High School and College Productions

Pilon was an understudy (or maybe an actual alternate) who apparently frequently went on for PK in the late 90s.

Here are some pics from the production near me, which I hope to see this week: https://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=2014493&id=176300146&fbid=512831546074. And a video from our local news about the kid who's playing the Phantom: http://www.wral.com/lifestyles/travel/video/9281963/#/vid9281963.

I was planning to go see this production Sat. night, the final performance, but turns out tickets sold out yesterday afternoon. Never heard of a high school production selling out, especially one that will run 9 performances over 2 weeks. But it is Phantom, after all. Maybe something'll pop up on a certain site eventually. Looked like it might actually have been decent.

Very interesting essay on the director's approach to the show and the characters. It's surprisingly mature, since the school is known in the area for being kind of an uppity conservative Christian school:
http://www.nrcaknights.com/finearts/phantom

So I just got word that East Grand Rapids H.S. will be doing POTO as well. I live in Lansing, so it's about an hour drive from me, so no doubt, I will be seeing it. Oh, and my fiance is an East GR graduate. East has a lot of money. Lots. However, my fiance has told me that while they have a lot of money, they definitely lack in theatre talent, so that has me hesitant. His younger sister (who is currently a senior and a member of the drama club) has assured me that the students playing the Phantom and Carlotta are really great), so we'll see?
And of course, a full review will follow (although I don't think it's being staged until next fall, so it will be a bit)

Where does one find out about upcoming productions ahead of time (and not the day of like on Facebook)? I would attend a local production if I had some head's up.

I think the R&H website has a list. It was posted on the Broadway FB page a few days ago.

Phantom on a Budget wrote:Where does one find out about upcoming productions ahead of time (and not the day of like on Facebook)? I would attend a local production if I had some head's up.

Click me

Thank you. Looks like I might be able to see Clarke University (IA)'s production in June, and Faulkner University (AL) in August...

University High in east Orange County has done Phantom.

ARTICLE: http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_stage_theat/2011/04/university-high-school-is-a-phantom-pioneer.html
MASQUERADE: http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_stage_theat/files/2011/04/phantom-br-masquerade.jpg

I died a little of the costume work in the latter picture.

Rumor has it that there will be a production of Phantom put on by an all-girl Catholic prep school in my town this Fall.

"High School PotO: The Catholic School Girl Edition" anyone?



TAFKaR

That is so wrong and yet so appropriate in so many ways.

~LCD

Raphael wrote:Rumor has it that there will be a production of Phantom put on by an all-girl Catholic prep school in my town this Fall.

That'd be right up my alley! (except the Catholic prep part)

Raphael wrote:Rumor has it that there will be a production of Phantom put on by an all-girl Catholic prep school in my town this Fall.

"High School PotO: The Catholic School Girl Edition" anyone?



TAFKaR

Are you by any chance talking about Presentation high? There dates are November 11th-20th i believe. Love the pic.

phantom10906 wrote:
Are you by any chance talking about Presentation high? There dates are November 11th-20th i believe. Love the pic.

That's the one, Andy. It's not too far away from me, so I'll probably check them it out.

TAFKaR

So I'm playing in the orchestra for a local community theater production of South Pacific. Tonight during intermission, I found out from one of our French horn players (we have more than one!) that Faulkner University here in Montgomery is putting on Phantom in October. And they're holding open auditions. I almost freaked out in front of God and everyone.

Needless to say, I will be making a complete and utter fool of myself and auditioning (even if it takes consuming copious amounts of liquid courage to do it).

Apparently UK schools can now do this too. I don't know if only a select few can do it but I hope so. Then again, the high school musical is (fortunately, IMHO) not a big tradition here, although that is changing.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-14902038

I've got my ticket for the Catholic Schoolgirl edition of PotO next month. I'll post a review if I don't spontaneously combust (or am struck down by lightning) first.

TAFKaR

I found this the other day, it seems like this is one of few productions based off the original staging!

https://www.youtube.com/user/BASHMusical

There are a few others, too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BgBNDKlGDI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR5dXstlz5Y

and then, there is ... this mess:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfvGPoJo7xo&feature=related

ML6 wrote:I found this the other day, it seems like this is one of few productions based off the original staging!

https://www.youtube.com/user/BASHMusical

There are a few others, too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BgBNDKlGDI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR5dXstlz5Y

and then, there is ... this mess:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfvGPoJo7xo&feature=related

That last one was painful to watch. The first one was very good. It proves, like a few other high school productions that have shown up on you tube, that it can be done and rather well. Bravo to them!

If I see one more school version putting Christine in a modern Flamenco dress in PONR I'm gonna SCREEEAAAAAM!!!

Such mixed feelings. On one hand I'm impressed some of them are at the level they are. That first clip is definitely one of the most impressive versions I've seen, in terms of singing and staging. And yet... and yet it's painfully clear they're merely copying movements and gestures. It's like they haven't explored why it's done like this, what the emotion or motivation behind it is. Ditto for the staging.

But as mentioned, they are definitely heading somewhere.

