Another Photo with a Fan

From Siobhan (it's on her facebook page)

This is also up on the Facebook Fan page

A Tale of Two Cities Progress

Edin here:

Just wanted to share the exciting news that A Tale of Two Cities is actually one of the few shows on Broadway actually making a lot more money each week (see this article).

People are loving it which isn't surprising. I saw the show and it totally rocked!

Vocal Rest for Vocal Best?

I've been asked many times by many people what I do to keep in vocal shape on the show given the hectic schedule of 8 shows a week (not to mention all the PR stuff we do, rehearsals, after show talk-backs and having a baby in the house).

So today's blog is about just that.

I don't do the vocal rest thing. It's simply not an option with what I've got going on a daily basis. That might work for some people but for me... it's just not practical.

That's not to say that I go around shouting every second of the day... I don't do that either. But I'm not one to carry around a pad of paper and pen to write notes to folks instead of talking.

What do I do?

I drink water, water, water.

I don't drink soda or alcohol of any kind and I try to stay away from caffeine. No coffee at all and just an occasional Iced Tea or a Soy Chai from Starbucks on a cold day. Caffeine definitely is bad for the vocal chords and dries them out. I really notice a difference on the days I have a Chai and the days I don't. I'm trying to save them for my days off.

Sleep is also an important part of vocal preparedness. With the baby, that's been difficult but I sneak in a cat nap when I can. It's really the only true way to recover from fatigue (and that's when you could say I get my vocal rest).

I also look at performance much like I would a sport. I'm onstage (on and off I should say) for 2 1/2 hours straight and 5 hours on matinee days. That's very taxing physically on my body and it's also emotionally draining to play a character such as 'Carton' 8 times a week. So for me, I need to keep my body and mind in the best shape I can so that I can meet the challenges and rigors of the show.

I guess that's kind of the nuts and bolts of it. Simple really.

And oh... we did have the family outing today and Buddha (my older Golden) actually found two tennis balls in the park. He was in Heaven. He tried for about five minutes to carry them both but ended up carrying... the most disgusting one!

Sold Out Sunday!

Well there was not a seat to be had today. I looked out in the the audience and we were full, full, full!

Thanks to all those who are supporting our show. This truly is the "peoples" show and we are grateful. We've already gotten interest from other cities and even other countries who want to present TALE. And we want to bring it to them!

Day off tomorrow which means spending some quality time with the family. I can't believe how fast the baby is growing.

If the weather is nice we're going to do a full family trip, meaning Dana, me, the baby and the two golden retrievers! Should be a blast.

Question of the day... why is it that when given a choice of a brand new tennis ball or a crusty, muddy, smelly tennis ball... dogs always got for the latter?

Thank goodness for hand sanitizer!

Photo Gallery

So yesterday was a blast! I came out of the stage door and was met by a bunch of great folks who had just seen the show.

Many of them were seeing the show for their second and third times (and are planing to come back again)! I'm so pleased that people are moved by what we do... it makes it all worth while.

One person that was waiting gave me a nice note with a photo that she had taken with me at the Broadway Flea Market. I thought... hey... why not send some shout outs to all of those who have supported me and the show by putting up a little "Photo Gallery" of the pics right here on the blog and on my fanpage of Facebook!

So... here's the first posting! Thanks Chrissy for the photo and for the great letter!



If anyone wants to contribute... just send a photo to the theatre or better yet... bring it with you next time you come and see the show. I'll have some of them posted up on the blog!

Friday already...

We've had a great week so far... ticket sales are up an that's amazing! Even more exciting is that the audiences are still on their feet at the end of the show.

The commercial has hit the air... I seem to be the only one who hasn't seen it on the television. But then again, I don't have much time to watch the tube these days.

The baby is getting soooo big! She's one month old today. Hard to believe it actually. Everyone keeps telling us that we should cherish the time now because it flies... it does!

