Where Were you in January 1988?- Page 3

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/9/06 at 1:57am

I was in my mom's womb. And I was there for another six months.

[Kass983]

Posted: 1/9/06 at 2:06am

Well, my oldest daughter was born December 29, 1987, so I was being a very frustrated, sleep deprived 18 year old new mommy.

Phantom and theatre in general wasn't on my mind till years later...mid 90's I guess. Oh, and I went to Bon Jovi in '87, preggo with big 80's hair and all. :) Maybe that's why my kid loves rock so much; but she's a theatre lover & RENThead too, so I've done my job.

Congrats to Phantom!

[mirandajrs]

Posted: 1/9/06 at 2:09am

I was in second grade in 1988. I didn't see "Phantom" until August 1991 and it was the first show my parents took me to see in NYC. I wish I could find my Playbill....I don't even remember who played the Phantom.

[justme2]

Posted: 1/9/06 at 2:27am

Senior year of high school, preparing for the Senior Play - "MouseTrap".

Applying for colleges for Communications and Broadcasting. Watching Murphy Brown every Monday evening at 9pm.

[MissMonika]

Posted: 1/9/06 at 2:27am

I was 2 so I was probably watching Disney movies on the TV.

[MrBundles]

Posted: 1/9/06 at 2:36am

i was 3 1/2 LOL

[Plum]

Posted: 1/9/06 at 2:40am

In Israel, happily ignorant of America and the English language.

[cserannie]

Posted: 1/9/06 at 3:42am

I was only 7 and half...so probably I was at scool (2nd grade)

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 1/9/06 at 6:05am

I was in New York. Sent by the radio station I worked for to cover PHANTOM.

Saw it on the Saturday matinee Jan 30th. The seats were comps of course but the only time I have been given comp seats in the balcony! Also since it was matinee day Sarah Brightman didn't appear. Crawford did and was sensational. The show ..well like most of the New York critics I was mixed on. (I posted a copy of my 1988 review on one of the oter threads) I Loved Hal Prince's scene changes, several melodis were very beautiful but ohh those awful empty lyrics!!!! And when the scenery wasn't on the move it did get boring to look at in a few places. I never really responded to the characters the ways some of the rest of you have.

I returned again in the summer of 2002 but came away thinking the same as before although liked Howard McGillan.

BTW that same trip in Jan 1988 I saw LES MIZ (with Gary Morris) and the newly opened INTO THE WOODS with all the original cast. So PHANTOM came in a very distant third after those two!

[tthomas76]

Posted: 1/9/06 at 6:40am

I was at home in Indiana... I was 12 years old. My first time to see Phantom was not until the tour came around in 2000 to Indy that my girlfriend took me to. We're now married and have seen it twice on Broadway...

[alterego]

Posted: 1/9/06 at 6:47am

In September of 1988 I was in New York and staying at the Algonquin. One afternoon I returned to the hotel having been out shopping and there were a number of limos jostling for postion outside . I made my way up to my room I had to pass a suite where there seemed to be some sort of function going on. I found out the next day it had been a farewell party for Michael Crawford. Damn! I'd of crashed it had I known.

[kec]

Posted: 1/9/06 at 7:35am

January 1988 -- I was working in Manhattan. Soon after Phantom opened I managed to get tickets for a Wednesday matinee in May -- that was the earliest I was able to get tickets. It was well worth the day off from work!!

[jasobres]

Posted: 1/9/06 at 7:37am

Isn't it weird how most of us were either non-existant or babies at this time? I was just a tyke five months old at the time and had no idea what Broadway or anything was.

[philcrosby]

Posted: 1/9/06 at 7:55am

Chanticleer --

The photo of Merman used as my avatar is from her run in Hello Dolly. It's a great shot of the Merm.

[collins]

Posted: 1/9/06 at 8:06am

I was 11. I didn't know about theatre till about 1992, when my 10th grade English teacher played some of the OLC for us. I fell in love with Phantom, but unfortunately didn't get to see it on stage till last year.

[LeaGirl]

Posted: 1/9/06 at 8:49am

I saw my first Broadway show right after New Years in 1988 - it was Les Miserables.

It was my first time in NYC and I was overwhelmed - and I have never gotten over what it was like seeing that show in that beautiful house - even though as a 7 year old, I didn't catch all of the plot points.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 1/9/06 at 9:18am

I was living in New York, and remember the talk of the town that was Phantom. It was THE ticket to get at the time.

And, I was one of the lucky ones to get tickets to it when it first opened.

[Eastwickian]

Posted: 1/9/06 at 9:38am

I was only 5, so I was probably being terrified by my gorgon of a primary school teacher....
Updated On: 1/9/06 at 09:38 AM

[DreamFlyer22]

Posted: 1/9/06 at 9:58am

I was 4 and watching "Zoobilee Zoo" with Ben Vereen...

I jumped in to theater in Middle School (Junior High here where I live). ALW shows were my first introduction- "Cats", "Jesus Christ Superstar" and... PHANTOM. I bought the double-disc OLC of "Phantom" in, I believe, '97. I think I was oh so vaguely aware of the 'big shows' before that, though. My grandmother always had the TV on when I was little and I'm fairly certain I saw some Broadway performance (perhaps it was Phantom??) on some morning talkshow.

[Enjolras77]

Posted: 1/9/06 at 12:30pm

Since I was born in August of '77 (hence the 77 in Enjolras77) I was still 10 years old at the time. I actually saw my first Broadway touring company in Charlotte, NC around that time (Robert Goulet in South Pacific). I had only recently moved to Charlotte. Even though I listened to my mother's album of Broadway tunes (especially liked Merman's "Sun in the Morning" from Annie Get Your Gun as a kid) I didn't really get hooked until a few years later. My first experience with Phantom of the Opera was watching a TV special on how the did the special effects (which I thought was awesome) and singing "Music of the Night" in my 8th grade chorus class.

[timote316]

Posted: 1/9/06 at 2:12pm

I was almost 2, getting ready to celebrate my 2nd birthday in 20 days

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/9/06 at 2:17pm

At the time Phantom opened, I had a job at the Majestic Theatre selling souvenir merchandise. It was exciting working at a hit musical, but to this day, I have not seen the show from start to finish!!

[children&art]

Posted: 1/9/06 at 2:27pm

i was 12 and went to New York City for the first time with my parents, Dad had a conference - anyways, Mom and I went to see matinees while Dad was working and one show we saw was this musical, "Phantom of the Opera" - HOLY CRAP! for a 12 year old it rocked my pants off man!

[Elphaba]

Posted: 1/9/06 at 2:29pm

I was living in Chicago in Jan 1988.......I did not see POTO until 1989 or 1990 (can't remember) when I saw the original Canadian cast in Toronto. We we're 11th row, dead center......and I remember the music started, and next thing I knew, it was over. I was so mesmorized and involved with the show, that everything else ceased to exist.....almost like I was IN the show.......it was an amazing experience.....

[dancinfan]

Posted: 1/9/06 at 6:15pm

I was in Chicago, too, a freshman in college. I am slightly embarrassed to say that I still have never seen ALW's Phantom. I have seen the Kopit-Yeston many times regionally.