The Broadway production + US tour

If they stopped at any point during the title song, they would have to go back to the beginning of the number, because the vocals and much of the music is click-track (prerecorded).

Has anyone been since the cast change? How are the new managers?

Just a quick warning for anyone here who follows Phantom cast members on Twitter...there is a new account @HughPanaro (which claims to be official) and it's a fake. I checked with the show's press guy who called the Majestic and caught Hugh between shows...Hugh said it's NOT his account.

I had serious doubts...not just because Hugh claims he doesn't even know how to tweet, but partly because the writing style was just not his. It uses a bit of the HPN banner for a background, but the user seemed to have blocked the Twitter account I maintain for site updates (I was only able to view it when I logged in with my personal account).

Paula74 wrote:Just a quick warning for anyone here who follows Phantom cast members on Twitter...there is a new account @HughPanaro (which claims to be official) and it's a fake. I checked with the show's press guy who called the Majestic and caught Hugh between shows...Hugh said it's NOT his account.

I had serious doubts...not just because Hugh claims he doesn't even know how to tweet, but partly because the writing style was just not his. It uses a bit of the HPN banner for a background, but the user seemed to have blocked the Twitter account I maintain for site updates (I was only able to view it when I logged in with my personal account).

Thanks for the warning Paula. Hope this person is shut down quickly.

MasqPhan wrote:
Thanks for the warning Paula. Hope this person is shut down quickly.

Well, after I posted a few warnings, the person changed the account name slightly to Hugh[i]_[/b]Panaro and tweeted that it was, indeed, really Hugh and asked fans to retweet that fact!

But the good news is, I spoke to Hugh's manager and the press guy at Phantom...and the latter is working to get the page removed.

My god that is just SO lame. Changing the name of the account three times, and promising free tickets? OMG, someone needs a life... I think your best bet would be to keep doing what you do: spreading the word that Hugh Panaro isn't on Twitter at all, in any form and that he wouldn't know how even if he wanted to...

http://www.nyc-e.com/events/phantomcruise/event.html

Looks like there's going to be a Halloween (well, October 29th) cruise in New York City celebrating Phantom and winners of the costume contest will win a pair of tickets to the 10,000th performance of Phantom on Broadway.

I can't go, but just a heads up for those in the area!

~Madame~

It'd be amazing if these sort of things were announced with enough time to give people out of the area at least a remote possibility of attending...

Phantom on a Budget wrote:It'd be amazing if these sort of things were announced with enough time to give people out of the area at least a remote possibility of attending...

Ditto. You would think that something like this would take more than a month and a half to plan, and they might be able to give the fans a bit a bit more notice.

Phantom on a Budget wrote:It'd be amazing if these sort of things were announced with enough time to give people out of the area at least a remote possibility of attending...

I second this. Not to be ungrateful, cause I think it is cool they ARE doing events like this. But they always announce it the very last hour, which makes it so hard to attend unless you live in NYC AND is online on a daily basis...

Aren't you heading for the 10,000 performance, SenorSwanky? Any way you could attend this Masquerade cruise?

No, I won't be in NY then.

I kind of wonder if their thought process is that no one but New York/New Jersey/Pennsylvania local area residents would even consider going and thus they didn't feel the need to do much advance marketing.

That being said, just because you live close by, doesn't mean that a week's notice is sufficient to allow people to clear their schedules.

~Madame~

Well it is in the evening on a Saturday, so maybe they just want locals with ready-to-wear costumes lying around who don't plan their weekends ahead.

TAFKaR

Raphael wrote:Well it is in the evening on a Saturday, so maybe they just want locals with ready-to-wear costumes lying around who don't plan their weekends ahead.

TAFKaR

Ahhh - so you mean they just want the usual crowd of lame party-hoppers who don't actually care about the show and quality costuming. Gotcha.

~Madame~

Raphael wrote:Well it is in the evening on a Saturday, so maybe they just want locals with ready-to-wear costumes lying around who don't plan their weekends ahead.

TAFKaR

I.E. costume geeks with no life?



....



Tell me again WHY I don't live in NYC?

It's definitely short notice...even if I lived in NYC (or such a cool event were actually held where I live), I'd probably be struggling to shuffle my schedule. And find a costume...

That said, I know this particular event wasn't officially arranged *by* Phantom, but by the cruise company with Phantom being a featured part of the party just like the restaurants providing the champagne and the D.J. service providing the music.

And Phantom just announced it when they got the final press release themselves...because, in a sense, it wasn't *their* event to announce...just one they're participating in.

I assume that's the case because I got the press release from the event promoters in my e-mail right around the same time the Phantom people posted it on FB.

Oh, and major love to the person behind the FB page...he was able to step in and finally get the fake Hugh Twitter shut down.

Seriously, the real Hugh can't even spell "tweet."

From Sara Jean Ford's Facebook fan page:

Update: Just letting y'all know that my last performance in Phantom of the Opera will be December 3rd. It's been SUCH a good run, but it's time for me to move on.

I, for one, will be sad to see her go. Of the Christines I've seen live, hers is most definitely my favorite.