We've taken her around the city a bit more this past week, crossing Central Park (which she loves), going out to lunch (which she loves)... basically she just loves being out and about. Sitting in the stroller and rolling around town seems relaxing to her. She falls asleep immediately.

Only thing is... it's raining today. We've not taken her out in the rain yet.

We do have one of those bubble things to put over the stroller so we should be good to go!

Now I just need to get raincoats for the dogs!

A Tale of Two Cities TV commercial

Here it is on YouTube:

Tale Commercial

Thanks for comment from Kathryn for the heads up!

Audience

I walked out of the stage door today after the matinee yesterday and standing across the street from the theatre was a large group of people who had just seen the show. They were there waiting for their bus back to Pennsylvania (PA).

They waved and I walked over to chat with them. It's was an Arts Group from Westchester, PA who had come to the city to see our show... and they LOVED it! All of them. I like talking with folks who have seen the show because it reminds me of just why I do what I do.

I then walked to dinner and was met by 6 women from NJ who had also just seen the show. They still had tears in their eyes and expressed to me how moved they were by the story. I sat with them while I waited for my meal (Salmon... remember fish for dinner on the Phil Goglia plan) and these wonderful women echoed the same sentiment that the group of 50 from PA did.

These are theatre goers... not tourists and they were all moved by the show.

I mention this out of gratitude. So often, from the stage, we hear only the audience response, laughter, applause... what have you, but to actually sit and have folks describe to me what they are experiencing on a visceral level when they see our show really brings it home. It means the world to me. It's why we do it!

This cast is so dedicated to the journey that TALE brings to the stage every night and it's nice to know that the effort is making a difference.

So thanks to the folks from New Jersey and Pennsylvania for making me smile today.

Hope to see the rest of you at the Stage Door!

Tuesday Night.'s Early Show.

We do a 7 pm show on Tuesday nights...still trying to get used to them.

We've moved to a "regular" schedule this week, meaning Tuesday through Sunday with Monday's off. I've always said that we have Monday's off so that we can watch Monday night Football.

The show is doing very well. I'm still overwhelmed when we come out for the curtain call and the audience jumps to their feet. I'm glad they're enjoying it. I certainly enjoy performing it.

The weather is becoming more fall-like which means it's time to figure out what to dress the baby as for Halloween! I've always seen those Pumpkin Costumes where the baby is just a big round Pumpkin... LOVE that!

Dana and I have a dear friend, Marcia, who is the wardrobe supervisor on the Legally Blonde tour (she's sort of the baby's surrogate Grandmother on my side since my mom is gone) and she is the most amazing fabricator of clothing! She keeps offering to make the baby a cool costume... we just have to figure out what it is! I'm still leaning toward that Big Pumpkin!

Two shows tomorrow and some PR work in between!

By the way... we are getting ready to sell my CD's at the theatre!

Answering Your Questions

James does read the comments when he has time. He is crazy busy but loves reading everything you have to say. He wanted to answer some of the questions so asked if I could go through and find them so he could answer them all.

If I missed any, please feel free to post them in the comments and I will try to get answers next time he has a few seconds to answer questions:

Q. Where do I go after the show to get your autograph?
You can come to the stage door area after the show and wait there. It might take a few minutes for me to come out... but rest assured I'll be out there and would love to meet each an every one of you!

Q. Did you have a major part in Brandi being introduced as part of the TALE cast?
I wouldn't say that I had a major part in Brandi becoming a part of TALE. When I got back to NY for rehearsals I had dinner with Brandi and Frank Wildhorn to discuss an upcoming project. The conversation drifted to TALE and I mentioned that we had yet to find our "Luci." I then asked Brandi if she had gone in to audition and she said that she had not. All I did was make a call to the casting director and she did the rest!

Q. Did you also help acquire the Hirschfeld Theatre as Tale's residence on Broadway?
I didn't really help in getting the Hirschfeld. I did have a hand indirectly in getting the Asolo as I introduced the artistic director of the Asolo to the show and that was that...