Those Red Wing clips were pure horror, though... Both in terms of singing, acting and staging. Dear God, a whole show of that would kill me. Amusing though, Red Wing was where I went to a wedding in August this year. I had never heard of that place in my life. Now it pops up everywhere. Even with their own Phantom production...

I guess what I'm still wishing for, is a production managing to free itself completely from the Bjørnson/Prince/Lynne scheme and/or the movie version. Someone doing totally their own thing, innovative, creative, impressive, dark. I know it would be like re-inventing the wheel. I know I am asking for a lot. But wow, it would be awesome.

You are absolutely right, Anea. There SHOULD be a version that explores new staging and new reasons to why these things happen in the musical. I wish there was a school with an excellent budget and access to some amazing costumes.

That being said, I want to see something that looks dark too.

I'm torn on this, like most of you. I always have difficulty straying away from the original look of the production, so that's the standard that I hold them all to. But at the same time when I see a HS or college knocking off the original and trying to do that look...I'm always left disappointed.

Phantom on a Budget wrote:I'm torn on this, like most of you. I always have difficulty straying away from the original look of the production, so that's the standard that I hold them all to. But at the same time when I see a HS or college knocking off the original and trying to do that look...I'm always left disappointed.

It's a tricky tightrope to walk. I think it just needs the right mindset going in and sticking to it no matter what you gut aesthetic may be telling you.

"Phantom" requires an opulent look that is out of reach from a practical standpoint for most amateur production budgets. Going in a different direction from Björnson's designs allows them to use pre-existing costumes and more leeway in terms of set design that is suitable for their stages, but at the same time requires a design and costume team with the time and creativity to assemble a cohesive "look" to the overall production.

TAFKaR

Very well put Raph. On that note, I think what bugs me the most is having a lot of bright costumes that were clearly from other previous school shows (the one exception here is Masquerade). Whatever direction or vision the school has, I still prefer an overall dark take on the show. Bjørnson did this so well by using few truly "bright" colors, but a lot of very subtle, rich fabrics/textures/details that gave such an incredible look to the production.

I'm going against my usual cynical and skeptical instincts on this, so I'm kind of shocked myself, but I've gotta say I'm overall very impressed with the BASH production. I don't know if you all watched all the videos they posted, but while they were aping the original (as well as the movie's) sets and costumes and even acting moments (you could tell the Phantom had watched not only Gerry but Hugh and other Phantoms), the actual production values and voices were far better than any other high school production I've yet seen of this show. So you gotta hand it to them for just doing it. It's gotta be a dream come true to feel like you're in the original production for these kids; I know it would be for me. It least it's not totally painful to watch. I was actually left wanting more. Would love to see how they did the auction (though I have a feeling I'd laugh after seeing that chandelier crash ) and the final lair.

SenorSwanky wrote:I'm going against my usual cynical and skeptical instincts on this, so I'm kind of shocked myself, but I've gotta say I'm overall very impressed with the BASH production. I don't know if you all watched all the videos they posted, but while they were aping the original (as well as the movie's) sets and costumes and even acting moments (you could tell the Phantom had watched not only Gerry but Hugh and other Phantoms), the actual production values and voices were far better than any other high school production I've yet seen of this show. So you gotta hand it to them for just doing it. It's gotta be a dream come true to feel like you're in the original production for these kids; I know it would be for me. It least it's not totally painful to watch. I was actually left wanting more. Would love to see how they did the auction (though I have a feeling I'd laugh after seeing that chandelier crash ) and the final lair.

My friend and I were watching all their videos late at night the other day. So far, BASH is my top school when it comes to Phantom of the Opera. It pains me that RUG did not give the rights to this school first.

EDIT: They finally put up the final lair of their production. It's not that bad. Heavily influenced by the stage version, let me tell you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWvgNVL7Vbs

Looks like there will be a production of POTO at the Meridian Community College's McCain Theater in Meridian, MS, November 10-13...and they're going to put in the sword fight....
http://meridianstar.com/local/x459218353/MCC-brings-Andrew-Lloyd-Webber-s-Phantom-to-life

Also Camden Hills Regional High School, in Rockland, Maine. Has some nice photos: http://knox.villagesoup.com/ae/story/thinking-big-at-camden-hills/465534

ETA Another one I found:
Carson City, NV: http://carsonnow.org/story/11/07/2011/phantom-opera-outstanding-production-carson-city
Goes through Nov 20th. Sounds like a pretty good production...only I'm not too fond of using the film's costumes...which seems to happen a lot...

PhantomsGhost wrote:
Also Camden Hills Regional High School, in Rockland, Maine. Has some nice photos: http://knox.villagesoup.com/ae/story/thinking-big-at-camden-hills/465534

LOL, that cross looks like something from Minecraft! Nice chandelier though.

Attended a local school production of Phantom with phantomgirl110 and phantom10906 last night. I was VERY pleasantly surprised by the production overall.

TAFKaR

I am speechless.

TheFinnishPhantom wrote:

I am speechless.

Good speechless or bad speechless?
For me, definitely bad speechless! Is that the movie soundtrack??
OG