The POTO hits the slots in Italy???

I don't think this has been posted already. Let's see if this link works. A 90-minute Phantom? I'd cringe, but I also personally think a lot of the first Act is lagging, so I can see some pretty snippable scenes.

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By ADAM GOLDMAN, Associated Press Writer

LAS VEGAS - "The Phantom of the Opera," one of the most successful shows in the history of Broadway, has been lured to the desert with the promise of a lavish new theater and a seemingly endless stream of tourists.


Clear Channel Entertainment will produce a 90-minute, $35 million version of the Tony Award-winning musical, set to open in the spring of 2006 at the Venetian hotel-casino, according to a source familiar with the hotel's negotiation.


"This is a permanent theatrical installation," the source told The Associated Press.


An official announcement was expected Sunday.


"Phantom," the latest Broadway show to play Las Vegas, will perform in the space previously occupied by the Guggenheim Las Vegas museum, which closed in January 2003. The casino will pay for the theater's refitting, which is expected to cost about $25 million, the source said.


The musical, with a score by Andrew Lloyd Webber, is expected to get a flashy makeover, one that includes an exploding chandelier and a bigger stage and set pieces.


Calls to executives with The Venetian and to Scott Zeiger, CEO of Clear Channel's Theatrical Group, were not returned.


"I think it's very exciting as a production if in fact it's the bigger-than-life version," said Myron Martin, an independent producer and executive director of the Las Vegas Performing Arts Center Foundation. Martin said talk about the Venetian deal had been floating around for months.


"My understanding of the Clear Channel vision is it will be just that. I think that this bigger-than-life version they will produce in Las Vegas will be noticed by critics around the world."


The Las Vegas production will be directed by Harold Prince, who directed the original 2 1/2 hour version which opened on Broadway in 1988. It is still playing there and in London. A touring edition is currently in Minneapolis and will move on to Baltimore, Cleveland, Indianapolis and Tampa, Fla., later this year.


While "Phantom" is given new life in Las Vegas, The Venetian gets that marquee attraction it has been searching for since the larger of its two Guggenheim museums shut down.


"I think it would a be a great addition to balancing out the amenities mix at The Venetian," said Marc Falcone, a Deutsche Bank gambling analyst in New York.


Despite not having a big-budget production, the 4,027-all-suite Venetian is one of the most profitable hotel-casinos in Las Vegas.


"The Phantom of the Opera" is the latest Broadway hit to make its way to Las Vegas as casino companies post record earnings and the city is on track to break its previous all-time mark of 35.8 million visitors, set in 2000.


The Tony Award-winning musical "Avenue Q" will begin performances in September 2005 at the Wynn Las Vegas resort. "Mamma Mia!" has played at Mandalay Bay hotel-casino since February 2003.


The producers of "We Will Rock You" — the London musical incorporating the songs of Queen — announced last month that the show would make its North American debut in August as part of an extended engagement at the Paris Las Vegas hotel-casino.


"Saturday Night Fever" also has an open-ended run at the Sahara hotel-casino. The musical thrived in London, but found less success and unflattering reviews in New York before closing in 2000.


A movie version of "Phantom" is scheduled for December release. The film, directed by Joel Schumacher, stars Scottish actor Gerard Butler as the Phantom, Emmy Rossum as Christine and Patrick Wilson as the dashing Raoul.

"POTO" heading to Vegas

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I guess the "Italy" was a stretch. I was thinking Venetian = Venice = Italy. :)

What songs do you think will be cut/abbreviated?

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The sad thing is that tickets for the show will probably start at $150 like most Vegas shows.

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Things that could be cut:

- some or all of auction at beginning

- the small opera song performed right ofter the Overture by Carlotta and chorus

- every song shortened

I can't really list anymore, it wouldn't make sense to cut anything. It wouldn't be the same. Isn't that an insult to Webber?

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The idea of the sets that they would use sound very interesting...like the onstage lake and stuff. It sounds like this new phantom will be even more based on spectacle just like the broadway version. There are some boring parts in poto that they can/should cut out of the broadway one. a 90 minute poto wont be a bad thing.
my one concern is, will non-theatre oriented people know the difference of the broadway and las vegas show? Like, if someone sees the las vegas show first, then sees the one in nyc...what would they think? Its just a thought but how would they advertise it so people would know its a different production.

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True. 1 hour is a lot. I would say 30 minutes maybe. Just shortening each of the numbers. I'm curious about these new glammed up sets. (An exploding chandelier??) A real lake would be pretty spectacular. I've got high hopes on Masquerade! Any predictions on casting? I say if Hugh Panaro's content in NYC, get Howard McGillin over! (He's the best Phantom, imo.)

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This is a dream come true for me! First of all, The only Vegas shows that have ticket prices as high as $150 are "O" and "A NEW DAY." The average ticket price for all the other mainstream shows is $100 just like Broadway. I've been saying for years: these shows that we see on Broadway could work so cool as a short "overdone" spectacle for Vegas. I wish we had shows like Vegas does on Broadway with that size and spectacle. I'm still surprised they didn't cut an hour off of MAMMA MIA! for Vegas.(They announce and intermission and the audience is like, "huh??") STARLIGHT EXPRESS worked very well as 90 minutes with an hour cut off and I'm sure people wondered how it would work like they are with PHANTOM. Also, the intermission would be cut too and that's 15-20 minutes right there.

Im looking forward to the real lake...and exploding chandelier!

The saddest thing about this is that (according to the New York Times), the show will perform 10 times a week under a different contract. So the actors would be performing more shows for less money.

I can't really list anymore, it wouldn't make sense to cut anything. It wouldn't be the same. Isn't that an insult to Webber?

Actually, he's the one orchestrating this. He's been planning this since the 1990s. Damn rich dimbag.

Well, at least they'll be a new staging of Phantom to see. Curious as to what it'll be like.
NYTimes article

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Updated On: 7/26/04 at 04:55 PM

Another thought - why the Venetian? Would the Paris Hotel be more appropriate, considering the setting?

I agree to some degree that cutting out an hour would lose the integrity of the show (after all, you're not truly seeing the "real" POTO)...I suppose I don't mind certain things being trimmed since that's just wishful thinking. :) If ALW himself agrees that there are things that can manage to be cut, why doesn't he for the Broadway production too?

(BTW, is the NY Times link working for anyone? I'd really like to see that article!)

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"Sondheim would never sell in Vegas, you know that"

Yet another reason why he is incredible.

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(BTW, is the NY Times link working for anyone? I'd really like to see that article!)

Sorry. I fixed it; it should work now.

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aah Vegas -- although I am not a fan of POTO -- no show deserves a major chop like this nor does a cast need to do it 10 times a week....give me Vegas of the Brat Pack days and mobsters....

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