Q. What is happening with recording the OBC (Original Broadway Cast of A Tale of Two Cities) CD?
There was something posted on the backstage call board about possible recording dates in early October!

Q. Is your "Love Songs" Cd available? If not, will it be in the future?
The LOVE SONGS CD is still in the works. I've been recording with Frank Wildhorn so much on other projects that I seem to have let my own slip a bit. It WILL indeed be available, as soon as we finish it.

Q. Are you real?
I am indeed real... at least I think I am.

Update: I added the definition of OBC (Original Broadway Cast) to the question since it can be a little confusing when you don't know the slang.

Day Off

Well... my first REAL day off in weeks!

Feels kind of odd. I like to keep busy with work and after such a long period of continual effort and very little sleep, it was odd to wake up today and not have to go to the theatre.

That said... we had an amazing day with the baby!

She's growing so fast and is already over 10lbs! Chubby cheeks... LOVE IT! Dana and I took her into the park today for a nice stroll. The weather was absolutely beautiful and the baby seemed to enjoy the ride.

It was nice to relax a bit today but it's back to work tomorrow.

I heard the TALE commercial is running now. Have yet to see it but heard it looks cool.

By the by... make sure you guys stop by the stage door after the show. I'd love to meet everyone who supports us!

Broadway Flea Market

Today was the Broadway Flea Market (an annual event to raise money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS). There are auctions of Broadway memorabilia, autographed photos, playbills... all kinds of cool Broadway stuff and all the money goes to BC/EFA.

I was at the "celebrity" booth (still chuckle at that... me a celebrity). To my left was my good friend and star of GREASE, Derek Keeling and on my right was designer Chris March from Project Runway. (Ok, I admit it... I TIVO Project Runway... I'm addicted).

The fans were stellar and the turnout... HUGE!

I've done the Flea market before and this year I can say was massive. The Broadway audiences and fans walk in and among the Broadway performers. Where else can you get that?

It's the amazing thing about Theatre compared to TV and Film. At the end of the show... you can stand at the Stage Door and meet the very people who you've just watched on the stage. And in turn, we get to meet the audiences who came to see the show.

LIVE performance, there's nothing like it. It's interactive, it's visceral and it's all right there in front of you.

So thanks to all the amazing fans, thanks to all those who have come to the show and thanks to all those who are planning to attend!

We're looking forward to seeing you again and again and again!

Opening Night Part 2

Well, to continue... the Opening Night was spectacular. The audience went wild, as they truly do every night and when it was over, it was like we had just started.

I had some friends, family and colleagues at the show, so I met them backstage afterwards before we headed off to the Opening Night Party at Cipriani on Wall Street.

I changed into my tux and then hopped into the car to be driven downtown. We arrived at Cipriani about 10:45ish and it literally took me almost an hour and a half to get from the front door to my table where all of my guests were waiting.

We had to go through the Press line where they take pictures and ask questions... everyone was great... and then from there through the throngs of guests to my table.

By the way... I have to say how beautiful my wife looked... and just three weeks after having our glorious baby! A shout out to my sister-in-law Jessica for caring so fondly for our little girl during the festivities. (Ok, so I kept calling her every 20 minutes to check in, but Jess has two kids of her own so our little one was in VERY good hands).

After that, the night was a bit of a blur and the minutes flew by. So many people, so many faces, so many celebrities... what a night!

We left the party having not had much to eat or time to sit... and after the ever so glamorous night I got home, helped Dana with the baby and took the dogs out to poop. Such glamor huh? At least I changed out of my tux!

Opening Night

Opening Night was AMAZING! We had such an incredible night.

None of us got much sleep that night but it was well worth it.

We had a great meeting with the producers yesterday and rest assured that the audiences are pouring in!

I 'll write more later today. So much to share.

Opening Weekend

As I am sure you can imagine, James is crazy busy.

I thought I would share some photos that were taken opening night:

Attending the Tale

I will be seeing it this weekend too and may slide in some comments :)

One Day Before Opening!

