The Broadway production + Original US Replica tour

$200 seems unusually high, you should check discount sites like Broadwaybox which you can book the ticket right through them, also there are some good seats for around 80 - 90 $ depending on where you want to sit.

If you decide to sit in the balcony, try for the front section, or at least first few rows in the back half, the back of the balcony is kinda far away.

If you decide to go orchestra seating, of course try not to get a seat too far back where the balcony cuts off the chandelier.

Again my personal fav. seats are the boxes, but they are not available online. The seats are close, you can see the actors perfectly, but its somewhat a side view so its great for someone like me that likes to watch the sets change. Also the box seats have gone up to about $80 these days.

Another cool thing to do that I have started doing, keep an eye on Mme Giry whenever she is on stage, she does alot of little things in the background and interactions that are quite interesting to watch

New Madame Giry and Piangi coming into the B'dway company.

BWW Article

Im always happy when people come back in different roles. Will miss Ellen Harvey though

For anyone who's ever gone backstage at the Majestic, Wally - the longtime stage doorman - is retiring.

Riene wrote:How do you actually get to the backstage / at the back door?  I've never been to the Broadway show.

Two ways.

The usual way is the alley behind the Majestic - the alley door is on 45th Street next to the Golden Theatre (the alley is shared by the Majestic, Golden, and Jacobs). Most people end up waiting at that door. Down the alley, there is a second door with a buzzer which opens to another alley and the actual stage door is down that alley. You walk in almost right behind Box 5.

The other way is a door near the stage on the left side of the orchestra seats (well, left if you're in the audience and facing the stage). It leads to the same little area behind the wings and Box 5.

Cool. I have a very good chance of getting to see Phantom this summer. Hopefully I can at least do the stage door.

Do people normally go to the stage door, or try to go backstage? Is there any protocol, good manners, permissions, etc, that I need to know about?

New Christine and Raoul.

Ali Ewoldt and Jordan Donica will join the cast June 13 replacing Julia Udine and Jeremy Hays.

Broadway.com

That Raoul is dreamy.

um, I hate asking these kind of questions but, how do you pronounce her last name?

Based on Chris Mann's Twitter feed, it looks like he's wrapping up with the US Tour? Anyone know who's taking over for him?

Congrats to the Broadway production of Phantom on their milestone of 12,000 performances!

Check out this fun live-on-stage Mash-up of Phantom, CATS, and School of Rock from GMA this week:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ46S_fspH8

Great entrance from the Phantom!  

And here's another video of the performance but with some fun footage prior to it, and the brief interview with ALW:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqYnkMBw0AQ

I think the Phantom and Christine here are Jeremy Stolle and Ali Ewoldt.

Since he was a regular backstage at the Majestic and was included in a lot of photos (and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ADiLSQid9M from a few years ago), I thought I'd mentioned that Hugh Panaro's beloved Labradoodle, Soot, passed away yesterday at the age of 13.

He was a lovely dog and I know Hugh's costars adored him, too.

so sad to hear about soot.


does anyone still read these boards, they seem to be rather dead of late, I guess most of us get out news now from people's instagram etc.

So looks like a new NYC cast is imminent with Jordan leaving to do Hamilton for March and rumors of James leaving.
Rebecca is also leaving (Mme Giry) if she hasn;t already

had to check playbill as the phantom side is late to update as usual. Linda Balgord is back as Giry.

As for the Phantom, my money is on Chris Mann, he left a note on one of his instagram pics that he is putting down the mask, for now.

Personally I would have liked Jordan to get a crack at the Phantom, but he is young and will have time later on if he wants to I'm sure.
There has not been a Raoul - Phantom in a while and currently at the majestic there are something like 4 phantom understudies other than Raoul (they seem to have stopped the Raoul understudying Phantom a while ago.

I also think the current tour phantom is astounding vocally so would love him to make it to the broadway version in time also.

Hi all! Sorry for not posting this sooner. Though, I'm really surprised no one's beaten me to it!

Anyway, just a heads-up that the tour is coming back into Canada as of next week. It's going to be at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa from October 19th to 29th. :-) I've already got tickets for two nights!!! Squeee!!! Granted, OK, it is the Lawrence Connor production, which may be why no one's posted yet. But still, it's a chance to hear POTO live again! And, although I totally agree with the analysis I've read of the problems with Connor's new staging and design, I have to say that, from when I heard it in Toronto :-( two years ago, I couldn't fault the purely musical aspects of the show! Now, granted, it'll be a slightly different cast this time, as it looks like Chris Mann's gone. Bummer! He was really good imo, as were the Christine and Raoul who played opposite him (who've also left, but whose names I can't remember right now)! So I'll be interested to hear how the new leads do.

