MASQUERADE Previews Thread- Page 5

[MezzA101]

Posted: 9/24/25 at 10:27pm

Now Andrew Lloyd Webber Is the One Wearing the Mask

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/24/theater/andrew-lloyd-webber-phantom-masquerade.html?unlocked_article_code=1.ok8.pWqt.WNoo-Oqx97XI&smid=nytcore-android-share

[1 Minute Critic]

Posted: 9/30/25 at 10:08am

1 Minute Critic review - 3/4 stars

"Folllow me!” “This way!” “Hurry!” I doubt Andrew Lloyd Webber and his collaborators imagined there’d be so much shuffling and calls-to-action when they first conceived of a musical adaptation of Gaston Leroux’s novel. But the catacombs of what was once the home of the American Society of Civil Engineers require nimble navigation for cast, crew, and attendees of Masquerade, a mostly mesmerizing immersive reimagining of The Phantom of the Opera. 

The evening’s participatory aspect sometimes feels forced (Do we need to learn the Masquerade dance? It’s not my Bar Mitzvah.) At other times, it’s intoxicating. Some naysayers might guffaw that its creators have turned the musical into what purists may consider a theme park attraction, feeling the phantom pain of the performers trapped in a dimly lit and fog-filled Groundhog Day. But Paulus and team have pulled off something miraculous: an immersive evening that retains the essence and dramatic arc of its source material. Finally, a reason to dress up and get lost in New York.

Full Review HERE.

[BJR]

Posted: 9/30/25 at 11:49am

ChairinMain said: "This is very clearly using the Sleep No More model to create a false sense of scarcity. This is 10000000% going to run as long as they can keep it going."

It has a $25 milliom capitalization and seats 350! It definitely needs prices high and a long run.

[morosco]

Posted: 10/22/25 at 8:22pm

Masquerade rooftop video from the neighbor's perspective.

Masquerade Immersive Phantom of the Opera Rooftop Scene FULL October 15, 2025

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 10/22/25 at 8:49pm

Very cool.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 10/23/25 at 1:18am

Doesn't make me want to see it.  I immediately wondered where the audience members are and wondered how much ambient city noise was distracting to the performers and audience members.

[Copeman63]

Posted: 10/23/25 at 2:31am

That could literally be said for every show that has a different seating configuration and pretty much EVERY show that has exit doors located in the auditorium. 
 

haters gonna hate…

[The8re phan]

Posted: 10/24/25 at 11:57am

after attending  the show (which I LOVED for what it's worth....), I hate to admit that the rooftop scene works much better 'on paper'.  After you spend about an hour enthralled by the AMAZING atmosphere of the Paris Opera that Masquerade created, it's quite jarring to be taken outside on the roof just to be reminded that you're still in New York surrounded by modern skyscrapers and hearing the taxis honk.

I've heard from friends that attended an "inclimate weather' performance, and the alternate indoor staging of these scenes sound BREATHTAKING.  Hoping to catch a completely indoor performance soon

Updated On: 10/24/25 at 11:57 AM

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 10/24/25 at 3:16pm

The8re phan said: "after attending the show (which ILOVED for what it's worth....), Ihate to admit that the rooftop scene worksmuch better 'on paper'. After you spendabout an hour enthralled by the AMAZING atmosphere of the Paris Operathat Masquerade created, it's quite jarring to be taken outside on the roof just to be reminded that you'restill in New York surrounded bymodern skyscrapers and hearing the taxis honk.

I've heard fromfriends that attendedan "inclimate weather' performance, and thealternate indoor staging of these scenes sound BREATHTAKING. Hoping to catch a completely indoor performance soon"

This is fascinating, because I've now seen the show with both the outdoor and indoor set track and it worked for me way better outside. It was a lovely autumn evening on 7th Ave, and there weren't any particularly obtrusive traffic noise. While  most of the buildings in the background of "all I ask of you" were very modern, the audience is positioned with several older buildings in direct eyeline, and being out in the open in a moment of sweeping romantism is lovely and cinematic. The graveyard doesn't face inside, and the outdoor set is more detailed and interesting.

The alternate "indoor" path works totally fine, and it actually uses almost all of the same sets that the outdoor path does, just in different scenes/a different order. Breakdown of my experience of both below under a spoiler tag - 
 

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

Five sequences are effected by the outdoor/indoor split: 

1. The split begins in the carnival, when the Barker calls the audience to "Come Look at The Freak" - the young Phantom caught in a cage. In the Outdoor track, the carnies take the cage and lead the audience into a small room with an organ next to the carnival room, and the act and the phantom's escape takes place there, with the Phantom watching most of the action from a catwalk among some of the audience members.