We've got one day... well one show left actually before Opening Night and everyone is very excited.

The support of the audiences has been astounding and we're looking forward to an incredible evening tomorrow night. Needless to say that most everyone is a bit fatigued from the long hours but nothing is going to get in the way of our great night. It will be a celebration of all the hard work we've done.

I can't echo this point enough how truly amazing the cast and crew of A Tale of Two Cities is.

It's been a filled couple of weeks. I do wish my parents were alive to see this show. One or both of them has come to every opening I've had on Broadway. I will miss them tomorrow night (as I do every night).

The circle of life has been so clear to me during this time. The incredible birth of our daughter two weeks ago and the loss of my uncle (an amazing man) to cancer just one week ago. He did get to see photos of the baby before he passed which made him happy.

And today... today we got some great news. My father-in-law (one of the strongest men I've ever met) has been battling cancer for quite a while and today he got a clean bill of health from the Oncologist!

I don't take life for granted anymore... come to think of it, I never really have.

But with the events of the past few weeks I'm looking at our Opening Night as a celebration not just of our show and the hard work we've all done, but also as a celebration of life and the lives of those who could not be here to share it with us.

Life is a blessing... live every minute of it.

Speed Through

So yesterday we did a "speed through" of the show.

The cast basically sped through the lines of dialogue and spoke the words of all the songs very quickly. Warren's idea behind this is to just get us all on the same page after our day off.

It's interesting to see what happens in situations like this. There is no blocking, no costumes, no props...just the actors standing in a circle saying the lines of the show very quickly. We're not even "focused" on the meaning of the words, although with all of the work we've done the meaning is there no matter how fast we speak the lines. It was quite fun and very illuminating.

This exercise forces us to really listen to each other on stage and that, in turn, makes us stay in the scene moment to moment and not let anything pass without paying attention to it.

We then did a little physical warm up and then a short vocal warm up before our diner break. Looking forward to another week of hard work.

Clip of Broadway on Broadway

I am still around, though James seems to be doing just fine. However one of the readers here pointed out this clip of James singing at the Broadway on Broadway concert which I wanted other people to be able to see:

The full song of James Barbour on Broadway on Broadway

Tale of Two Cities Broadway on Broadway

Updated link as they moved it, then updated again with another clip that went up on YouTube

Broadway On Broadway!

WHAT A DAY! Wow... it was an amazing event!

HD News is covering the entire A Tale of Two Cities process from beginning to Opening Night and so they accompanied me on the journey today.

We arrived in Times Square at about 11:45 am and went to the holding area for all the performers. It was a "who's who" of Broadway with every show represented.

It truly reminded me just how small the Broadway community is and how important it is to support each other in our endeavors.

It was about 85 degrees out there today and I was, of course, wearing my "Carton Coat" which weighs about 300 lbs... ok, maybe 15 lbs but it was HOT!

As I waited my turn to sing (right after The Little Mermaid) I could look out beyond the stage to Times Square. It was filled... and I mean FILLED with people packed right up to the lip of the stage. I try to remind myself everyday just how blessed I am to be able to do what I do and that was easy to do today.

I walked out onto that stage, the sun was shining, there was an orchestra behind me and then I heard the first note of I Can't Recall. I began to sing and the song was over before I knew it and the audience was ever so kind.

Sometimes it happens that way... I kinda get in "the zone" and time flies by.

As I left the stage and walked toward the reception area... I just smiled. I just got to sing quite literally ON Broadway!

Thanks to all who came and thanks to all who are supporting the show!

Rainy Day Blog

Well, yesterday was a rainy day but it didn't stop the crowds from coming to the show!

We had a stellar day and an amazingly packed audience despite the inclement weather. We had two shows to do yesterday and now it's a day off... kind of.

I'm singing at Broadway On Broadway today in Times Square. I think I'm on around 1pm. It's a great treat to do this, I had the opportunity to sing with Marla Schaffel just before JANE EYRE rehearsals started back in 2000. Should be a fun day.

