Phantom to change to "re-staged" production in flagship productions?- Page 20

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 10/6/21 at 2:23pm

Kip4 said: "I like how he said Phantom isn't all that expensive to run and yet they still had to cut costs in London. Sigh..."

I took it more as him saying the costs to produce it were not as high as people would think, not necessarily a comment on the weekly running costs. With 125+ people there per night the salaries alone, along with guaranteed benefits through union contracts, are a pretty significant expense. 
 

And though they didn’t mention much about the London production, to me it sounds like he brought in Daisy Prince to consult as a way to block Cameron Macintosh from using his own team of “yes men” to get changes/reductions implemented. 

[Kip4]

Posted: 10/6/21 at 2:40pm

AEA, ah yes!  Makes sense.  

[Lot666]

Posted: 10/7/21 at 8:40am

AEA AGMA SM said: "to me it sounds like he brought in Daisy Prince to consult as a way to block Cameron Macintosh from using his own team of “yes men” to get changes/reductions implemented."

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 10/7/21 at 2:58pm

Just got an email from Telecharge saying that the 10/22 show starts at 8 p.m., not 7 p.m.

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 10/7/21 at 5:14pm

Same! Very glad about that as my flight lands at JFK at 3pm. 

[Lot666]

Posted: 10/8/21 at 7:42am

Anyone know why the curtain time was moved to 8pm?

[Princeton2]

Posted: 10/10/21 at 11:26am

I've just watched the GMA performance and isn't Christine wearing the new London masquerade costume?

[Tag]

Posted: 10/10/21 at 12:16pm

Princeton2 said: "I've just watched the GMA performance and isn't Christine wearing the new London masquerade costume?"

No she wasn't.  She was wearing the Broadway design.  
The dress has changed many times over the years (including from Brightman's original version).

Updated On: 10/10/21 at 12:16 PM

[Princeton2]

Posted: 10/10/21 at 12:43pm

Really? Interesting. It was a lot plainer than last time I saw the show in London, which admittedly was several years ago. Was a bit shocked. Didn't realise broadway had changed.

[Lunalaaaaaaaa]

Posted: 10/10/21 at 7:02pm

35th anniversary of Phantom is coming up!!!

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 10/10/21 at 7:17pm

Not until 2023.

Edit: Oh, London, right.

Updated On: 10/10/21 at 07:17 PM

[saxpower]

Posted: 10/10/21 at 11:12pm

I get a kick out of the "35th anniversary" promos for the London version, which imply its the same production that opened 35 years ago. I also wonder if original producers who haven been cut out financially with the closing/reopening with new staging will use this fact in jt inevitable lawsuits (arguing Mackintosh should not be able to count the current production as simply a continuation of the original for publicity, but not with respect to financial obligations to original investors). 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 10/11/21 at 7:53am

saxpower said: "I get a kick out of the "35th anniversary" promos for the London version, which imply its the same production that opened 35 years ago. I also wonder if original producers who haven been cut out financially with the closing/reopening with new staging will use this fact in jt inevitable lawsuits (arguing Mackintosh should not be able to count the current production as simply a continuation of the original for publicity, but not with respect to financial obligations to original investors)."

I believe Cameron Mackintosh and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group are the only producers. Someone please correct me if I’m wrong. I don’t believe any original investors have been cut out financially. What is speculated is that the changes may have brought about a renegotiation with the estates of Hal Prince, Gillian Lynne and Maria Bjornson but I don’t know if that has been confirmed or if it is simply conjecture.

Updated On: 10/11/21 at 07:53 AM

[Lot666]

Posted: 10/11/21 at 8:10am

saxpower said: "I get a kick out of the "35th anniversary" promos for the London version, which imply its the same production that opened 35 years ago. I also wonder if original producers who haven been cut out financially with the closing/reopening with new staging will use this fact in jt inevitable lawsuits (arguing Mackintosh should not be able to count the current production as simply a continuation of the original for publicity, but not with respect to financial obligations to original investors)."

