Phantom Las Vegas: October 8th-10th 2011

Casts are as follows

Performance one 10/8/11 9:30 pm: Crivello/Combs(u/s)/Ragone

Performance two 10/9/11 7 pm: Crivello/Fraser(u/s)/Ragone

Performance three 10/10/11 7 pm: Crivello/Holden/Ragone

Performance four 10/10/11 9:30 pm: Crivello/Combs(u/s)/Ragone

Instead of going scene by scene, I will discuss what I thought of each performer over the course of the four performances

Anthony Crivello

Had I only seen him perform once on my trip, I would give him the benefit of the doubt. But all I can say is my how the mighty have fallen. Anthony has never been my favorite Phantom, I'll admit that, but there were always things i enjoyed about his performance. But sad to say the quality of his performance has gone down immensely. So much so in fact I thought performance number one was bad. His movements were halfhearted and jerky, his pitch was all over the place, and his money notes seemed a bit flat. He didn't seem to have the energy he once had. I haven't see such a sleep walked performance since the great Marni Raab. One really cool thing he has started doing is pulling himself out of the kiss. His Subsequent performances improved, but only slightly. I do hope he improves, or else he may want to take a break for while.



Sarah Elizabeth Combs

I enjoyed her performances. I found that she added a bit more depth to the role. She seemed to be a bit stiff at performance one, but all that changed at performance four. The fourth show she seemed more vulnerable in Wishing, more resistant in MOTN, and WAY more sultry in PONR. The things that girl did with that apple would have left Raphael in a puddle of goo on the floor.

Bonnie Fraser

From start to finish, without fail, one of the best Christines I have ever seen. She exhibited the full range of emotions that a Christine should. She went from timid young girl to strong woman in a very believable way. Her TOM brought down the house, her Wishing made me cry, her PONR was HOT, and her Final Lair was touching. You really felt her conflict and her love for both the Phantom and Raoul. I hope she gets the chance to become a principal someday. I have a feeling she could be one of the greats.

Kristi Holden

What can I say about Kristi. The usual great performance I've come to expect from her. Her voice did seem a tad weak in a few spots, but other then that, excellent job.

Andrew Ragone

I still maintain he is one of my favorite Raouls. He was the right amount of puppy doggish naive, caring, and pompous to pull off four wonderful performances. I noticed a little addition here as well, right before he and Christine run off in the final lair, he holds out his had as if to approach the Phantom. Hadley Fraser take note, this is what a Raoul should be.

Joan Sobel

I was a bit underwhelmed by Joan. I felt she was rather wooden and her voice was seemed a bit thin. Shame Danielle White is still not in the role.

Lawson Skalla, Larry Wayne Morbitt, and John Leslie Wolfe

These three get better and better everytime i see them. They had me in giggles most of the time. Interesting little side note, Lawson shaved off his beard.

Tina Walsh

Perfect creepiness. I just wish Vegas Giry had a bit more stage time.

Rebekah Raun and Jordan Ashley

Unfortunately I missed Brianne, it seems she was out on vacation. I thought both Rebekah and Jordan did very good turns as Meg, although neither of them as good as Brianne. It was as if you took Brianne's Meg and split it between the two of them. Rebekah seemed to have the better voice of the two, while Jordan was a bit better actress, she stood out more when she was in the backround. Both of them were excellent dancers.



Show mishaps

At performance number one, the chandelier did not drop. It dropped its initial five feet but did not plummet to the bottom and stood in the predrop phase for the rest of the show. At performance three, the spray of sparks that starts whats left of the entre'acte shot off, then the stage was devoid of all fireworks and the music went dead. You just heard rumbling, then it picked up 10 seconds later. Anyone know if the first part of whats left of the entre'acte is prerecorded?

Audience

Wow I'd forgotten how dead Vegas audiences are. Performance two had the most lively audience I think I've encountered in Vegas. Performance four had the deadest, to the point where they stopped clapping before the cast came out for the curtain call. I've only seen that happen once before, also in Vegas.

Hope you all enjoyed the review.

You've got me really curious about Bonnie. I would really love to see her someday as "Christine".

Trying hard to picture Lawson Skala without a beard.....

Really like the idea of Andrew/Raoul reaching out towards the Phantom at the end. Ryan Silverman/aka Vicomte de Studly, used to do that and for me it really added to Raoul's character and gave him more depth. He suddenly looked to have concern for the Phantom's welfare.

Glad to hear you got to see so many shows and such a variety of performers.

