January 2013 Archives

The Phantom of the Opera. Already the longest running show in Broadway history; and now, 25 years on Broadway. 1,0399 performances. And in one theatre. 

Saturday's black tie performance for an invited audience of great fans, celebrities, and numerous alumni of the show and festive gala was worthy of the opening night of a landmark musical. One that's become a worldwide blockbuster for composer Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricists Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe.

The performance was as polished as can be, with Sierra Boggess appearing as one of the most accomplished and stunning Christine's in the show's history. Hugh Panaro, a long-time veteran in and out of the role, was a Phantom with panache and a heart full of rage - and love.

Phantom of the Opera champagne flowed during the interval. And dozens of reunion shots were snapped.

There were several 25 veterans still in the show, behind-the-scenes, and in the pit - all living most comfortable lives - with mucho bucks saved for those rainy days and spent on college tuitions.

The show looked as stunning as it did on its opening night thanks to the just-delivered bounty of sparkling new costumes for the entire company.

After the bows [even the famous chandelier took one!], director Hal Prince and co-producer [with Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Company] Cameron Mackintosh appeared and jovially told stories of the show's storied past and just as Monsieurs Andre and Firmin did earlier onstage read notes.

There were sorry-we-can't-be-with-you-tonight-on-this-landmark-occasion message from Michael Crawford at home in New Zealand; and associate director and stager of the musical numbers Gillian Lynne, busy on the West End at she was about to open Betty Buckley in Jerry Herman's Dear World. A wonderful tribute was paid to the last production designer and costumer Maria Bjornson.

There was a video of Lloyd Webber from his London home where he expressed regrets at not being about to attend because of impending back surgery. In the first interview he had done with his former wife and POTO's original Christine since the opening, he told Sarah Brighton that "I've been in a lot of operating theatres later, but would much rather be at the theater on Broadway."

Then came the introduction of Brightman, who certainly looked many years younger and different [dare we venture to say how?] in a unique pair of glittering high-tone heels that probably cost as much as the initial budget of the show. Sadly, she wore the most ill-fitting black silk dress that gave her no form whatsoever. She told of what an exhilarating experience being in the musical had been and her admiration in seeing subsequent performances and how later Christine brought their own personality to the role.

Moments earlier Macintosh told the hushed audience of how Brightman, when still Lady Lloyd Webber, was the muse of the show - urging Lloyd Webber to write an original musical from the classic novel by Baston Leroux; and, in a startling bit of news, how it was she who suggested Crawford for the role of Phantom. [She had just returned from a London voice lesson where Crawford was finishing his and where she became mesmerized by his voice.]

Prince brought out the backstage crew, saluted the orchestra and conductor David Caddick [the long-time music supervisor and who had conducted the West End and Broadway openings], even the front of house staff.

Previous Phantoms from various international productions were introduced. Join by Panaro and Boggess, they reprised songs from the production. Though they weren't personally introduced, Prince pointed out the massive assembly of former ensemble players and principals seated left and right of the center orchestra. All joined in singing "The Music of the Night."  Tears flowed like the falls at Niagara.

The after party that took up the entire first floor and part of the second at New York's 101-year-old Carrère and Hastings palace of culture, the magnificent Public Library at Fifth Avenue.

Dear Phantom: Here's to another 25 years!

Instead of Cats being labeled "Now and Forever," that catch phase should have been saved for The Phantom of the Opera. On Saturday, it will celebrate the unprecedented milestone of playing on Broadway 25 years and counting - and in one theatre, the Majestic. The occasion will be marked by a celebrity-studded gala performance hosted by composer Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, the genius behind the worldwide mega hit. The 6:30 P.M. performance is invitation only, with the addition of POTO fans who entered and won the tickets sweepstakes to attend. An after-party is being held at the New York City Library at Fifth Avenue and 42^nd Street.

In attendance will be co-producer Cameron Macintosh, director Hal Prince, original co-star Sarah Brightman, and hundreds of cast alumni. Sadly, co-creator Lloyd Webber won't be. He's having back surgery and sent a congratulatory message stating that it's too painful to travel. A source close to the show Many details are being kept under wraps stated, "There'll be several surprises." Wonder, with all the advances in technology these past 25 years, if it might be upgraded [to one like in the Vegas production which allows the Phantom to hang over audiences?].