I'll actually be wearing my "second" Carton Coat just in case it rains. It's the one I started with in the Asolo production.

We don't want to run the risk of the "show coat" getting damaged by any rain that might fall.

Frozen

We have "frozen" the show today which means that there are no more major changes to be made.

We will continue to get notes throughout the week up to opening night to tighten up what we've got. And this next week will allow us to settle into the final version of the show.

It's been a great journey so far and we're all looking forward to a good run.

Opening night is less than a week away now, and the excitement is palpable. The cast is running around, on what little time they have, off to find opening night "garb." It's a Black Tie event so that limits the guys in their attire but the women are going all out to find beautiful dresses.

We've revamped the www.jamesbarbour.com website a bit.

Sort of dressed it "down" if you will until we can put up a new more powerful version. So take a peek. The link to CDBaby is up and running too!

Still Preparing for the "Big Night"

Today is another day of rehearsal as we near the "Big Night" on September 18th.

We're making minor adjustments to some scenes in terms of lighting and clarity. Warren is going to "re-tech" one section in the top of Act II just to make it cleaner in terms of focus.

Jill Santoriello has amended some dialogue within a couple of the smaller scenes to make them flow more evenly and we will give those a shot as well.

It's a collaborative process and we never implement something into the show without first trying it out "on it's feet." That way there are no surprises to anyone involved.

And oh, I've gotten word that some folks are having difficulty obtaining my CD, Broadway in Concert. There will be an new interim website up for me in the next couple of days which will have a link to CDBaby (or you can just go there directly I guess). You can order it there.

There was also some question about a previous version of my CD with missing tracks. Unfortunately we've totally SOLD OUT of that printing and the only one that is available now is the current... Broadway in Concert.

And the CD will be available for purchase here at the theatre after opening night!

And Oh... Fatherhood is still amazing!

Anniversary of 9/11

Today is the anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy.

It's a sad day for everyone but one that I hope will inspire us all to reach for peace in the world.

As I walked our dogs this morning in the park, the streets were awash with New York's Finest and Bravest.... NYC's Police and Fire departments gathered today in different locations to commemorate the lives of those that were lost.

One by one and in small groups men and women in uniform passed by me and as I headed home I could hear the lone voice of one man singing the National Anthem in the distance.

It was quite a morning.

New Costumes for A Tale of Two Cities

So Brandi and Aaron (Luci and Darnay) got new additional costumes yesterday for the "Wedding Scene" or "IF DREAMS CAME TRUE." They really are quite beautiful.

Brandi's new costume is a Salmon/Pink color and Aaron's is Gold. This addition not only gives us contrast but shows a passage of time, if you will.

We ran that scene a couple of times in costume just to make sure that the new, more intricate costumes, flow the way the previous ones did.

They do!

Found Yearbook Photo

We found the yearbook photo and it was added to the post, but thought I would just put up another little note to let people see it:

It's Getting Closer

This is our last week of real rehearsals before we open next Thursday, Sept 18th. We had half the day off yesterday and we start in again today at 12:30pm.

Keeping the show fresh and "alive" is so vitally important. Each moment real and true. I constantly question myself and make sure that I'm listening, truly listening to the other actors with whom I have the honor to share the stage.

Nick Wyman, who plays "Barsad" is one of those great actors. Every night in "The Bluff" I find something new in what Nick does. He's always discovering, always creating within the boundaries of the show and it's so delightful to discover with him in that scene.

We'll see what tomorrow brings.

Great James Barbour Interview

Had to let everyone know about this great interview - I am sure James won't mind me taking over his blog:

http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Story.aspx

Questions Answered About Previews

I asked James Barbour to answer some of the questions that were asked about the preview process. Below are the questions and his answers (he does love the comments, just is too crazy busy to really answer them all):

Q. How many previews are there before a show opens on Broadway?

This depends upon the show, but from my experience there is usually a four to six week preview process before a show opens. Mind you, some shows come directly to Broadway after an out of town try out. There is no precise number.

