What Makes a Great On-Stage Phantom?

Wow, that question just popped into my head, as I look forward to having Peter Karrie on All Things Phantom on September 10, 2011 @ 12 Noon, PST. His performances have earned him the title of “The World’s Most Popular Phantom” on two separate occasions, and we're very excited to talk with him about his portrayal of the role.



However, the question remains open to you, my readers. What makes a great on-stage Phantom in your opinion? We can think of many greats from the past who have played the role from Michael Crawford to John Owen Jones, currently in the production at Her Majesty's Theatre.



As I've wandered the Internet and various forums, you often see posts from individuals who talk about their favorites. Each person seems to have their own idea of what makes a great Phantom and why that individual's performance touched them above others.



Of course, none of us have probably seen every single man on stage who has worn the mask around the world in the various productions. In case you are curious who has worn the mask in the past 25 years, there's a good thread on Deserted Phans, a forum for POTO, attempting to list all who have played the iconic Opera Ghost. CLICK HERE



Out of the ones we see on stage, each fan seems to pick one performer that moves them the most in their performance. Out of the four Phantom's I've seen perform the role, Scott Davies, is my favorite. I wish I could say, I've seen Peter, but I have not.



So what are the qualities of a great stage Phantom? Where in the production do we judge the pinnacle of their performance to form an opinion? Music of the Night? Point of No Return? Final lair scene?



Do we take into account the vocals of the performer? How about his nuances of the portrayal of the Phantom himself -- like the way he moves across the stage, or uses his hands and fingers? How about the acting and his reactions such as his cries, his tears, his rage, his parting words of love to Christine? There are so many variances, it's really hard to point to one single thing that makes a great Phantom. Frankly, I think it's whatever touches you as an individual in the whole of the performance itself.



The character of the Phantom is portrayed differently from actor to actor. Always the same lines, usually the same choreography, but differences of interpretation as to the personality of the individual in the black cape. One may appear more menacing and evil than another in the final lair scene or another perhaps controlling, frustrated, or broken.



In the Music of the Night, seduction, passion, and chemistry between Christine and the Phantom vary too. How many have you watched them glide their hands across her body and sway her in a certain way that gives you that craving to be embraced by that bad-boy? I find it quite fascinating, because some people are more prone to the "sexy" Phantoms rather than the "dangerous" psychopath that has you in his clutches. Ah, such sweet intoxication!



I guess whatever floats your gondola is the one you'll choose as your favorite great on-stage Phantom.



Anyway, tune in if you can to hear Peter Karrie. We'll promise to pick his brain about his interpretation of the Phantom of the Opera and perhaps learn why he was chosen as the favorite of many.



If you want, comments are open this time. Feel free to post what makes a great on-stage Phantom in your eyes.



Regards,

The Phantom's Student aka Vicki



Enjoy Peter in the Music of the Night:

August 27, 2011 - Closing of Love Never Dies London

Yes, it's a date - August 27, 2011.

What's the significance? Well, if you're a fan of Love Never Dies in London, it's a sad day indeed, because it will have its last performance at the Adelphi Theatre on The Strand. It means that a group of wonderful, talented, and fantastic men and women are going to be out of a job; and that, in itself, saddens me to the core.



What do I think of those performers who put their heart into this production from the beginning? Well, let me tell you, because I too have a voice.



First off, I think they are servants at heart, especially Ramin Karimloo. I have great respect for this man, because he understands what it means to serve and do your best in spite of obstacles and opposition. He served his master well. Hats off to you, Ramin! I respect you greatly -- your talent, fortitude, and heart from God. I wish you the best in your future endeavors.



To Sierra Boggess, Joseph Millson, Summer Strallin, Liz Robertson, Niamh Perry, Adam Pearce, Jami Reid-Quarrell, and the many talented young boys who played Gustave -- my hat off to you as well! You should be commended for your wonderful performances, your tenacity to ignore the naysayers, and your unending every night, wholehearted performances given to the audience. You guys rocked!



To Tam Mutu! Bravo! Wonderful interpretation of Phantom as well. Thanks, Tam, for your fantastic spirit and love of the character. It was a pleasure to see you perform more often in that iconic role. We wish you the very best as you move on in your career.



To the new cast Celia Graham, David Thaxton, Haley Flaherty, Tracey Penn, Charles Brunton, and the new group of young men who came in after the changes to the show as Gustav -- bravo to you as well. You supported the creator of the production, as he tirelessly endeavored to refine his work. You gave it your all and stood by him in the process. You picked up where others left off, and continued to give the audiences great performances.