Already the longest-running show in Broadway history, POTO, Andrew Lloyd Webber's POTO,  with the indelible stamp of Gillian Lynne's choreography and the late Maria Björnson production design and costumes, the musical once again makes theaterical history . Stepping into this history are current stars Hugh Panaro (an off-and-on Phantom since 1992), Sierra Bogess (The Little Mermaid; co-star of the West End Phantom sequel Love Never Dies, which earned her a 2011 Olivier Award nomination), Kyle Barisich  (Raoul), Michele McConnell (Carlotta), Aaron Galligan-Stierle (Monsieur André), Kevin Ligon (Monsieur Firmin), , Cristin J. Hubbard (Madame Giry), and Marni Raa, who portrays Christine at certain performances.

The show has won more than 60 major theater awards, including seven 1988 Tony Awards (including Best Musical) and three Olivier Awards in the West End. The original cast recording, with over 40 million copies sold worldwide, is the best-selling cast recording of all time

The Phantom of the Opera became the longest-running show in Broadway history on January 9, 2006 with its 7,486th performance (surpassing previous record-holder, Lloyd Webber's Cats, and co-produced by Mackintosh). The West End production, which opened in 1986 at Her Majesty's Theatre, celebrated 25 years in October 2011. 

The musical's worldwide grosses are estimated at over $5.6-billion, making POTO the most successful entertainment venture of all time. It's had over 65,000 performances, attended by 130 million in 148 cities in 28 countries. Currently, there're four more productions: Budapest, Manila, Tokyo, and the U.K. national tour. Another will soon be mounted in Seoul.

January 26, 1988: It was one of New York's coldest, windiest nights, but outside the Majestic Theatre, there was nothing but hot excitement as hundreds of media captured the arrival of celebrities in black tie and elegant evening wear and sparkling jewels emerging from limos onto the red carpet as audience members and a crowd worthy of a Hollywood premiere shivered to observe and gawk. This was the opening night of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Charles Hart's The Phantom of the Opera.

It was no ordinary opening, as word and critical acclaim from London's West End had long ago reached New York - actually all of the U.S.

Inside, against the backdrop of Maria Bjôrnson's decadent faux proscenium of golden Gothic erotica, all those cascading curtains and swags and, under the brilliance of that gigantic chandelier, amid the flamboyance and color of Ms.Bjôrnson's colorful costumes, things warmed up considerably and quickly. There was an aura of excitement in the air. Something special, memorable was about to unfold.

Who in the world ever knew that this musical adaptation of Gaston Leroux's classic novel Le Fantôme de L'Opéra would become a worldwide phenomenon and a century-hopping smash - not to mention one of the highest grossing shows of all time?

Things hadn't gone well the night before at the dress run through that precedes the first preview. Tony-winning producer/director Hal Prince paced backstage, praying that everything in that early era of computer-driven shows would work. It didn't. Not long into the first act, the ghost of the Phantom struck. One of the huge swags [curtain drops] fell right onto the middle of the stage. No one was hurt and eventually the show went on. But not without incident.

As the Phantom, Michael Crawford, snatched his pupil Christine, Sarah Brightman, from Paris Opera dressing room and the segue began that takes them to the Phantom's lair in the bowels of the catacombs below, amid mist from dry ice and maneuvering on the dog track through candelabra, the gondola went berserk. It followed a trajectory of its own, crushing candles in its wake with sparks of electricity flooding the stage.

There was fear from backstage that a fire might erupt. It didn't and, in the truest sense of tradition, the show went on.

When the Christine and Raul, the Vicomte de Chagny [the late Steve Barton], enraptured in love and fear, escaped to the roof top of the Opera, it was actually pretty hard to figure out where the heck they were. Ms.Bjôrnson took care of that by changing the lighting and adding the effect of moving clouds.

Everything was in working order by opening night. "When the house lights dimmed," says director Prince, "the audience started to applaud and it was before the show even started! From there, it just kept going. Very electric!"

Thunderous applause welcomed the unveiling and illumination of the item that had bi-continental buzz, buzz, buzz before there was buzz, buzz, buzz: the huge chandelier. It continued as it rose from the Opera House ash heap and was lifted high into the Majestic's dome.

There was some fear and trepidation in the audience when it came time for the big payoff moment - the part of the show that was the most eagerly awaited: The Phantom's dastardly deed of crashing the chandelier. It had been ominously wobbling quite a bit throughout the first act. But the audience had nothing to worry about. For weeks, the rigging had been tested and retested and tested again. Then the chandelier plummeted. Hearts raced. There were dropped jaws and uhhhs and ahhhs - and applause, applause, and more applause.

Lloyd Webber, his fingers twitching and heart quite heavily pounding, was as nervous as always, but managed to sum up the night best. "It was quite simply a magical evening!"

