a linear walking experience without any free-roaming.

They’re a tough sell, so I trust their opinion and those are all really positive things to hear.

Updated On: 7/30/25 at 11:17 AM

[trentsketch]

Posted: 7/30/25 at 11:42am

I'm also really curious to hear reports on this one. I'm fascinated by the concept, but it would help to know how physically active the audience has to be. The "no heels" warning has me wondering how taped up I'll have to be and what cane I'm taking on the train to survive the show if I get to it.

[bwaylyric]

Posted: 7/30/25 at 12:34pm

I'd like to know how much the dress code is enforced.

[BalconyClub]

Posted: 7/30/25 at 2:07pm

Looking forward to a $240 (with fees) performance in October. The Facebook fan page is excellent: the admins review all new posts, then approve or delete as needed.

Many on the FB site are sharing pictures of masks, attire, and speculation.

[nativenewyorker2]

Posted: 7/30/25 at 9:04pm

Is it true the venue flooded today

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 7/30/25 at 9:18pm

According to Reddit there was flooding and no show. 

[eponine88]

Posted: 7/31/25 at 12:22am

Looks like there's a chance tomorrow's (errr today at this hour I suppose) first public preview will be cancelled as well. Those of us with tickets just got an email that the rain damaged essential equipment, that they will be working overnight to try to get things in working order, and that they will let us know by 1pm if they need to cancel. Fingers crossed.....

[Huss417]

Posted: 7/31/25 at 3:52am

[singerunlimited]

Posted: 7/31/25 at 12:58pm

Now that it's approaching 1 PM, have we heard any updates about tonight's performance or the severity of the damage?

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 7/31/25 at 1:02pm

People with tickets tonight got the following email late last night (per a friend’s IG story):

“Fondest Greetings,

The severe flash rainstorm in New York City tonight breached Masquerade's venue, unfortunately damaging some of the sophisticated electronic equipment necessary to run a show of this scale. We are currently assessing conditions for tomorrow's first special preview performance.

Every one of the O.G.'s minions will be working overnight to mitigate the storm's effects, in hopes that the chandelier will rise as planned tomorrow evening, July 31st.

If the show cannot proceed, you will receive notice no later than 1:00 PM ET. As our esteemed guests, your rebooking or refund will be prioritized.

Though "showstopping" is often a word used to describe the O.G., his minions appreciate the disappointment this news may bring. We thank you in advance for your understanding and look forward to the Music of the Night rising above Manhattan very soon.

For any questions or concerns, you can contact us at [e-mail].”

Updated On: 7/31/25 at 01:02 PM

[Phillytheatreguy10]

Posted: 7/31/25 at 1:04pm

According to a friend attending, tonight’s performance is proceeding. I’m wishing them luck considering it’s forecasted to rain tonight until around 6AM tomorrow morning. 

[eponine88]

Posted: 7/31/25 at 1:30pm

Yes, it on for tonight though they left the door open to change their minds later if the weather situation is too bad or they flood again.

"Dear Guest,

The equipment issues from last night’s severe flash rainstorm have been addressed. Tonight’s first special preview performance of Masquerade will proceed. Your Host requests that you join him promptly fifteen minutes before your scheduled entry time, as planned.

However, the weather tonight is due to be stormy, and there is again a risk of flash floods this evening. We have been assured by our team that all leaks have been fixed, but if the storm causes additional damage, we may still have to cancel this evening’s performance.

We look forward to welcoming you tonight, but should you wish now to reschedule your visit or request a refund, our box office will gladly accommodate. Please note that should this evening’s performance be unable to proceed, all ticketholders will be offered the opportunity to reschedule or be refunded. We thank you again for your understanding, but some things are beyond even the O.G.’s control!"

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 7/31/25 at 1:34pm

Beautifully handled! Makes Broadway cancellation updates look like amateur hour. 

[BroadwayPhan]

Posted: 7/31/25 at 11:37pm

(No major spoilers)

Just got back from the first preview of Masquerade, which was almost in jeopardy due to some flooding from the prior evening that threatened equipment apparently.

Still digesting all that I witnessed tonight, but overall I was very pleasantly surprised after initially being on the fence prior to seeing it.

Is the ticket expensive? Yes (tonight's ticket was $241 with fees). Is it worth it? Always subjective, but I'd say yes. Any die-hard Phantom phan I believe will appreciate this piece of theater. The original Phantom production will always be special - it's one where everything came together perfectly - the music, the direction, the costumes, the choreography, the set, etc.

This doesn't pretend to be the original Phantom, though many key elements remain. It's a retelling. Some numbers have been moved around (like Masquerade isn't where you think it will be). There have been additions in the storytelling of the Phantom himself. There of course have been some deletions since the show runs just a little over 2 hours with no intermission.

