sarah brightman in phantom

I read in a post further down somewhere that when Sarah Brightman was in Phantom on Broadway, there was some controversy regarding her performance or schedule or something. Can anybody enlighten me as to what all the fuss was about at that time ?

Just curious.

Thanks.

The controversy involved Lloyyd Webber insisting that his then wife (Brightman) re create on broadway the role she originated in London. Equity felt she was not a star ( at the time) and the role should go to someone here. There was a big bruhaha and Webber insisted to Equity that he had written the role for her and the show would not got on without her. I saw her in it. She was awful. She sang it beautifully but she truly was awful and got blasted by most critics .

Updated On: 4/13/04 at 01:10 PM

I think that is correct. She didn't do matinees.

I remember reading the NY Times review of her, stating that she was like "Minnie Mouse on quaaludes." A little harsh, if you ask me.

I also remember her performance being the one of the only things I liked about the original cast (Judy Kaye, sets, lighting, costumes were the others). I liked Sarah a lot more than I expected to. Nowadays, I can't stand her at all. That new-age, PBS junk sucks!

Another thing I remember about her performance, and I'm not sure if other Christines who followed in her place do the same thing, but during the part when the Phantom is saying "Siiiiing for me!" and she is singing way up in the stratosphere, her back was to the audience and it was VERY obvious that her notes were pre-recorded. I was in the front row, way on the side, and she wasn't even making an effort to look like she was lip-synching it. Like I said, I don't know if other Christines lip-sync that part as well. I can't imagine that they would.

---

Although she is no actress, I did enjoy her perf becuse of the voice. But now, all this talk is flooding me with the memories of the VERY first stab at Sarah that Forbiddan Broadway did...as she turns to the audience with the HUGE teeth

LMAO SO FUNNY

Updated On: 4/13/04 at 01:21 PM

But you have to admit Jonathon Pryce was fabulously smarmy & gross as the unpolitically correct engineer...

---

"It was the start of all of the London influx of performers that went on with Les Miz and Siagon casting that caused a big stir with Equity"

Les Miz opened before Phantom did, so Phantom certainly didn't "start" it.

And Les Miz wasn't originally going to have Frances Ruffelle as Eponine anyway, meaning that Colm Wilkinson was the only UK performer originally intended for the OBC. The actress originally cast as Eponine turned it down, and Frances had to be called to open on Broadway at the last minute.

Always a fuss over the Equity

I LOVE having the exchange

Wasn't there also a problem with Sarah's age at the time? She was underaged by US law?

Wait wait wait.... Sarah Brightman did Phantom of the Opera!?

Apparently I didn't sharpen my tongue enough this morning.

Apparently I'm just too tired ... sorry

I think the English actor or actress in question has to have the star power to justify being cast in place of some American, or be otherwise 'irreplacable.'

I remember that Josephina Gabrielle finally made it to Broadway with the Nunn revival of Oklahoma since as a singing ballerina, she was supposedly sufficiently unique to be irreplacable.

Dale Kristen, the Christine in LA for four years was the ONLY Christine in the world allowed to perfom 8 shows a week if she wanted to! DI-VA!