Q. How do you realize that a song or a scene has to be deleted from the show?

There is a lot that goes into making a decision such as this and it's not just one person making that decision. There are many people who have hands in the pot, so to speak. You have the director, producer, choreographer, writers, etc. all sitting down to figure out what the best case scenario is. So it's a collaborative effort.

Q. What if you notice that after the opening night?

Well that's what the previews are for so that we can try to figure out everything BEFORE we get to opening. 12 hours days, 7-8 shows a week in front of audiences for 6 weeks, that gives us a pretty good amount of time. I don't ever think you can ever please 100% of the people 100% of the time and everyone has their own opinions about what they like and don't like. We just try and do our best and create the best show we possibly can.

Thanks for Reading My Blog

Well, there have been so many great comments on the blog... thanks for reading.

Needless to say I've been a bit busy with the show and the new addition to our family so responding to some of the questions has been a bit delayed.

First, the show:

It's been going extremely well. We're settling into the new changes and preparing for a few more this week. Not sure what they'll be but Warren Carlyle and our production team have been very discerning so far and I'm sure that will continue.

The audiences have been unbelievable! Each time the curtain comes down at the end of the show our TALE family is overwhelmed by the response. So thanks to all of you out there for the support!

Photography:

I've been taking pictures since I was a little kid in New Jersey. My first "real" camera was a Minolta XG7 that my father bought for me. It's a 35mm that I still have to this day. I'm now shooting with Nikon. I have a N90S an old 6006 for film and for digital I'm using a D80.

I began to take photography classes in High school and learned darkroom skills there.

A little controversy... the last page of my High school year book is a picture that I took but I didn't get any credit for it, nor did anyone ask my permission. I think whoever used it just saw a copy of the print sitting in the photography lab and snapped it up.

The proof is in the pudding, not only because I have the original negative in storage somewhere in Los Angeles, but it's a shot of a tree lined street (the street I grew up on) and it was taken from my driveway... I laughed when I saw it in the yearbook.

Kind of my little secret addition to the history of my graduating class.

My Other Passion: Photography

For me, photography is like painting moments in time. With a camera one has the ability to capture an event and keep that memory forever.

I've always thought that if I were not doing what I do for a living that I'd like to go around the world and take photographs (maybe for National Geographic or something like that). I don't have one particular subject that I like better than others but I do tend to gravitate to the outdoors, so most of my shots end up there.

There is an ease about photography that I like, sitting outside waiting for the moment when the sun sets and the vibrant colors bounce off the water, reflecting beautifully in oranges and reds, is serenity.

Then (in the times when digital media wasn't as prominent) going into the darkroom and developing what you've just shot hoping that you'll have that "perfect shot." It's like Christmas Day.

Now with digital photography you've got a greater range to work with. Photoshop and other photo editing software programs have taken away the "darkroom" days and replaced them with laptop days. I can edit my photos anywhere as long as I have my computer with me. And I truly feel that the digital age has made it so much easier for anyone to become a photographer, film maker or record producer for that matter. Technology is incredible!

But the bottom line for me is that a good photograph captures a moment in time and hopefully that moment in time evokes a visceral, almost emotional response from the viewers.

They stand the test of time, allow us a look into our past and in some cases teach us lessons for the future.

Venetian

I really thought it would be remiss of me not to share with you my experience seeing the Phantom of the Opera on stage at the Venetian in Las Vegas last week. Let me first say, it was a blessing that I do not take lightly being able to attend. I realize that many of my readers may never have the opportunity to see the play in Vegas, and it is my hope by at least sharing it in this post you can see it through the eyes of your imagination.