We appreciate every one of you and wish you the best for the future. You have blessed the hearts of those who received you with open arms, gave us a touching stage production and the opportunity to once again to see Phantom and Christine interact with each other on stage in a story we didn't find offensive.



Though mud has been slung your way, websites have gone up to discredit the show, pages created to complain, protestors have left anti-show fliers at the theatre, nailed them on telephone poles, flipped you the bird, and participated in a war of words on every social medium imaginable on the Internet, you held your heads up high through it all and did your very best in spite of opposition to the story and the characters you represented. We admire you for the professional way in which you handled the onslaught, and we appreciate your loyalty to Andrew Lloyd Webber's vision to continue the story he put on stage 25 years ago.



When you take your last bow in Love Never Dies on the evening of August 27th at the Adelphi Theatre, be assured there are people who love and respect you deeply as the individuals and wonderful performers you are. God bless every one of you in your careers. May you go on and become successful in all that you set your hand to, and may you take with you cherished memories of your time in the production.



As you do, remember that those feelings you elicited in the audience, who watched your wonderful performances, will never die. They will live on in our hearts as fond memories, because we were privileged to be blessed by your outstanding talent and fantastic voices.



From my heart, and I'm sure from many others,



The Phantom's Student aka Vicki Hopkins



P.S. If you'd like to leave a tribute to the London cast and crew, you can do so at the official Love Never Dies fan site. They are due our respect and love. CLICK HERE



Note: Picture of final bow on closing night reposted with permission.

Rocky Horror update

Hey Gang,

As many of you might have read this afternoon, much to my regret I'm departing the production of Rocky Horror at the Old Globe to deal with some things at home.

And as most of you already know my wife and I are expecting our second child and the birth is to be sometime in October...which would be in the middle of the Rocky run.  (And by the way, there are no understudies).

As my amazing wife is progressing through this second pregnancy we've encountered some unexpected issues and in turn I felt it vital to be with my family during this time.

That said, I urge you to go and see the show, I can tell you that it's going to be an absolute blast!

I'll be sure to keep you posted on everything from this end.  And make sure you keep an eye out for the upcoming concerts!  The Holidays are not that far away...

James Barbour Actor, 5 finger shoes and ton of veggies

Ok so now that I have to get really skinny again...ugh! I'm going on a protien and veggie diet (I know, I know I have to stop the Starbucks)so hopefully that and the dancing...yes I said dancing will help me drop the pounds.

I had a costume fitting the other day...OMG! I'm in some pretty wild outfits as is the entire cast.

Obviously this role is a departure from what I normally do, and as I mentioned in the last blog...that's exactly why I wanted to do it. The role of an actor is, in my mind, to create characters that an author has penned and bring those characters to life on the stage or screen. Stretching the boundaries of those characters is something that has always interested me and this role is indeed a stretch from the "normal fare."

I can't tell you how many people have sent messages filled with ethusiastic fervor about me playing Frank. And I have to tell ya...so far...it's a ton of fun!

This cast in absolutely incredible. We've got a myriad of talented performers and I'm honored to be working with them. Such hard workers, devoted to their crafts. Accomplished singers, dancers and actors, talk about triple threats.

Now...I've had knee and back issues for some time, injuries from various sports or shows that I've done, and dealing with them over the years has been quite a journey. For you ladies out there, I have empathy...how on earth do you wear those heels?

Playing Frank I'm going to be in some pretty big pumps and my knees...holy cow do they hurt after a while. That and my lower back. My amazing wife has been giving me exercises (she's a master with this stuff and those exercises have really helped.

But I found something else that has really made a huge difference...one of the guys in our cast, has these shoes...

5 finger Vibram shoes that are like gloves for your feet. They're basically flat with a thin layer of rubber on the bottom. It's as if you are walking bare foot with a protective coating on the soles of your feet.

I'm no doctor but I noticed that when I wear regular shows I slam my heel into the ground when I walk, with these Vibram shows I don't do that as much and subsequently my knee joints don't get the jolt as they do when I wear regular shoes. I love them!


Ok so my question to you guys is this...would you like to meet the cast? I'm thinking about doing interviews with the cast, not really about the show but about them as actors and people. Doing short posts and getting their insights, projects they're working on etc. I thought it might be fun!

Interested?

Love Never Dies - A Melbourne Attendee's Experience

A few months ago, I promised you a review from someone who has attended the Melbourne production of Love Never Dies. Below is a review from Anthony Grigsby, who kindly agreed to share his experience in seeing the show. Many of us cannot make it to Melbourne, including myself. His insight into his experience attending should give you an idea how it has affected one fan.