Surely it was. He, Hart, Stilgoe, and Prince had reason to celebrate. It turned out to be the composer's finest hour, his most lavish show to date, and (this will continue to be debated for years), certainly, one of his very best scores. Lloyd Webber's music has never been the darling of critics, but audiences have devoured almost every show he's written. It has been fun for years for those in the know to pinpoint what music is Aaron Copeland's, Verdi's, and Puccini's; but audiences haven't give it a second thought. They just keep coming and coming and coming.

Thanks to Prince dropping in from time to time and mainly the day-to-day attention to detail from the production supervisors and Gillian Lynne (Cats), associate director/choreographer/musical staging, who does more than look in on the dancers a few times a year. She's a stickler for structure and gives pages and pages of notes. [I only hope the Shuberts got the cleaning contractors into the auditorium to dust the banks and banks of lighting and stagehands to dust that magnificent faux proscenium.]

Prince stated not long ago that he'd been reading a lot about POTO statistics, "but I'm not that interested in knowing the weight of the chandelier, but very proud of the fact that over these 25 years that The Phantom of the Opera has employed over 8,000 people on Broadway and the various touring companies."

Michael Crawford, the original West End and Broadway Phantom, proved to be quite the elusive star. He would arrive early for the long and arduous make-up transformation [streamlined through the years]. He kept his door closed and visitors had to be announced. Even Brightman, directly across the way, would never just go and knock unannounced. In January, 2006, when the show became the longest-running show in Broadway history, he thanked Lloyd Webber and Prince for selecting him "for the role that changed my life."

Like New York City, the nation, and all of Broadway, The Phantom of the Opera, experienced a rough period at the box office after 911, but quickly recovered. Since its debut, it's grossed over $880-million. Even now, into its 25^th year, it's consistently among the highest-grossing shows. Earlier this year, the production shattered the house record at the Majestic by having its best weekly gross (keep in mind, prices are considerably higher than 1988's). Attendance is estimated to be over 15 million.

Turner Classic Movies (TCM)'s  Road to Hollywood tour will make a stop in Manhattan on January 31^st for a free star-studded big-screen presentation of 1972's Oscar-winning Cabaret, based on the Tony-winning musical adaptation by Kander and Ebb and starring Oscar winners Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey. With additional sponsors Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and Verizon FiOS, the gala event begins at 7 P.M. at the Ziegfeld Theatre, where Cabaret first premiered. Four of the film's stars - Liza Minnelli, Joel Grey, Michael York, and Marisa Berenson - will join TCM host Robert Osborne to introduce the 40^th anniversary restoration of the film.

To obtain free tickets, beginning January 17, and for more information go online to www.tcm.com/roadtohollywood.

Cabaret is one of the most acclaimed films of its era, and features Minnelli in her Oscar-winning performance as Sally Bowles, an eccentric American singer looking for love and success in 1930 Berlin. Joel Grey recreated his Tony and Drama Desk-winner portrayal of the Kit Kat Club's narcissistic emcee. Michael York, then at his most dashing, plays a young bi-sexual English teacher whose eyes are opened by his underworld Berlin experiences, not to mention his affair with Bowles. Berenson is a Jewish department store heiress whose love life is affected by the rise of Hitler and anti-Semitism. Elisabeth Neumann-Viertel portrayed Fräulein Schneider.

On February 5, Warner Home Video will debut an elaborate Cabaret 40^th Anniversary Blu-ray with a 40-page book of rarely seen photos. A bonus feature with be a new documentary, Cabaret: The Musical That Changed Musicals, a look at how Fosse and Kander and Ebb's Cabaret brought movie musicals back from the brink of extinction. The Blu-ray will be followed by a standard DVD.

The film, which was shot in Germany, became a runaway box office smash that grossed more than $44-billion worldwide. It provided a perfect showcase for the unique choreography and imaginative visual style of Bob Fosse, who won the Oscar for Best Director. The film also took home Oscars for Cinematography, Art Direction-Set Decoration, Film Editing, Sound, and Adapted Score.

Cabaret was based on the semi-autobiographical The Berlin Stories by Christopher Isherwood and the subsequent play I Am a Camera (1951), which starred Julie Harris. It was first and controversially adapted to the screen in the U.K in 1955 [starring Harris, Laurence Harvey (playing Isherwood), and Shelley Winters]. Joe Masteroff wrote the book for the musical adaptation, with Jay Presson Allen penning the screenplay. Veteran stage producer Cy Feuer co-produced the film musical. 

The film print hasn't been shown in a decade because one of the film's original reels suffered damage in the form of a reel-long vertical scratch. Warner Bros. Studios, which has been at the forefront of restoring films they produced [such as the 1954 A Star Is Born, starring Judy Garland and James Mason] or acquired, corrected more than one million frames by hand. The negative was then scanned to significantly improve resolution, and the sound was upgraded to today's state-of-the-art technology.