The most striking first impression is the $40 million theatre that houses the production. When first seated, the walls are draped in curtains, as well as the outlined stage, with the auction items covered as usual. The chandelier is in pieces. One huge portion, of course, is covered on the stage for the opening scene, and the other four are precariously hanging from the middle of the domed ceiling in various areas over the orchestra section. When the overture begins, the curtains are pulled back to reveal the interior of the Opera Populaire – gilded gold and red. It is stunning and chilling, and you are transported into another world. The chandelier pulls together joined in the middle and hoisted up into the center of the dome, creating an impressive one-ton monstrosity of hand-strung crystals.

The costumes, actors, sets, special effects cannot be described in justice by my meager words. Trap doors, fireworks, lightening, fire, mist, etc. Nothing is spared to make the experience totally “spectacular.” The most outstanding sets were the facade of the Opera Populaire with fireworks and the Masquerade scene. The lair was breathtaking.

The major difference in the Vegas production is the shortened length from the original. The show runs 95 minutes, with no intermission. Some of the songs have been shortened, and one scene deleted – the rehearsal for Don Juan Triumphant. The other difference is the Phantom brings the chandelier down upon the audience at the end of the production, like in the movie, rather than in the middle. When it comes falling from the dome, it stops 10 feet above the audience’s head in the orchestra section. Quite the “rush” to say the least.

The orchestra was spectacular as well. The acoustics of the theatre did wonders for the music. Of course, I know you are wondering about the actors – the Phantom, Christine, and Raoul were quite good. Tony Award winner Anthony Crivello plays the Phantom. I must comment, however, that his reaction to Christine’s kiss was portrayed somewhat different than I expected – more with “shock” to the experience of his first encounter with compassion and a kiss than I have seen portrayed by other Phantoms.

Any disappointments? Yes, just one. The Point of No Return was shortened, the song was chopped, and the full version was not sung. Frankly, I feel that scene is so important to fully portray I felt slightly cheated on how quickly it passed.

Any surprised differences? Yes, Raoul is not threatened with hanging and no noose comes around his neck. A steel cage from beneath the floor comes up and traps him within - the cage filled with sharp spikes.

Any highlights? Yes, the Music of the Night! Does that scene and song ever disappoint? Totally awesome. I could have watched it a thousand times and never tired of the set or the Phantom's portrayal.

If you are ever fortunate to visit Vegas, I hope you will see the production. Looking for deals? I’ll be frank. I paid $169 a night for a 700 square foot suite and the two tickets to the show were free! Seating was fine – two rows behind the orchestra section and the chandelier fell 20 feet in front of me. It was an Internet special received via email, and I jumped at the opportunity. I encourage you to sign up at Venetian.com for special offers, if you are serious about ever going.

My confession? I was so enthralled, I went to the box office the next day and purchased another ticket and sat three rows from the stage. Thank goodness for credit cards! I couldn’t resist. After all, I pretty much eat, sleep, and dream this story, so why not enjoy every moment it affords me to see the production repeated. Now, I just have to pay the ticket off.

I truly hope the experience can be yours someday as well. As the Phantom said to Raoul, "...truly made my night."

UPDATE 12/6/08: I'm off to Vegas again. This time I will be seeing the Phantom Christmas night and have purchased the VIP experience that gives you a tour behind stage and an opportunity to meet the cast. That will truly make my night, and I will share my experience with you after my return. Happy Holidays to all.

UPDATE 12/27/08: I am back from my trip to Vegas over Christmas and am blessed! The VIP experience of the Phantom of the Opera at the Venetian Christmas night was absolutely wonderful. After the sold-out show, we were escorted downstairs to met Anthony Crivello, the Phantom, which was an absolute honor. His portrayal of the Phantom is unique and touching, and I found him to be a very kind and personable individual. After our group spoke with him for some time, received a gift, his autograph, and a picture taken together, two individuals gave us a backstage tour. I really wish that everyone could participate in the experience of seeing how this production works behind the scenes. Amazing and overwhelming are the only two words I can use to describe the mechanical workings underneath the stage and the sets above. There are not enough acolades I can give to give the cast and crew for working so hard in presenting this flawless touching production. The experience "truly made my night!"