In the inside track, this scene takes place on the mainstage of the carnival room. 

2. "Learn to Be Lonely", outdoors, takes place in an attic room with large glass windows looking out onto a black brick wall. This allows for the phantom to appear from behind the windows as he watches his younger self. Christine and Meg then come in to talk about the Phantom and the upcoming performance of Il Muto before the Phantom guides the audience into the fly space of the theatre through a large set of bay doors at the back of the room.  (The fly space is the same set in both paths.)

Indoors, this scene takes place in a small room a flight of stairs up from the carnival that is decked out as costume storage. This is the ONLY set that is not used in the outdoor track. The audience is split up and taken two separate routes up the stairs to the fly space. Some follow the Phantom, some Madame Giry.

3. After the scene in the flies , the outdoor audience goes upstairs to the roof for All I Ask of You.

 Indoors, they go through the big bay doors into the Attic where "Learn to be Lonely" took place outside. Christine and Raoul start the song "on the roof" outside the glass windows (I don't think they are actually outside?) before coming inside, and the phantom moves from inside, watching them among the audience, to appearing outside the windows. 

4. Outside, the audience moves down the stairs into the graveyard set for wishing you are somehow hear again and Wandering Child. 

Inside, the audience is directed to the room where "Come Look at the Freak" happened in the outside track - in this variation, a tomb stands in the center of the room and the hanging striped tent for the circus set are stripped away, revealing a cross and altar. The Phantom is on the catwalk above for this scene and he is lit so that the audience below him, who may or may not be able to see him depending on where they are standing, sees his shadow cast on the back wall of the "church". After this, the audience is guided to walk through the outdoor graveyard, where the violinist is standing in the angel statue and watching them pass, to go down the stairs for the dressing room sequences, and the outdoor/indoor paths converge back together for the rest of the night.

A helpful phan on the masquarade subreddit made a very helpful diagram of these two paths, which can be found here: 
https://www.reddit.com/r/MasqueradeNYC/comments/1nj2s6h/spoiler_differences_between_masquerade_roof_and/

There's some trade-offs and some cool moments of staging in the indoor path - but on the whole I preferred it outdoors. 

Updated On: 10/24/25 at 03:16 PM

[JSquared2]

Posted: 10/24/25 at 4:04pm

Does anyone have a particular Phantom/Christine pairing they've seen and loved?  I saw Telly Leung and Haile Ferrier (both were outstanding!) and now looking to see a different pairing next time.

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 10/24/25 at 5:47pm

Strong, Strong recommendation for Kyle Scatliffe's Phantom at 7 pm. He's terrific with a gorgeous baritone voice (I VASTLY prefer a baritone in the role if given the option). He's also 6'4 and built and so whenever he appears there is such a presence in the room. He really connects with the Phantom's anguish and journey of self-acceptance. Eryn LeCroy was out when I saw this pulse and Claire Leydon was on as Christine - she's incredible. Being inches from her in "Twisted Every Way" was very special. Gorgeous soprano voice - grounded and incredibly connected to the text....there was also a palpable sexual chemistry between the two of them which really sold the show. 

My other pairing, also recommended, was Jeff Kready and Anna Zalveson. Jeff sang the show really beautifully, and I liked his restrained, eerie-calm  take on the role - his Phantom is very dapper and dangerous. Zalveson is very magnetic and is a wonderfully impulsive, intelligent Christine. Her "wishing you were somehow here again" was one of those moments where you just kind of sit back and go "good god damn."

This pairing also meant I got two spectacular Madame Girys in Maree Johnson and Satori Hoffmann, both worth catching. 

Updated On: 10/24/25 at 05:47 PM

[Lot666]

Posted: 10/25/25 at 10:31am

ChairinMain said: "also recommended, was Jeff Kready and Anna Zalveson. Jeff sang the show really beautifully, and I liked his restrained, eerie-calmtake on the role - his Phantom is very dapper and dangerous. Zalveson is very magnetic and is a wonderfully impulsive, intelligent Christine. Her "wishing you were somehow here again" was one of those moments where you just kind of sit back and go "good god damn."

That's good to hear. Before I selected a performance time, I searched for video of each Phantom and Christine, to see what they sounded like. I'd seen Hugh Panaro many times at the Majestic, but I don't feel like his voice is as good at this point as it was back then. After listening to each of the options, I settled on Jeff Kready as the one most likely to work for me. Francesca Mehrotra was my first choice for Christine, but Anna Zalveson seemed like she would be decent so I booked an 8:15pm performance.

Updated On: 10/25/25 at 10:31 AM

[tomorrowBIGLITES]

Posted: 10/25/25 at 11:17am

If I’m very lukewarm on the original show, will I like this more?