Phantom Closing? — Page 12

mozgrrl said: "I've also blown up ALW's FB/Insta about releasing the OG BWay cast video. It exists in the NYC Public Library under restricted access (new cast members?). They really need to give this to us!!!"

The TOFT Archive video can't be released. It's not as simple as Andrew Lloyd Webber or Mr. Mackintosh waking up one day and saying, "Unleash the beast!"

When those TOFT Archive videos are filmed, there's a contractual agreement with the various unions so the footage WILL NOT be released commercially. The only financially feasable way any of the performances can be filmed is if there ISN'T any payment required to the performers, musicians, and crew members. It's simply an archival video for posterity and historic record. No commercial release = no one involved is missing out on any money.

Even if the unions said, "You know what? Sure. Knock yourselves out. Release it if you want to. Just pay our members." the legal fees and amount of work that would need to be done to negotiate contracts and residual payments with all of the actors, stagehands, musicians, etc. who were present at that particular performance, almost 35 years ago, would be impossible. In some situations you might even be negotiating with the estates of people who have since died. You'd also have to negotiate with the estates of Hal Prince, Maria Bjornson, Gillian Lynne, etc. Everyone knows this is a hit, and everyone would want quite a big slice of those profits. All of that back-and-forth work and negotiation would take time, and probably be more costly than any immediate profits from sales of the video itself.

The reason the video is restricted for viewing is because it's a currently running Broadway production. Once the production closes, hopefully that restriction will be lifted, and it will become available for on-site viewing, like most of the other videos in the archive. However, since it's such a high-profile title, and with all of the "circus" surrounding a potential revival, I wouldn't be surprised if the restriction stays in place for the time being.

Also, the London production was filmed (possibly in its entirety) on September 4, 2004 with John Owen-Jones as the Phantom, Katie Knight-Adams as Christine and Ramin Karimloo as Raoul. Multiple clips were used on the "Behind The Mask" documentary included on the bonus features of the film's DVD release. This documentary was expanded upon for the BBC a year or so later. The credits of the documentary on the DVD lists the date and names of the performers in the entire company, which leads me to believe a complete pro-shot from London exists in HD. Hopefully they negotiated with all involved at the time, and this video might see a release some day.

Updated On: 9/26/22 at 12:08 PM

Yeah saxpower I'm hoping for the same thing. I mean, what else can explain ALW's total silence about this? And he was just all over social media with the release of the international Phantom album.

Could you imagine if ALW put out a press release tomorrow with "I am suing CM for breach of contract" or something like that. I wonder what it would take to get CM to sell his share of the show. Then again, when the London hacked up show re-opened, ALW put a notice on each seat defending the heck out of the changes and how the show is still so original and just what Hal Prince wanted etc, so perhaps we shouldn't get our hopes up.

I'm also holding out for an extension, but it seems like the super strong sales are already starting to soften. So I am going to keep planning toward that Feb. 18 date. We all know CamMack wants this thing shut down ASAP.

And wow! Hearthemsing called me a babe! That is quite the compliment. I guess they took my advice after all and "heard them sing" while they were relaxing : ) I will follow your advice too; when you label other posters "entitled" I won't call you out on it even if I think you are wrong. Cuz I'm a babe. : )

sbflyfan said: "mozgrrl said: "I've also blown up ALW's FB/Insta about releasing the OG BWay cast video. It exists in the NYC Public Library under restricted access (new cast members?). They really need to give this to us!!!"

The TOFT Archive video can't be released. It's not as simple as Andrew Lloyd Webber or Mr. Mackintosh waking up one day and saying, "Unleash the beast!"

When those TOFT Archive videos are filmed, there's a contractual agreement with the various unions so the footage WILL NOT be released commercially. The only financially feasable way any of the performances can be filmed is if there ISN'T any payment required to the performers, musicians, and crew members. It's simply an archival video for posterity and historic record. No commercial release = no one involved is missing out on any money.

Even if the unions said, "You know what? Sure. Knock yourselves out. Release it if you want to. Just pay our members." the legal fees and amount of work that would need to be done to negotiate contracts and residual payments with all of the actors, stagehands, musicians, etc. who were present at that particular performance, almost 35 years ago, would be impossible. In some situations you might even be negotiating with the estates of people who have since died. You'd also have to negotiate with the estates of Hal Prince, Maria Bjornson, Gillian Lynne, etc. Everyone knows this is a hit, and everyone would want quite a big slice of those profits. All of that back-and-forth work and negotiation would take time, and probably be more costly than any immediate profits from sales of the video itself.

The reason the video is restricted for viewing is because it's a currently running Broadway production. Once the production closes, hopefully that restriction will be lifted, and it will become available for on-site viewing, like most of the other videos in the archive. However, since it's such a high-profile title, and with all of the "circus" surrounding a potential revival, I wouldn't be surprised if the restriction stays in place for the time being.