Even though I am quite familiar with the London version, the visual spectacle of the Melbourne production is exciting to say the least. It recently received three Helpmann awards for Best Scenic Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Lighting. The latest news is that Love Never Dies will be filmed in Melbourne on September 15th for international release, so many worldwide will be able to experience it via DVD and make up their own mind.



Below is Anthony's experience.

Phantom of the Opera and Love Never Dies have totally taken me to another time; they have made me fall in love. I first fell in love with the story of the Phantom when I came across the beautiful music that accompanies Phantom original London cast album. I listened to it countless times. Then I bought the original novel by Gaston Leroux. When the 2004 movie came out, I was hooked. When the Australian Production of Phantom came to Melbourne, I saw it there and followed it to Perth and Adelaide. Lastly, the many videos I've watched and the audio I've listened to of the many bootleg shows recorded around the world have kept me a diehard Phan.



Love Never Dies has kept the candle burning ever so brightly, not that the light had ever dimmed on Phantom, as it is the most successful piece of entertainment in all history. Many people have come out against the concept of a sequel to Phantom, but I for one will always be a supporter. This Melbourne/Australian production is a success, much to the dismay of many haters.



The buzz around the Regent Theatre is electric. I got here at 12:00pm today, because I hadn't bought a ticket online. I had heard about the Box Office specials that are not available online at Ticketmaster.com, so I figured I would try my luck in person. After lining up, I scored a $45 ticket special (at a usual rate of $125, I think I did well.)



The Regent is packed today, plenty of wine, chatter, programs being sold and read, all these anxious/curious people are just waiting for the doors to open. I went to my seat, which was kind of to the side, but still it was only seven rows from the front so I am not complaining. I can admit I was a bundle of nerves, because I felt overwhelmed and emotional with The Phantom of the Opera and Love Never Dies had made me feel even more emotional.



Sitting there waiting for the show to start, for moments you look ahead at the set pieces in front of you that make up the setting of Coney Island. Listening to people beside me and behind me, you can tell that they are anxious and curious and not quite sure what to expect. This is my third performance, and I still feel emotional and happy and ready to surrender to the story again.



Suddenly, the lights . . . go . . . out. . .



Coney Island 1907



It begins with the lights . . . then the Aerie . . . already watching Ben Lewis in place as the Phantom, you see and feel his longing. He puts everything into his performance as the Phantom. He is such a professional actor.



Then he starts singing 'Til I Hear You Sing. He is just amazing when he sings. He has a deeper voice than Ramin Karimloo, but he makes the role his own. By the end of 'Til I Hear You Sing, you definitely know that he is still very much in love with his Christine.



The trio Doctor Gangle, Squelch and Miss Fleck begin the Coney Island Waltz along with an amazing ensemble of Freaks. At this point, you can be forgiven for not knowing where to look because the stage is full of light and color and all round talent and excitement. The set for Coney Island is comprised of a Roller Coaster set pieces, which also serve as a bridge for the performers, going up and down. It's an amazing use of the stage. The big Phantom mask appears on and off during the show.



As the story unfolds, we meet Sharon Millerchip, who has reprised her role of Meg as she played Meg in the original production of Phantom in Australia. She is very playful and talented, but you pick up very quickly that she just wants the Phantom's praise.



Then we meet Maria Mercedes, who plays Madame Giry as a no nonsense, single goal-orientated woman. What I find interesting is how Giry has gone from a protector of Christine to being very much against her. Meg although is excited at the prospect of seeing Christine again.



Then we meet our Christine, played by Anna O'Byrne, who is so beautiful, not only in her glowing appearance, but her voice as well which we don't hear until later. Simon Gleeson is brilliant as Raoul. He gives off a tone of control in everything he says and does, even though it becomes evident quickly that they have come to New York seeking fortune, because Raoul has become a drunk and has lost his fortune. I could hear people behind me saying, "she is beautiful."



Then we meet Gustave, who at this performance was played by Kurtis Papadinis. He is a talented boy, and you pick up quickly his curious nature, very much creating the family image.



So by this point, we have established that Christine is in New York to sing for Oscar Hammerstein. In an interesting deception, the trio who are played by Dean Vince, Paul Tabone and Emma Hawkins, help the Phantom's plan to deceive Christine and Raoul by appearing in a carriage, assuring them that they are taking them to Hammerstein when actually they are taking them to Coney Island.