Me too. I find their "35th birthday" posts on social media to be infuriating. 

[FANtomFollies]

Posted: 10/12/21 at 6:19pm

Phantom4ever said: "Hello all,

Did anyone read the Variety article about ALW? There is a picture of him in the Majestic auditorium and it looks like they have replaced the light beige curtains with black ones. "

According to Emilie Kouatchou's instagram story, she was at the Majestic today and the curtains in the auditorium are still beige, so I suppose they photoshopped them black for the Variety cover :)

[Lot666]

Posted: 10/13/21 at 9:12am

I have been advised (again, cannot disclose source) that the Broadway set is entirely intact, but they are making changes to some blocking, choreography, and lyrics.

[ImAProphet]

Posted: 10/13/21 at 9:34am

Lot666 said: "I havebeen advised(again, cannot disclose source) that the Broadway set is entirely intact, but they are making changes to some blocking, choreography, and lyrics."

I did notice that when rehearsals started last month and company members were posting pictures of their scores on Instagram (I think it was mostly on stories or I would link one, can't find any), it said "revised 9/2021" in the corner. So that would track.

Do you know if it's to be more in line with the new London version or is it its own thing?

[Lot666]

Posted: 10/13/21 at 10:33am

ImAProphet said: "Do you know if it's to be more in line with the new London version or is it its own thing?"

I really don't know for sure, but I have a feeling it's going in the London direction. The words I heard were humor and further character development for at least one principal. I'm okay with character development, but I don't need added humor.

Updated On: 10/13/21 at 10:33 AM

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 10/13/21 at 11:36am

Yeah I think with that too. I wonder if it involves Carlotta. Some Carlotta's get big laughs over the "You have been here 5 minutes!" line and the "She's mad!" line, and some barely mumble it out and get no response.  People on the London board were saying they found some of the added humor off-putting. If the set is intact, as the stage manager also confirmed in his recent BWW interview, then I think I can handle some minor changes in blocking and choreography--mostly because I feel like there have been minor changes as the cast changes and some things are done just a little differently. But I understand this will be more than just individual interpretations of the original direction.

[Lunalaaaaaaaa]

Posted: 10/13/21 at 5:11pm

Do we think there's any possibility Sierra Boggess could return to Phantom in 2023 for the 35th anniversary?

[labellaragazza1]

Posted: 10/13/21 at 6:50pm

Lunalaaaaaaaa said: "Do we think there's any possibility Sierra Boggess could return to Phantom in 2023 for the 35th anniversary?"

I hope not, personally. I've had enough of the Rierra frenzy to last a lifetime.

[Lot666]

Posted: 10/14/21 at 8:07am

Lunalaaaaaaaa said: "Do we think there's any possibility Sierra Boggess could return to Phantom in 2023 for the 35th anniversary?"

As much as I'd love to see/hear her sing this role again, she will be 41 in 2023. That's awfully long in the tooth for Christine.

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 10/14/21 at 10:01am

She’s aging incredibly well.

With that in mind, Jill Washington and Lisa Vroman both played Christine past 45 - and as everyone learned with Dear Evan Hansen, stage actors can stretch further than film actors. I don’t see why Sierra couldn’t realistically give it another go if she wanted to.

[FANtomFollies]

Posted: 10/14/21 at 10:05am

Lot666 said: As much as I'd love to see/hear her sing this role again, she will be 41 in 2023. That's awfully long in the tooth for Christine."

I completely agree - I had the same feeling when I saw Lisa Vroman on Broadway in...2002 I believe? 

[Lot666]

Posted: 10/14/21 at 2:30pm

GiantsInTheSky2 said: "She’s aging incredibly well.

With that in mind, Jill Washington and Lisa Vroman both played Christine past 45 - and as everyone learned with Dear Evan Hansen, stage actors can stretch further than film actors. I don’t see why Sierra couldn’t realistically give it another go if she wanted to."

As long as she's not older than the Phantom.