Ooh! A review! I'm all a-tingle

phantom10906 wrote:
Anthony Crivello

Had I only seen him perform once on my trip, I would give him the benefit of the doubt. But all I can say is my how the mighty have fallen. Anthony has never been my favorite Phantom, I'll admit that, but there were always things i enjoyed about his performance. But sad to say the quality of his performance has gone down immensely. So much so in fact I thought performance number one was bad. His movements were halfhearted and jerky, his pitch was all over the place, and his money notes seemed a bit flat. He didn't seem to have the energy he once had. I haven't see such a sleep walked performance since the great Marni Raab. One really cool thing he has started doing is pulling himself out of the kiss. His Subsequent performances improved, but only slightly. I do hope he improves, or else he may want to take a break for while.

That's disappointing. I and many other have noticed Crivello's been looking a little thin lately. I'm hoping he hasn't been ill and trying to power through during his performances anyway.

Sarah Elizabeth Combs

I enjoyed her performances. I found that she added a bit more depth to the role. She seemed to be a bit stiff at performance one, but all that changed at performance four. The fourth show she seemed more vulnerable in Wishing, more resistant in MOTN, and WAY more sultry in PONR. The things that girl did with that apple would have left Raphael in a puddle of goo on the floor.

Seeing is believing, dude. I'll let you know

Bonnie Fraser

From start to finish, without fail, one of the best Christines I have ever seen. She exhibited the full range of emotions that a Christine should. She went from timid young girl to strong woman in a very believable way. Her TOM brought down the house, her Wishing made me cry, her PONR was HOT, and her Final Lair was touching. You really felt her conflict and her love for both the Phantom and Raoul. I hope she gets the chance to become a principal someday. I have a feeling she could be one of the greats.

So Bonnie (refuse to call her by her unfortunate last name) is back to help cover for Hertzenberg? That's cool. I wouldn't mind seeing her as Christine. Heard she was pretty good and your report seems to reflect that.

Andrew Ragone

I still maintain he is one of my favorite Raouls. He was the right amount of puppy doggish naive, caring, and pompous to pull off four wonderful performances. I noticed a little addition here as well, right before he and Christine run off in the final lair, he holds out his had as if to approach the Phantom. Hadley Fraser take note, this is what a Raoul should be.

Word.

Lawson Skalla, Larry Wayne Morbitt, and John Leslie Wolfe

These three get better and better everytime i see them. They had me in giggles most of the time. Interesting little side note, Lawson shaved off his beard.

Well that's gonna be a shock to the system...

Rebekah Raun and Jordan Ashley

Unfortunately I missed Brianne, it seems she was out on vacation. I thought both Rebekah and Jordan did very good turns as Meg, although neither of them as good as Brianne. It was as if you took Brianne's Meg and split it between the two of them. Rebekah seemed to have the better voice of the two, while Jordan was a bit better actress, she stood out more when she was in the backround.

Sounds like my assessment of Barrett and Crivello in the first year of the show. I think I said it was as if they split Crawford's performance amongst themselves.

Audience

Wow I'd forgotten how dead Vegas audiences are. Performance two had the most lively audience I think I've encountered in Vegas. Performance four had the deadest, to the point where they stopped clapping before the cast came out for the curtain call. I've only seen that happen once before, also in Vegas.

Yeah, Vegas audiences can be pretty dead. I still suggest they hire some of us to attend the show and help elevate the enthusiasm nightly.

Thanks for the review, phantom10906!

TAFKaR

Raphael wrote:

Audience

Wow I'd forgotten how dead Vegas audiences are. Performance two had the most lively audience I think I've encountered in Vegas. Performance four had the deadest, to the point where they stopped clapping before the cast came out for the curtain call. I've only seen that happen once before, also in Vegas.

Yeah, Vegas audiences can be pretty dead. I still suggest they hire some of us to attend the show and help elevate the enthusiasm nightly.

PICKMEPICKMEPICKMEPICKMEPICKMEPICKMEPICKMEPICKMEPICKMEPICKME!!!!

Ahem...

Thank you so much for the review, phantom10906! It was actually very fun and interesting to read. I love "hit-and-run reviews". Anthony Crivello puzzles me. I keep hearing wildly different things about him. Never neutral stuff. Either he's sleepwalking, sings flat, is downright dull, and even struggles with the score, or he's a power pack bringing the role to new levels, with a fantastic voice. It seems like the opinions on him are 50/50, which of course makes me very curious! Personally I haven't been floored with clips I've seen, but I know all to well how different it is seeing a performer live, so I kinda don't want to make up my mind. But it makes me wonder if they at least should have a Phantom alternate in Vegas.

Brianne Kelly Morgan has indeed been on vacation. Sorry you missed her, but glad you liked the understudies.

Bonnie Fraser sounds divine. Wow. Ditto for Sarah E. Combs.