Also, the London production was filmed (possibly in its entirety) on September 4, 2004 with John Owen-Jones as the Phantom, Katie Knight-Adams as Christine and Ramin Karimloo as Raoul. Multiple clips were used on the "Behind The Mask" documentary included on the bonus features of the film's DVD release. This documentary was expanded upon for the BBC a year or so later. The credits of the documentary on the DVD lists the date and names of the performers in the entire company, which leads me to believe a complete pro-shot from London exists in HD. Hopefully they negotiated with all involved at the time, and this video might see a release some day.
"

Very informative post, thank you!
Do you remember (and I'm going waaay back) there was a filmed version of Michael C and Sarah B that seemed to have aired on Bravo in the U.S. (before the Housewives fame)? There were a few clips (Point of No Return) with the Bravo logo in the right bottom corner on YouTube that I had seen before. I can't seem to find the one with the logo now, but it's the same footage as in the BBC documentary. I wonder if this was the professionally shot version or is this the one in the NY Library?

hearthemsing22 said: "Still (im)patiently waiting on when they'll release that final block of tickets....



...or do we think they'll announce an extension due to overwhelming demand?"

I'd imagine that if there is any extension announced it will be after the Christmas Holiday's. With Phantom up almost another $300,000 in grosses and selling out this past week, if that type of momentum continues through the fall/ carries over to Advance Ticket sales, I'd think it's probable that it will extend. I'd be more surprised if it didn't extend at this point.

TaffyDavenport said: "

"

Oh man. That made me cry!

New York isn't known for alleys?

That alley was not Shubert Alley by a longshot! lol I think they were trying to go for a Gotham City vibe so I guess I can forgive that but it would have been cooler if the Phantom were walking down Shubert Alley or even down 8th Av or something.

Ok I definitely did not expect this thread to devolve into a discussion about alleys but here we are lol.
As someone who grew up in Chicago, lived in new York for many years and now moved back to Chicago, alleys are definitely a huge difference between the two cities.


and West Side Story had an alley? Yes it had fire escaped but alleys? Hmmm I’ll have to rewatch lest I be called weird again lol.


Chicago’s alleys look like the one the Phantom is walking through. All Chicago neighborhoods have alleys with garage access in between the side streets. And even in the downtown business district, there are wide alleys just like the ones seen in the ad.
Joevitus. Joe. Vitus. Joe. You’re claiming that New York’s theater district not only has alleys but “tons of alleys in the traditional Broadway district”.
LOL

So the Phantom is standing in the alley between 45th and 46th street? Or the one between 43rd and 44? Come on lol. Could you imagine if there were alleys like the one in the video (and like the ones in Chicago) in the theater district? So many shortcuts and detours. Other than Shubert Alley which isn’t reeeeally an alley in the strictest sense, I have never seen or walked or driven through any alley in the theater district or actually anywhere in mid or downtown Manhattan.
tbe biggest gripe Chicagoans have with New York is the garbage bags on the street waiting for pick up. They never shutup about it actually. They always ask “why can’t they put the garbage in the alley like Chicago?” And I have to say: there are no alleys. Sorry Joe!

It seems that, unlike my wildest dreams, I won't ever be able to see the glorious Phantom on Broadway. I have no interest in seeing the cheap, downsized version Cameron Mackintosh will put out in a year or two, so I just hope that one crash and burn. Unless the medical field has some interesting development in the next few years, it also seems unlikely that I'll be able to see it, but I hope when it all enters the public domain, someone has a field day recreating the actual brilliant original. I won't see it, but oh what a thrill these audiences will have.

Phantom4ever said: "
tbe biggest gripe Chicagoans have with New York is the garbage bags on the street waiting for pick up. They never shutup about it actually. They always ask “why can’t they put the garbage in the alley like Chicago?” And I have to say: there are no alleys. Sorry Joe! "

Not just Chicagoans! On my first visit to NYC that was the biggest shock, seeing piles of garbage bags heaped up on the sidewalk, some leaning against parked cars for support, for days. I took so many photos, but the pics of the garbage were what I showed most to folks to let them see what NYC is really like.

That trip I stayed somewhere cheap near Union Square. I've stayed in better neighborhoods since.

As for the video, the alley seems more like a metaphor. In today's America we're all just gonna end up in a dustbin in the alley.

Maybe now he's out of a job the guy is joining the masses of homeless camped out in needle & feces strewn alleys in cities like Vancouver, Seattle, LA & Las Vegas.

I'm heading to Las Vegas this weekend & changed reservations for one of my hotels based on reports that a homeless encampment I would have to walk past has sprung up in the area since I was last there in 2019.

There's also supposed to be an influx of Times Square style costumed folks badgering people for cash for photos. Maybe I should go by & see if there's any Phantoms.

Also in Times Square itself seems like the Phantom might be a good costume for those $#@# to start using.

Updated On: 9/28/22 at 09:55 AM

The show closes Feb 18th, yet tickets aren’t available past January 21st…what’s up with that?

TheOrpheumCircuit said: "For those who have seen Broadway Phantom recently, how would you rate the current cast? I assume this will be the cast who plays through the end?"

My thoughts:

Ben Crawford is magnificent in the title role and John Riddle is one of the better Raouls I've seen of late. Craig Bennett is a pretty sold Firmin and has been in that role for some time now. Bradley Dean was superb as Andre, but he just recently left the show. Maree Johnson is a very good Madame Giry.

Raquel Suarez Groen is okay as Carlotta, but she's no Michele McConnell.

I've yet to see Emilie Kouatchou, so am not qualified to comment on her performance.

If Ben Crawford is out, you may be fortunate enough to get Jeremy Stolle (Passarino) or Greg Mills (swing), who are often the go-to covers for the title role. Both are fantastic.