At first, I didn't like how Raoul had become a drunk. You pick up the arrogance in him, Simon Gleeson does it so well. We hear Anna speak and sing at this point, she is just perfect as Christine. She was also an understudy for Christine in the Australian tour of Phantom a few years ago. She has great chemistry with the young actors who play her son Gustave. Being my third show, I've seen Trent Heath, Kurtis Papadinis, and Jack Lyall play the role of Gustave. She has a beautiful voice and shows genuine affection and plays a mother so well.



After she sings Look With Your Heart with Kurtis, we watch as Ben's Phantom and Anna's Christine reunite. Ben has such a presence. With Anna, you see the anger and hear it in Christine's reaction to seeing him again. What I love here though is that we find out the Phantom and Christine shared a night of passion together, so he has felt the joys of the flesh. This goes into Beneath a Moonless Sky and then into Once Upon Another Time. I found the chemistry between Ben and Anna here so natural. They make the story so real.



The Phantom threatens Christine that he will take Gustave away from her if she doesn't sing for him once more, and you can see that Christine is genuinely hurt by this. Then the Phantom disappears and leaves her with his music. It's here you see something happen, almost something sympathetic. She starts humming the music, and I think she realizes here it is about her, but that is just what I think. She walks to the balcony and the music is playing when Raoul reappears.

When Gustave meets the freaks and they take him to the Phantom's aerie, we see Ben really perform. He has strong vocal chords here. When he works it out that Gustave could be his son, you see and feel the genuine promise of him hoping Gustave will accept his deformity. Then when he confronts Christine, Anna and Ben share a real emotional moment. I was tearing up, feeling the agony he is feeling at finding out that he has a son after all this time and seeing what Ben puts into the Phantom's anguish.

Anna is comforting here in the fact that she promises to sing for him again, and then we watch as the Phantom proclaims that he will give everything to Gustave. Very deceptively, Maria who plays Giry reveals herself and her anger at finding this out. You feel for her, but you also don't in a way. I just take it as greed. I mean it is his son but then I see the argument there.

When Act 2 begins and we see Simon as Raoul drunk in a bar, it makes you pity him. Then you see Sharon as Meg, warning Raoul to leave. It's evident she doesn't want to be second fiddle. The Phantom and Raoul's duet here is gripping.

Then you see the conflict in Christine when she has to decide what she is going to do, to sing or not to sing. Anna puts so much into the title song Love Never Dies. The Phantom wins the bet here but it comes at such a cost. You hear the regret of Raoul. You see the desperation of Meg, and her depressive state turned to desperation. It becomes so much more emotional towards the moment she holds a gun to her own head then to the point she shoots Christine.



The shock, the pain, the hurt, you feel everything. The tears well up in your eyes. You are overcome with emotion and watch as Ben cries out and puts all his heart into his final scene with Anna. When Gustave goes to the Phantom, your heart just breaks knowing he has accepted him to be his father.



Many thanks to Anthony sharing how the experience of seeing Love Never Dies has touched him as an individual. Anthony has scored a ticket for the filming of Love Never Dies on September 15th, so he'll be back to see it again.



Thanks Anthony for sharing with us!



For those interested in a new fan site for Love Never Dies, please visit by Clicking Here

Corsets, Pumps and Vegetables...

Well there it is...

For those of you who haven't heard the news, my next gig is playing Frank-n-Furter in Rocky Horror at The Old Globe Theatre.  It's quite a stretch from what I've done in the past which is exactly why I wanted to do it.

Here, take a look at some of these links.

BroadwayWorld.com

Broadway.com

Playbill.com

TheatreMania.com

So get down here, get your tickets (it's a beautiful city) and have a blast watching this show.  It's an incredible cast and an incredible theatre (I did Enter The Guardsman here in 2001).  And where Hershey Felder and I began the gestation for Back From Broadway and show that would forge an incredible friendship.

By the way...many thanks to all of you for the warm wishes on the birth of our new daughter.  We are incredibly excited and looking forward to with great anticipation.

Great Show Today on All Things Phantom - Kristen Hertzenberg

"Pitiful creature of darkness, what kind of life have you known?"

In the past 25 years, those lyrics have been sung by hundreds of actresses on stage worldwide. Join us this Saturday as we hear from Kristen Hertzenberg what it’s like to wear those spectacular costumes and sing those heart-wrenching words to the Phantom on stage at the fabulous Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular.

The show is destined to be informative and exciting, as we ask Kristin about her role as Christine, how she came to be on stage for this production, and what the story means to her personally.

If you missed it live, it’s archived. Visit our show page by CLICKING HERE and listening to the great show.