uncageg: That article was very interesting! Thank you for linking to it.
I ended up getting a program and a pin for $15 ($10 program, $5 pin). The new program is a big improvement over the old one, though I do miss that blurry photo of the ballerinas split into three different pages. The new insert is very nice, too, and more eco-friendly than printing two inserts. The pin is shiny, and I love it.
So, mini-review:
Keep in mind: my memories of the first time I saw the show are fuzzy, at best. I remember the stage door more vividly than anything else. That being said, I remember enjoying the show very much. What I saw today, I will never forget.
First, the sound. WOW. None of the cast recordings even sound as good as what I heard ths afternoon! As soon as the Overture started, I knew I was going to hear things I had never heard before, and I was right. Some lyrics seemed clearer, and the orchestrations sounded totally new! Any "audio problems" were either to blame on an actor not projecting enough, or on a mic that was turned on late.
Second, the cast. Overall, this is one of the strongest casts I have ever seen in any show. Everyone seemed to be relishing their time on stage, and making the very most of every second given to them. Even though I know the show's story better than I know my own life's story, I found myself just relaxing into my chair, and focusing entirely on what I was seeing unfold before my eyes.
Third, Tim Martin Gleason. Oh. My. God. I never expected to see an actor do with the Phantom what he did with the role! He brought a childlike innocence to the character, and as hot as "The Music of the Night" was, there was still that element of social awkwardness to make the whole thing (especially the end) a bit unsettling to watch. From what I could tell, his Phantom was not really capable of loving Christine, but did he have a major crush/infatuation? Oh, yes! I teared-up during "Stranger Than You Dreamt It" and "All I Ask of You (reprise)", and only because of what Mr. Gleason was doing with the role. By the end, however (from the kiss to the end), I was a sobbing mess. It takes a LOT for me to cry over anything, and Mr. Gleason's performance was so much more than "a LOT".
I'd also like to give a shout-out to Sean MacLaughlin, who played Raoul. He crafted a wonderfully heroic character out of a very under-written role. When he held Christine, you knew he would do anything to protect her; that was felt all the way up to the loge!
The Fox Theatre complements the show so nicely, even with its inside-outside design. it was nice to see the everything up close this time (in 2005, I sat in the "nosebleed" of the Fox, and the whole show looked very compact from up there).
KUDOS to the crew! A cloth got caught on one of the proscenium statues during the Overture. From where I was sitting, I could see where it had caught the finger of one of the figures on the proscenium). Luckily, the assistance of another techie, who seemed to have crawled up inside the proscenium arch, forced the cloth slip loose about 30 seconds before Carlotta's entrance. I kept expecting to see the figures snap, or fall loose, but I was lucky, and had an uninterrupted performance!
Random: D.C. Anderson (Andre), Kim Stengel (Carlotts), and Joelle Gates (Dance Captain/Ballet Swing) all performed when I saw the show in 2005, with Gary Mauer and Elizabeth Southard as the Phantom and Christine. The only one who really surprised me was Joelle Gates. Who would've thought I'd see the same swing in performances almost 5 years apart? As much as I liked her choices and acting moments, I did not enjoy her shrill voice either time I saw the show, but her strong choices made up for it (I'll always take well-acted over beautifully sung).
Trista Moldovan was on as Chistine, and was wonderful. I would have liked to have seen Kelly Jeanne Grant, but I am not disapponted. Far from it, actually.
So, long-mini-review-short: PHANTOM on Tour = brilliant! One would have to be an idiot to miss Tim martin Gleason's performance as the Phanom! SEE IT if you can!!
Note: I'm sure this is full of little grammatical errors, but I'm very tired, and trying to write this while the memory is still as fresh as it is. I'll fix them later.
-- SDG