For those of you who are interested and have not bought tickets, know the experience is very different than what transpired at Sleep No More. There is no free roaming, the story is told linearly as you're guided from room to room. Each time slot is a different track, with different leads I'd imagine, but each group pretty much sees the same scenes, just with different lead cast members based on your track. Your leads won't change during your track though. There are 6 Phantoms listed, 6 Christines, but only 4 Madame Girys, 3 Raouls, 2 Carlottas, and 1 Andre, Firmin and Piangi (each) - with those becoming very minor parts. It would really be interesting to see a behind the scenes and how all the moving parts come together in one evening.

You won't know which cast you'll get and I doubt they'll publish a schedule going forward. So a reason for repeat viewings (albeit at an expensive cost) would be to hopefully see different casts. The good thing vs. Sleep No More is that there really is no POTO FOMO (fear of missing out) during this show. Everybody sees the same thing regardless of what time you start. You're not losing out time by getting a later slot (which was one of my fears since I had a later time). So no worries about getting a later slot...it's still the same value for your money unlike Sleep No More. There are some scenes where your time slot's group is broken into some smaller groups. Not entire sure if those smaller groups watch the same scenes play out, but it's possible. There is one in particular where the group is divided into 3 rooms I believe, but the cast goes in and out - so it's quite possible each room sees the same vignettes, just in a different order.

Three are certainly some unique story moments in this show (no spoilers), and that's why I think longtime fans of Phantom will enjoy it. There are still magical moments (literally), great artistry and the set is very immersive. For someone who has shopped at Lee's Art Store years ago, it's pretty amazing to see what they've done with the place. What makes this different is the intimacy of the show. You feel like you have a front row seat wherever you go instead of the cavernous Majestic Theater. And there are several intimate moments (no 1-on-1s like Sleep No More though). Do know that you are on your feet most of the evening, so definitely wear comfortable shoes. I think it all works well in its own right, as much as I still love the original Phantom.

Yes there are things they can tighten up - particularly the audio (sometimes you can hear audio from adjacent room; there were some early preview mic issues too tonight). But it was the first preview, and a fun & magical one it was, especially for a show that is a completely different concept. Kudos to the team for trying something different, instead of just being a cheaper knockoff. Also - inside gets pretty warm at times. I felt bad for the cast members who were sweating hard in certain places. They give you a sticker to cover your phone's camera like at Cabaret, but no Yondr pouches. Lastly - know that every bag (even purses) must be checked (for free).

Certainly recommended overall. I have to imagine more tickets/dates will be released in the future. I hope they'll have a healthy run!

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 7/31/25 at 11:52pm

Thank you for the report, BroadwayPhan!  This is exactly what I wanted to know and it definitely makes me more excited about the prospect of buying tickets (I held off for a bit because I haven't loved other immersive shows).  

[DAME]

Posted: 7/31/25 at 11:54pm

Well; I hated Phantom and was bored with SNM. I’m still intrigued.  But not at those prices .  And hopefully by the time the novelty dies down and prices decrease .. I will have lost interest.  Thanks for your detailed review.  First time I get a sense for what this is.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/1/25 at 12:00am

I’ve been mildly interested but if it’s one of those extremely hot environments I might just wait until winter to try and take this in. 

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 8/1/25 at 4:15am

So did they drop a chandelier ? 

[Lot666]

Posted: 8/1/25 at 8:42am

BroadwayPhan said: "(No major spoilers)

If you have the time, I'd really appreciate a more specific, detailed account of the evening in a spoiler box.

[Operaghost8675309]

Posted: 8/1/25 at 10:26am

This way to Macys phantom land! A truly ambitious evening but it’s super cheesy. And the problem with the show is that it starts and stops - the flow is off. Some of that is how cluttered and messy the hallways are and most are not art directed. It just feels like they ran out of money. And it really ejects you from the moment. I’m not sure what was up with the chandelier it’s not that high up and kinda fell and kinda did not. The audio is a real problem throughout but the highlight for me was taking the escalator to the basement Macys phantom land. Where the phantom and Christine glide on his phantom sleigh before Christine sits on the phantoms lap to tell him what she wants for Christmas. Haha! Some of the rooms are so stuffy and uncomfortable I thought I was going to pass out at one point. It’s not as fun as sleep no more and not as polished as guy and dolls was in London. It’s ambitious but cheesy. That said there are a few great sets and some fun magic thrown in especially the ending. You can absolutely tell where they put their time and energy. Start stop start stop and then welcome to phantom land! Enjoy!

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 8/1/25 at 11:21am

Start/stop sounds like Disney Lion King. Pass thanks.