The Toronto Production

Rebecca Caine organised a big reunion party for cast and crew on the day of the 20th anniversary of the Toronto production's opening. Seems to have been a big success judging from her remarks on Twitter (such a stupid name). Even the disgraced producer Garth Drabinsky attended (why he's not serving his time now in jail instead I'm not sure...). Here's an article on it: http://bit.ly/17pMIg

Ha-ha, loved that article. Two nice quotes:

It didn't just change the face of theatre in this city, it changed the lives of everyone connected with it. Some of them went to Hollywood, some of them went to London, some of them went to the great beyond and some of them are going to jail

"All I can say is, darling, that we should thank God for that geek at Harvard who invented Facebook," trills Caine in her flutiest Mary Poppins voice.

And an interesting side note.... Neve Campbell is attending, but not Colm Wilkinson (maybe)? Makes me think of those old rumors of him and Rebecca Caine not being on too friendly terms... But for all I know, he might be on busy that day, with a concert or similar.

That drive would later get him into trouble and he's now awaiting an appeal on his recent conviction for fraud and forgery, but he promises to show up on Sunday. (Whether Phantom's star Colm Wilkinson will attend is less clear.)

ETA: Colm Wilkinson DID appear. That made me happy.

operafantomet wrote:
ETA: Colm Wilkinson DID appear. That made me happy.

Yep, he did. Apparently he and Caine made it up and healed past wounds when they met at the 22nd anniversary of Les Mis in London. Seems like things went well at this reunion too, judging from Caine's Twitter:

Rebecca Caine wrote:So many wounds healed and friendships renewed. I am so proud of our production and its history.

Wish I had gone to see the Toronto production, it was one of the "big 3" back then. At least we have Vegas now to act as the third in the today's "big 3".

Sadly I was to young to really be interested in something like Phantom, since it ended it's run when I was 8. Nevertheless, when I did get into Phantom, the Canadian cast was one of the first things I turned to. My grandparent's went between listening to the OLC and the OCC, so it was something I grew up with. But enough with my life story I'm quite excited because I'm going to Rebecca's Cabaret next Sunday. I'll be sure to post pictures/videos/etc.

Scorp wrote:

operafantomet wrote:
ETA: Colm Wilkinson DID appear. That made me happy.

Yep, he did. Apparently he and Caine made it up and healed past wounds when they met at the 22nd anniversary of Les Mis in London. Seems like things went well at this reunion too, judging from Caine's Twitter:

Rebecca Caine wrote:So many wounds healed and friendships renewed. I am so proud of our production and its history.

Hey, that's good to know that things got patched up. You'd hate to think that sort of animosity would go on forever.

R.

So sad! I mean, I love it that they had the reunion and all - although I wish it hadn't been a private party so that I could have been there! But God I miss the Toronto production! What we had in those days was truly great! I'm glad Colm Wilkinson attended too. He was the very first Phantom I saw live, and he's still my favourite by far although John Cudia comes damned close.

Awesome they organized that reunion, and yes, Facebook is so invaluable at keeping people in touch and finding people you'd lost touch with. Glad also to hear that Colm and Rebecca are on better terms now.

The Toronto production was possibly the best and most consistent of all the productions quality-wise over its run. It had three of my favorite Phantoms (Colm, PK, and Ethan Freeman), a couple of my favorite Christines (Glenda Balkan, Mary D'Arcy, maybe a couple others), and solid casts throughout (though I'm not a Byron Neese fan, and I'm not all that impressed with Caine's Christine, actually), including some great understudies.

I grew up in upstate NY, and we got TV ads for the Toronto show on CBC and other channels, and one of my friends had gone up to see it and listened to the OCC constantly. I didn't hear Colm's Phantom or Rebecca's Christine until I was older, and at the time, I was a huge and exclusive fan of MC's Phantom, the OLC being my first recording and only exposure to the show (other than Playbills my grandparents brought back from Broadway) until I finally saw it live about five years after I first got into the show. But once I did hear the OCC, I couldn't stop listening to it. It's not for everyone, but Colm now is actually my favorite Phantom, and he's far better live. I'm jealous of you, Shadowwalker, and anyone else who got to see him or PK live.

Aw! Don't worry, now I'm jealous of me too! God those were the days! And now I really know what all you guys who don't live near permanent productions have been feeling all these years!

BTW. I've heard a *rumour* that POTO *might* be coming back to Toronto. I have no idea whether they're talking about a new permanent production (too good to be true IMHO) or another stop of the tour, and I've only heard this by word of mouth. Nothing official yet. But I'm dying to find out if there's any truth in it or not! So has anybody heard anything about this? Here's keeping my fingers crossed!

Phantom Shadowwalker wrote:
BTW. I've heard a *rumour* that POTO *might* be coming back to Toronto. I have no idea whether they're talking about a new permanent production (too good to be true IMHO) or another stop of the tour, and I've only heard this by word of mouth. Nothing official yet. But I'm dying to find out if there's any truth in it or not! So has anybody heard anything about this? Here's keeping my fingers crossed!

So I'm not the only one who's been hearing that! Mirvish has been talking about it I'm pretty sure just because of Love Never Dies, which ALW has eyeing Toronto for one of the other permanent productions outside London, NYC, etc. But, if Love Never Dies has to come to Toronto and with it brings the original production, I won't complain... much. As for the tour, I would be MORE than happy to have that come as well if there is no news on a permanent production for a few more years.

I doubt you'd see another sit-down production, but I wouldn't be surprised if the tour came back in a year or two.

Aaaah! A year or two? It's been two years already!

Christine's Shadow. So you've been hearing it too? Where? And I agree. If Love Never Dies brings with it a return of a permanent production, I'm certainly not going to turn my nose up!