Your obedient servant,
The Phantom’s Student

Order Lessons From the Phantom of the Opera in Paperback Here

A Tale of Two Cities TV commercial

We're shooting the TALE television commercial today. It's going to be a looooooong day for us. The call time is 9am which wouldn't be so bad if we didn't have a show the night before... or a show later tonight.

From what I can see from the shot list (the list of things that the TV Director plans to shoot) it looks like it's going to be a pretty spectacular spot.

TV is quite different than theatre as you can imagine. We'll have cameras onstage with us throughout the shoot and we'll probably "tweak" the blocking of the scenes we shoot so that they better fit a TV format.

So.. look for the commercial soon.

I'll make sure to post a note if I know when it's going to air.

What is a Preview?

Gotten some question asking what exactly a preview is and what it is for.

Preview performances are given prior to the opening night of a show.

During the preview period the cast, crew and orchestra are rehearsing during the day and implementing any changes made during the rehearsal process into the performance that evening.

It's a process that allows preparation before we "set" the show for opening night.

After opening there are rarely any changes made to the show.

It's basically our chance to test things out in front of an audience.

For example, there was a number called "Resurrection Man" that was in the original Asolo Production and also in the first few previews here on Broadway. It's a great comedic number but the consensus was that it's 'tone' was different from the rest of the piece. By removing the song we discovered a better flow to the first act.

The opening imagery of the show has also been tightened up in an effort to make the story more clear.

Those are some of the changes that have been made during the preview process.

Off-Road Strollers

It is so cute when new father's can't stop talking about their babies. I asked James Barbour for some more on the show when he has time but all he can talk about is the baby. Here you go:

"So choosing a stroller in New York City is like choosing the best off road vehicle for your trek through the outback. There is everything imaginable to contend with, from curbs, broken sidewalks, puddles, garbage... and yes even grass, twigs and boulders. In turn we went looking for what we thought would best suit our needs.

"The Bug-a-Boo seems to be the stroller of choice here in NY, but at $950.00 a pop we thought a more economical one would be better. I absolutely love the Stokke with it's cool upright design; the sales person told us it was designed so that 'your baby can look out onto the world.'

"I also LOVED the 'Herculean' Peg-Prego, which I called the Range Rover of strollers.

"But after much 'test-driving' in the store, Dana and I settled on the Uppa-Baby and so far we love it.

"The cool thing about the Uppa-Baby is that it breaks down into two parts and for large strollers like this, that's a good thing. It's also got a 'one touch' button to extend the handle bar (great for my tall frame). They're fairly heavy, which is good for traction when going 'Off-Road' in the Park, but not so great for a cab ride.

"What we plan do most of the time is keep the big stroller intact and should we want to take a short jaunt in a cab we'll use a Graco Stroller frame that has an adapter for our car seat. This is a much more manageable unit and much easier to fold for trips.

"So...h ere I am just having completed our Tuesday night performance of a Tale of Two Cities and I'm writing about Strollers.

"Life is grand!"

Parenthood is Amazing

Still with the baby, so from James Barbour:

"Well... parenthood is an amazing thing!

"My wife... what a magnificent person, has taken to motherhood like a fish to water.

"We brought the baby home yesterday (I told you I never take a day off) and spent the day just looking and smiling at her. Such a sight to behold!

"Of course, all I could do last night was just stare at her. Every little sound she would make I'd pop up and rush over to make sure she was OK.

"I had the baby monitor right next to my ear and all night I contemplated ways to have streaming video of the room played directly into my brain while I slept. I'm told that's called "First Time Father Syndrome."

"I think the baby got more sleep than I did.

"She's a great baby, sleeps well, feeds well and has the strongest grip I've ever felt in my life! Good Barbour stock!

"Everyone at the theatre has been all smiles, she'll have more aunts and uncles than she knows what to do with...and they can all sing the best lullabies.

"Oh... and great show tonight! Another packed house."