Anyway, you can get tickets online here. Have no idea how it's selling! But hopefully folks can still get some. :-)

(Sorry for the double-post.)

P.S. :-) Am seeing it on the nights of the 24th and 26th. Would love to meet other Phans there!

It was just announced that there will be principal cast changes for the upcoming 30th Anniversary of the Broadway production. There will be a new Phantom, as James Barbour will be leaving in December (shortly before Christmas). Both Ali Ewoldt & Rodney Ingram will remain as Christine & Raoul, and they'll be joined by a new Carlotta and new Piangi.

Can't wait to hear who will be the 30th Anniversary Phantom!

Saw the Oct 14th matinee with my daughter on a quick visit. Haven't been back since the 25th anniversary show, so miss seeing Hugh Panaro in the role. Is anyone going to the 30th anniversary show?

Had you heard that the 30th Anniversary Phantom is to be Peter Joback?
https://www.broadway.com/buzz/190158/the-phantom-of-the-opera-announces-peter-joback-as-30th-anniversary-leading-man/

Oo! Cool! Am seriously tempted to try to make it down there for the 30th anniversary. Does anyone know what the ticket prices range from and if there's any extra being charged for whatever they're doing for the anniversary night? Has any of that been announced yet?

Also, the Broadway production, like, I'm assuming, the London one, still uses Maria Bjornson's original staging and design. Right? It's getting frustrating going to Lawrence Connor production shows and having to just enjoy the music and be glad I can't see the stage!

An announcement on the "News" page of the ALW Phantom website, dated 30th October, said:
"While January 26, 2018 is the anniversary date for THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, the 30th Anniversary will be celebrated two days earlier on Wednesday, January 24.  Plans for the evening will be announced in the coming weeks."

I have not seen any updates. The news about Peter Joback appeared on Broadway.com in mid-November. The booking website is not offering a show on January 24, so I suppose the event is invitation-only. I'd guess they didn't have the big party on January 26 because they'd lose more money by closing the show on a Friday than on a Wednesday.

I'm not the best person to answer your second question, because I've only ever seen the show in London.  But until someone more informed comes along - to the best of my knowledge, Broadway is a replica production, and any changes from London should be minor. I believe, when Christine faints in front of the mirror bride, the Phantom can't catch her because of safety regulations in the US, so she has to fall on the floor, and he covers her there. I once saw a video of Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford rehearsing this scene like that, doing it over and over. I know Sarah's a dancer and should have enough body control to handle the fall.  But when she had to rehearse it repeatedly, I was wishing they'd given her a mat to land on, instead of making her practise it on a wooden floor.

I hope someone who visits Broadway will be along soon to give you more details.

:-) Thanks! So relieved to know that the Bway production's still traditional. Thank God! And yeah, that rehearsal sounds like it'd leave you with bruises LOL!

And that sucks that the celebration on the 24th sounds like it's by invitation only. Why can't they open these things up to Phans? LOL On the bright side, though, if I did try to go down, that'd make it less imperative to be there on the 24th. Which is good, because then I wouldn't have to worry about being back to teach a tutorial the next day LOL!

So, then, are Phans planning on going on the 24th anyway or on the actual anniversary - the 26th?

FYI, on the POTO Facebook page, new photos have been posted of Laird Mackintosh as the Phantom. He looks really good in the mask!

Laird looks very striking. Photos and discussion on this page:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/ThePhantomOfTheOpera/posts/?ref=page_internal

There are many comments that Laird should be a permanent Phantom instead of a short-term fill-in. Last I heard, Peter Joback was on a short contract until the end of March, so it will be interesting to hear who takes over from him.

MarySkater wrote:Laird looks very striking.  Photos and discussion on this page:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/ThePhantomOfTheOpera/posts/?ref=page_internal

There are many comments that Laird should be a permanent Phantom instead of a short-term fill-in.  Last I heard, Peter Joback was on a short contract until the end of March, so it will be interesting to hear who takes over from him.

And I would agree with those Phans who wish the Powers That Be would just make Laird a more permanent Phantom. But I'm pretty sure they're not going to do that, and it's a real shame. Seems like they want to have a "name" actor in the Phantom role (as in, an actor who's recognizable to either most Phans or to Broadway fans in general or both). Hence actors like Peter Joback, James Barbour, etc.

NightRachel wrote: Seems like they want to have a "name" actor in the Phantom role (as in, an actor who's recognizable to either most Phans or to Broadway fans in general or both). Hence actors like Peter Joback, James Barbour, etc.

I had wondered if they might transfer Ben Lewis to Broadway, given that he starred on the LND DVD.  Ben is good as Phantom - I've seen him once, and I'm going back in March for a second helping... just in case he's not in London for too long.