Phantom to change to "re-staged" production in flagship productions?- Page 14
Phantom to change to "re-staged" production in flagship productions?
#325Phantom to change to
Posted: 4/13/21 at 2:52pm
Jordan Levinson said: "Twenty-seventh heaven. "The Music of the Night" will have a full, rich sound once again at the Majestic."
I can see Cameron Mackintosh using this in advertising:
"See Phantom on Broadway, the only place in the world where it's still The Brilliant Original!"
"Michael Riedel...The Perez Hilton of the New York Theatre scene"
- Craig Hepworth, What's On Stage
Phantom4ever
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/17/07
#326Phantom to change to
Posted: 4/13/21 at 3:14pm
Beyond thrilled that the full orchestra news keeps getting reconfirmed. And I jumped for joy when I read the BWW article that said the set would stay the same, but as Lot666 pointed out, there is a line in there about how they haven't even evaluated the New York set, so they could very well come up with more nonsense about how the set wasn't "fresh" enough for the 21st century or whatever they come up with.
#327Phantom to change to
Posted: 4/13/21 at 3:39pm
I will remain optimistic for the fate of the New York production for now, but I'll wait until it's confirmed by someone other than an unnamed "representative" for the Broadway production. Who is this person?
#328Phantom to change to
Posted: 4/26/21 at 8:06am
"Michael Riedel...The Perez Hilton of the New York Theatre scene"
- Craig Hepworth, What's On Stage
Phantom4ever
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/17/07
#329Phantom to change to
Posted: 4/26/21 at 8:53am
Wow. We all thought we had a bad year struggling with the pandemic but could you imagine being a multi billionaire trying to keep 28 musicians employed? THAT is a rough go of it during the pandemic.
So apparently, it is not odd that Cameron is cool with the same job year in and year out, but for a musician to want steady work is odd to him? What an out of touch jerk. I'm starting to feel like I don't want to see my beloved show, changes or no changes, because he's been so awful through all of this.
#332Phantom to change to
Posted: 4/26/21 at 10:22am
Wow, what a crass, petulant response. An important reminder that Mackintosh, despite his many accomplishments, is not a friend to the arts at heart.
His comment about musicians doing the same job for years actually speaks to something I've often wondered about pit musicians. But playing that card in this context was so gross and backwards. It reads like a gaslighting tactic. I hope every time he tries to produce a musical going forward, he can't find a single musician to play in his orchestras because they're all off making art on their own. He basically just asked for that to happen.
#333Phantom to change to
Posted: 4/26/21 at 10:27am
Clearly, he has no musician friends.
What a complete jerk and what a terrible thing to say.
#334Phantom to change to
Posted: 4/26/21 at 10:55amThat was such a despicable statement from someone who has held the same position for decades “creating art”. Why keep Phantom open at all then given that argument?
#335Phantom to change to
Posted: 4/26/21 at 11:02am
He's likely going to try to sneak these new design changes into the New York production at some point but I don't believe he can reduce the orchestrations at the Majestic because the minimum number of musicians required per the union is still 26 as far as I understand.
Phantom4ever
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/17/07
#336Phantom to change to
Posted: 4/26/21 at 11:15am
CATS, that's exactly what I'm afraid of and he won't need much time to do it. The longer the theaters stay closed, the longer he has to gut the original sets at the Majestic. If that does happen, I truly hope the show closes within a year of that and he realizes his mistake even if he will never publicly admit it.
I know people have said that these plans were in the works pandemic or no pandemic, but it sure seems like the pandemic pushed things faster.
#337Phantom to change to
Posted: 4/26/21 at 1:13pm
CATSNYrevival said: "He's likely going to try to sneak these new design changes into the New York production at some point but I don't believe he can reduce the orchestrations at the Majestic because the minimum number of musicians required per the union is still 26 as far as I understand."
How does this work, i.e., how does the union determine a required minimum number of musicians for a given show?
"Michael Riedel...The Perez Hilton of the New York Theatre scene"
- Craig Hepworth, What's On Stage
#338Phantom to change to
Posted: 4/26/21 at 2:28pm
Lot666 said: "How does this work, i.e., how does the union determine a required minimum number of musicians for a given show?"
This goes back to the Broadway strike in ‘03.
https://www.playbill.com/article/broadway-musicals-and-the-strike-your-questions-answered-com-111973
“What do the musicians want?