If LND plays in Toronto, it'd likely be a try-out for NY, though I don't think they're thinking of doing that anymore since it's going to open in London first and then likely head right to Broadway.

As far as the tour goes, the dates are usually announced months ahead, and I don't think Toronto is on the currently released itinerary of upcoming tour stops, so it would be next summer at the earliest before Phantom would come back to Toronto.

Phantom Shadowwalker wrote:Aaaah! A year or two? It's been two years already!

Christine's Shadow. So you've been hearing it too? Where? And I agree. If Love Never Dies brings with it a return of a permanent production, I'm certainly not going to turn my nose up!

A few family friends were subscribers to Mirvish, as well has having a few people I know work for them, they have been strictly rumors. It seems like the Toronto production of LND was as well, since ALW mentioned it briefly in press releases way back when he first announced it. Either way, if LND ends up with both NYC and London (I heard Singapore somewhere in the mix too?) Toronto is likely to get a production-- of course if the show ends up doing decently.

However as Swanky said, there are doubts for another sit-down production but I honestly wouldn't be surprised at all if Toronto got another run in a few years, simply because the Tour was so well received-- which could just mean the Tour comes back that much sooner if we don't get a sit-down production. Either way, the only complaint I have about the tour coming back is when it leaves! I don't want it to!

Oh, such happy memories of the Toronto production! I was lucky to see it here many times in it's original run, and of course would never have met my husband otherwise! I think it would be difficult to recapture the glory days we experienced back then, but I would like to see the tour come back if only for convenience sake. I was fortunate to get to work front of house for the tour last time it came through TO, which was really a fantastic opportunity. I still get a warm fuzzy feeling when I walk by the Pantages (and no, I will never give in to calling it the Canon...)

~Rebecca

Rebecca wrote: (and no, I will never give in to calling it the Canon...)

~Rebecca

AMEN!

Hi everyone - I thought you'd all enjoy a few of these photos I found online from the Cast reunion party last month. Unfortunately, 'phans' were not invited, and it was heavily guarded. You needed to prove somehow that you were involved with the production in some form (and not the form of paying their pay checks by seeing the show a dozen or so times - LOL). Even if you passed this process, you needed wrist bands to get in...and from what I could find out, the event coordinators were selling tickets - so it wasnt an open free party for anyone.

Without further adieu, here are some photos

~PhantomJT

The Venue - yes...that is a dancing pole!


Everyone! (yes - including Garth!)


All former Christine's - It's like a beauty pageant where all the contestants look lost....


Rebecca and Colm - after patching things up


Masquerade!


Donna Kelly, Neve Campbell, and David Rogers


John Doddington - the auctioneer...woah!


Kim Stengel

Awesome to see that. So it was a party for all former cast and crew members, not just the original cast?

So how come Garth's not behind bars? Haven't been following the whole thing closely so don't really know what's going with the case...

The dancing pole conjured up some amusing mental images.

SenorSwanky wrote:Awesome to see that. So it was a party for all former cast and crew members, not just the original cast?

Yup - Cast, crew, even the ushers and box office staff! Strictly no phans. They didnt want any 'party crashers'. I understand why...but to be honest, the Phans did have a big part in their lives during the 10 years. What gives? No thanks to us?

Scorp wrote:So how come Garth's not behind bars? Haven't been following the whole thing closely so don't really know what's going with the case...

I'm not sure on that either. His lawyer may be appealing the case, in which case, he probably paid bail and is able to live a somewhat normal life...

Paula74 wrote:The dancing pole conjured up some amusing mental images.

LOL - same here..... I'm not sure they were ever used though....too bad - would have been fun to see a few lovely ladies up there....

~PhantomJT~

PhantomJT wrote:

Paula74 wrote:The dancing pole conjured up some amusing mental images.

LOL - same here..... I'm not sure they were ever used though....too bad - would have been fun to see a few lovely ladies up there....

Well, I have to confess it was something more along the lines of R.'s Piangi pin-up...though I feel like I should bleach my brain now.

Paula74 wrote:

PhantomJT wrote:

Paula74 wrote:The dancing pole conjured up some amusing mental images.

LOL - same here..... I'm not sure they were ever used though....too bad - would have been fun to see a few lovely ladies up there....

Well, I have to confess it was something more along the lines of R.'s Piangi pin-up...though I feel like I should bleach my brain now.

One pole-dancing Colm Wilkinson sketch coming right up!

R.

Raphael wrote:
One pole-dancing Colm Wilkinson sketch coming right up!

R.

LOL - Can't wait!

Raphael wrote:
One pole-dancing Colm Wilkinson sketch coming right up!

R.

Oh, dear.

I'm looking forward to this.

What about Meg dancing around the pole... Showing her future Oh la la traits?

I think it's a bit of a shame not to invite fans to such things in a way. The fans do after all make the show live to a great extent.

Phantomlove wrote:What about Meg dancing around the pole... Showing her future Oh la la traits?

Hahaha! That's exactly what I thought, but I kept my mouth shut. We don't want to give ALW any more ideas...

PhantomJT wrote:

Raphael wrote:
One pole-dancing Colm Wilkinson sketch coming right up!

R.

LOL - Can't wait!

Oh dear.... sounds both terrifying and entertaining... looking forward to it, I think? LOL!

~Rebecca

Rebecca wrote:

PhantomJT wrote:

Raphael wrote:
One pole-dancing Colm Wilkinson sketch coming right up!

R.

LOL - Can't wait!

Oh dear.... sounds both terrifying and entertaining... looking forward to it, I think? LOL!

~Rebecca

I actually had nightmares about this thread last night.

Does anybody have any articles talking about the Colm Wilkinson and Rebecca Caine feud????