She was pretty good acting-wise, and like Sierra in the 25th, I think she had her best vocal moment in Wishing, which had me nearly on my feet. I think overall, I prefered Sandra Joseph, of the five I've seen live. But Sara was definitely preferable to Marni Raab, Susan Facer, and whatserface that I saw on tour in '09 (drawing a blank).

Paula74 wrote:From Sara Jean Ford's Facebook fan page:

Update: Just letting y'all know that my last performance in Phantom of the Opera will be December 3rd. It's been SUCH a good run, but it's time for me to move on.

I, for one, will be sad to see her go. Of the Christines I've seen live, hers is most definitely my favorite.

Such a shame, I was looking forward to seeing her in February. I wish her luck in all her future endeavors. I wonder who is replacing her?

I'm sad that I missed Sara Jean Ford as Christine in August, cause everyone who's seen her during her Broadway run has raved about her. I saw Marni Raab, and I think I liked her a lot more than most. Though she didn't have the grandest of voices, she had some great acting moments going on. But I really would have loved to see SJF.

But hey, this brings us to out favourite game... The "Who is taking over the role" championship!

Someone brand new? That would be sensational. Bumping Elizabeth Welch up? I definitely see that happening. From what I hear, she's wonderful in the role, and has solid pipes. Bumping Marni Raab up? Less likely. Cause vocally it felt she couldn't do 6-8 shows a week. Bringing back a former Christine? VERY likely. Elizabeth Loyacano? Julie Hanson? Jennifer Hope Wills?

operafantomet wrote:I'm sad that I missed Sara Jean Ford as Christine in August, cause everyone who's seen her during her Broadway run has raved about her. I saw Marni Raab, and I think I liked her a lot more than most. Though she didn't have the grandest of voices, she had some great acting moments going on. But I really would have loved to see SJF.

But hey, this brings us to out favourite game... The "Who is taking over the role" championship!

Someone brand new? That would be sensational. Bumping Elizabeth Welch up? I definitely see that happening. From what I hear, she's wonderful in the role, and has solid pipes. Bumping Marni Raab up? Less likely. Cause vocally it felt she couldn't do 6-8 shows a week. Bringing back a former Christine? VERY likely. Elizabeth Loyacano? Julie Hanson? Jennifer Hope Wills?

For some reason I see them either bringing in Trista Moldovan, Kelly Grant, or Jennifer Hope Wills. I would be very surprised if it was someone totally new, but then again I could be proven wrong.

Kelly Jeanne Grant--THAT'S who I saw on tour.

I would simply die of happiness if it was Elizabeth. Or anyone else who happens to need new costumes...

Would Elizabeth Loyacano need new costumes, though? She was alternate Christine on Broadway some years ago. They might not have re-fitted her wardrobe. Though of course I would hope they had done it, for your sake

I've read several places Hugh Panaro is staying on as the Phantom. Is this confirmed, or just rumours?

operafantomet wrote:Would Elizabeth Loyacano need new costumes, though? She was alternate Christine on Broadway some years ago. They might not have re-fitted her wardrobe. Though of course I would hope they had done it, for your sake

I've read several places Hugh Panaro is staying on as the Phantom. Is this confirmed, or just rumours?

I discussed that with Hugh earlier this week and he said he definitely expects to stay. I just didn't want to post anything on his Facebook or his site until I got his OK, though, because I know he is very cautious about things until they're set in stone.

I thought by Elizabeth, Vizcountess meant Welch, not Loyacano.

phantom10906 wrote: Kelly Grant

Yes!! Assuming she wanted to and was able, I would LOVE to see her on Broadway. Love that lady.

SenorSwanky wrote:I thought by Elizabeth, Vizcountess meant Welch, not Loyacano.

Ah, I see. I meant Loyacano though because she's one of my absolute favorite Christines. I've not seen Welch yet.

I thought Sara Jean Ford was a wonderful Christine. I saw her and Hugh together last November and I was blown away by the combination. She's a terrific actress and singer and it's a shame that she's leaving. Out of all the Christines I've seen live, I think she and Jennifer Hope Wills were my favorites.

Hi everybody... I just found out earlier this evening that there's going to be a Broadway-themed episode of "South Park" tonight at 10 eastern US time (like... right now...) and that bumped me out of procrastination mode so I finally registered to post about it here after several months of lurking. Sorry if that's too off-topic, but during the commercial it showed a brief clip of a South Park-style Phantom taking Christine in the boat to the lair! And I figured people were more likely to notice it here than in the thread about Phantom references in TV shows. (Well, didn't someone post about the Las Vegas show being featured on PBS, so I figured I might be OK posting about Broadway being featured in this thread. )

Back on topic:
I'm sorry to hear Sara Jean Ford is leaving. I love what little I've heard of her voice and what I've heard about her in some of the reviews on this board. There are a number of bus trips to NY from my area in the coming weeks. Does she usually do Saturday matinees? Because she wasn't on when I went to the Saturday matinee with the NY phans weekend group. Having missed her AND Hugh, I definitely need to come back this fall to see the two of them!

But I'd be thrilled to see Julie Hanson, Elizabeth Loyacano, Jennifer Hope Wills, or Elizabeth Welch for her replacement.

*edit*
Well, the only Phantom thing was that clip with the boat. And there was a cartoon version of ALW.