Phantom to change to "re-staged" production in flagship productions? — Page 14

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.  

 

Cameron Mackintsosh:

"I've had a terrible year trying to keep on as many people as I can, but our job is to try to put a show on that can run and be brilliant...Am I sorry? I'm sorry they're upset, but I do find it odd why musicians would want to keep doing the same thing year after year. I believe we should not be holding jobs for actors or musicians ad infinitum. This is not the Civil Service, we're creating art."

He's creating art? Wow.

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. 

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. 

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. 

Who knew a producer of musicals could be so tone deaf?

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. 

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. 

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. 

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)