what would we be willing to give up to see the Phantom of the Opera on tour in the U.S. again

what would we be willing to give up to see the Phantom of the Opera on tour in the U.S. again?

They say the it is not cost effective for mount the show,

Are we willing to have a smaller chandelier, or no chandelier?

would we pare down the backdrops?

perhaps instead of a big bed for Il Muto, as small couch or no bed?

a smaller orchestra?

instead of 6 carytids in the phantoms lair? four?

cut back on costumes, this I firmly put my foot down and say no... the costumes are faboulous,

the sad thing is that most of my fellow phans have said that this year most of the houses were filled and or sold out.

From what I understand, one of the biggest reasons for it not being cost effective was the technology. The technology of the production was nearly 20 years old, and became increasingly expensive to travel with... I don't want a downsized Prince/Bjornson Phantom...I'd rather not have it tour at all unless it was a reconceived production.

MajesticPhantom wrote:I don't want a downsized Prince/Bjornson Phantom...I'd rather not have it tour at all unless it was a reconceived production.

Ach. I agree. There's enough school productions out there already... I want the real deal, or nothing.

Remember too that the Phantom design IS fairly simple in its basic form - we're talking an empty stage, lots of drapes, and a few added elements: a desk and chair in Notes, boxes in TOM, a table and bench in Don Juan, a grave and cross in WYWSHA etc. The ornate costumes functions as set pieces towards the dark stage, ditto for the subtle light design. As Josefine earlier pointed out, the darkness and shadows is a key element to the Bjørnson/Prince version. I guess what I'm saying is that there areas they can't possibly cut if they still want to present it as the original version.

I do agree, however, that the technology is probably what will be updated. A lot has happened since the early 90s! I see them doing stuff to ease the rigging of the deck with candles, and the proscenium, maybe also the Masquerade stairs. Sadly, what I think will be cut back on is the live orchestra. Somewhere in between West End Les Mis (partly canned) and Japan (all canned).