They want producers to continue guaranteeing that a minimum number of musicians will be employed in each musical based on the size of the theatre. Doing away with these minimums, they say, will mean producers can shrink orchestra sizes and/or use synthesized music to make up for it. There are other contract issues, but this is the major sticking point.
What do the producers want?
Producers say the union should not be dictating the artistic needs of a musical, and that minimums create the possibility that musicians who are not needed or used will be paid, which inflates the running costs of the show. The producers first wanted minimums eliminated, then offered to agree to a minimum orchestra of 15 for Broadway's biggest houses. The current minimum at major houses is 24.“
The result came to a reduction of minimum number of musicians from 24-26 to 18-19, from what I understand.
I am big. It’s the REVIVALS that got small.
#339Phantom to change to
Posted: 5/3/21 at 10:28pm
Cam Mac being a worthless little ****? What else is new...
#340Phantom to change to
Posted: 5/4/21 at 2:37am
Who knew a producer of musicals could be so tone deaf?
¿Macavity?
Broadway Star Joined: 1/29/16
Phantom4ever
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/17/07
#342Phantom to change to
Posted: 5/6/21 at 8:55am
Well, we have our re-opening date! October 22! So thrilled that it's a Friday!
Interesting that the Playbill article says that the show has remained in the headlines because of a Japanese production on Zoom and not because of the drama over the London production. Cameron was quoted as saying that the Phantom will return to Broadway "in all its gorgeous splendor" and ALW said that it is a "heartache" that Hal Prince isn't here to witness Phantom leading the charge back to Broadway.
One clue I noticed is the London production's press releases now show the new director, designer, and choreographer who are changing the Prince-Bjornson-Lynne original, but the Broadway press releases still only list the original creatives. Perhaps another good sign.
However, October is months away and we just have to cross out fingers nothing happens to our beloved show between now and then.
#343Phantom to change to
Posted: 5/6/21 at 9:37am
I'm sorry that I cannot cite my source, but I've been told that Broadway will return as the original Prince-Bjornson-Lynne production. While I believe CamMack is capable of anything at any time (so nothing can be carved in stone), I am about 90% certain at this time that the Broadway version will be unaltered.
"Michael Riedel...The Perez Hilton of the New York Theatre scene"
- Craig Hepworth, What's On Stage
#344Phantom to change to
Posted: 5/6/21 at 9:40am
Lot666 said: "I'm sorry that I cannot cite my source, but I've been told that Broadway will return as the original Prince-Bjornson-Lynne production. While I believe CamMack is capable of anything at any time (so nothing canbe carved in stone), I am about 90% certain at this time that the Broadway version will be unaltered."
Uh oh get prepared to be pounced on for not siting your source! I think you’re right BTW.
#345Phantom to change to
Posted: 5/6/21 at 2:34pm
Not that I want to see the Broadway production changed but it seems dumb to change one production and not the other. Especially since the London production will likely still be advertised as the original staging. What a mess.
Updated On: 5/6/21 at 02:34 PM
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#346Phantom to change to
Posted: 5/6/21 at 2:58pm
I think the production could use some updating just in terms of overall equipment, etc. So I don't think that's a bad thing. I think there's a way to update it and still keep true to the original. Maybe the mannequins could use some redressing, etc. Some of the technical elements could be updated to give us more of a fantasy aspect - the pyro, etc.
Phantom4ever
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/17/07
#347Phantom to change to
Posted: 5/6/21 at 3:18pm
It is perfect just the way it is and the way the original creatives left it for us. Honestly, the fact that Phantom hasn't fallen for any of these "it should be updated" trends in 33 years astounds me. The longer it lasts without updating to fit some fad or trend, the more unique and special the original staging becomes.
But Rippedman you and Cameron should definitely go out for drinks sometime because y'all think exactly alike!
ggersten
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/11/06
#348Phantom to change to
Posted: 5/6/21 at 3:38pm
Apparently, there may be a different chandelier in the West End - which may not rise from the stage or collapse at the end of Act One - (per comments on Theatreboard)
Phantom4ever
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/17/07
#349Phantom to change to
Posted: 5/6/21 at 3:57pm
Yes the new London chandelier will be the new tour chandelier which appears to be slightly closer to the original chandelier in appearance, but it will not have a method of collapsing on itself and it won't have any way to sit on the stage, so it will start the show wrapped and in the air, then get lowered slightly and unwrapped in the overture, and then drop a few more feet at the end of Act I. This is what happens when people want updates.
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