Where: Broadway

When: June 18th, 2005

Cast

Phantom- Hugh Panaro
Christine – Julie Hanson
Raoul – Tim Martin Gleason
Andre – George Lee Andrews
Frimin – Jeff Keller
Carlotta- Wren Marie Harrington
Piangi- John Wasiniak
Mme Giry- Marilyn Caskey
Meg Giry – Kara Klein

o.k. well this was my first time seeing it on Broadway, 3rd time overall, 2 twice I’ve seen the tour. O.k. so one to my review, I actually didn’t plan on seeing phantom on Saturday, we went to the theatre because we were having lunch at Carmines across the street and well we just stopped by to see who was playing. Then my mom asked the guy at the box office if they had any tickets for the matinee performance and he surprisingly said yes. So she asked where the tickets were and he said he had 2 seats in the rear mezzanine and 2 seats in the 4th row of the Orchestra, so my response was like “ is that even a question ??” so we got the 4th row seats which of course were more money then the other seats but who cares they were worth every penny.

Prologue- very good I loved being up front and getting to see all the little things of this scene, like for instance I didn’t know that they took all the auction stuff out of a trunk behind Mme. Giry and well everything went pretty normal I believe, Tim is a very good old Raoul, this was my 3rd time seeing him the role and he just gets better.

Think of Me – Wren Marie Harrington was great in this scene, really played the diva part well. Think of me itself was good, I at the time wasn’t used to Julie’s voice so it was a little hard at first to adjust, but after that it was fine, she was so cute in think of me, u could tell she was really having a good time throughout the scene.

Angle of Music/ Little Lotte – really nice, I like Kara Klein as Meg she gives her that cute way, her and Julie work very well together. Little Lotte I have always had a soft spot for, I just find it cute how they talk about the things they did as children. Tim and Julie did very well, Tim’s a little bit taller they Julie so when she went to hug him it looked like she had to jump a little bit, which was cute.

The mirror – HOLY SH* T Hugh Panaro is A GOD! For the longest time I couldn’t figure out what all the hubba lou was about this guy but now that I saw him….. WOW!!
Whoever on this board gave him the nickname of THE VOICE, u do not lie my friend, he is unbelievable! When he first started to sing “insolent boy this slave of fashion,” it was more of taunting then as he got to “this brave young suitor” it became more powerful, his voice spread throughout the theatre, it was unreal!

Title Song – was nice Julie and Hugh’s tone match very well together in this song, I like that they kind of took their time coming down the lifts, where some people can rush it. Julie’s cadenza at the end was amazing, who knew such a little body could hold such a great voice, I did liked it when it looked like Hugh was pulling it out of her, gave the scene a little more dynamic to it.

Music of the Night – again Hugh Panaro – WOW best music of the night I’ve ever heard since listening to the OLC recording, absolutely amazing! His voice can go so low but then can soar on the higher notes.

Stranger then u dreamt it – good I like it when Julie went to go for the mask and Hugh moved away. Then she ripped it off but I think she really just “lifted it” off and it fell behind him but then after he’s chasing her around the stage he just falls and is so pathetic in his movements that u can’t help but feel sorry for him, then Julie gives him back the mask and then proceed back to the “theatre.”

Notes – I like this scene but I have to say that I do like D.C. Anderson and David Cryer better then Jeff Keller and George Lee Andrews no offense to them they work very well together and but something about Anderson and Cryer I like a little more. I have to say though Keller and Andrews are very entertaining; they also work very well with Tim which is surprising since he just came to the cast.

Prima Donna – I never really like this song I really don’t know why but it probably has to do with something along the lines of its not about Christine or something I donno. Anyways though I think I do prefer Kim Stengel over Wren Marie Harrington but she still was great, just a different style that’s all. She really did bring out the diva in Carlotta.

Il Muto – never really understood the scene until now but its much like Hannibal where there are soo many things going on that u can’t keep up but I like it that way, I do however def like this scene better then on the tour. I love Julie in this scene for some reason she plays it perfectly.

All I Ask of You – o.k. I will say this now, I LOVE this song for some reason every time I hear it I tear up. Julie and Tim did a pretty good job I still prefer Rebecca and Tim version. I liked it when she knelt down when she was singing “say the word and I will follow you.” And then the spun around.

Reprise – omg the angle was right in front of us, first all u saw were Hugh hands then he made his body fully visible. As he sung u felt it, u felt everything he was going through, I was surprised how just the tone of his voice told the whole story.

Masquerade – love all the costumes!! So beautiful! And they we right in my face! All the colors and the dancing were fabulous! I can’t even out it into words. I like the part where Christine is caught up in the dancing and Raoul comes to the rescue. And then when the phantom comes down the stairs and Christine literally just stares up at him not knowing what to do then Raoul comes over and pulls her to the side.
Notes II – I swear I thought we were going to have a fist fight between Christine and Carlotta, Frimin was like trying to break the two of them up before something got started and I don’t blame him. What I really like about Julie’s Christine is that she gives some youth to the role and I think that’s what more actress need to do with their interpretations. But also just cuz she plays it with youth doesn’t mean shes a push over, and I really like it that way!

Don Juan Reshearal – normal, when the piano started playing by itself u could that there must be like little lights underneath the keys cuz I saw something sparkle when the keys came up and down.

Wishing – u could really see the fragile side of Julies Character and how u could tell she missed her father so much and that was what really touched me in this scene.

Wandering child – Love this scene too, it’s left out in a lot of the cast recordings these days which is really a shame because its such a great and enchanting moment for Christine and the Phantom. Tim and Hugh do work well against one another like I said before is surprising since he hasn’t been on Broadway that long.

Past the Point of No Return – less sexual then I thought it would be, the bench thou – classic. Julie really does have the seductive way about her in this scene which is good because a Christine needs more of an edge. I loved it when she felt the mask at the end and screamed “No” and started to run offstage but the phantom grabbed her arm. Then the managers came and motioned her to go back.

Final Lair – this is where the two leads well three really shined especially Hugh thou, he was so sarcastic when Tim appeared at the portcullis and really all through the performance he kept the same attitude toward the other characters which shows really what a great actor he is.

Stage Door – was waiting for like 10 mins when the people behind me got this great idea to stop anyone that comes out of the hallway/door (not sure what to call it) and ask them if their part of the show. So the next person to come out was Polly baird (I hope I spelled that right) and was she was so nice and still had some of her stage makeup on and she signed my playbill along with about everyone one else. Then Dianna Warren came out and of course the people behind me stopped her and asked her if she was part of the cast and she said yes and then i turned around and she signed my playbill. And some one asked her (which I kind of found funny) “what do u sing in this” and she just kind of looked at her and was like “o well I’m in the ballet chorus so we sing everything.” And I just thought to myself “wow was that a good answer” cuz if that was me I would have probably have looked at the girl like she had 5 heads. (it might have been Polly baird that said it I really don’t remember but it was def one of the two of them that said it) Then more waiting and now’s about the time where I’m starting to get nervous because I really wanted to see Tim because in September I drove 100 miles in hurricane Ivan to see him and I missed him at the stage door. So I was determined to see him not matter what. So I look up the hallway thingy and I see him and Julie Hanson walking down so I’m getting excided and then kind of split when they see all the people and Tim goes to one side to sign autographs and Julie to the other and Julie was on my side so I went to her first, got her autograph then made my way to Tim and I think someone might have been pushing or something to get his autograph cuz he was like “ don’t worry ill get to everyone” and then came my turn, he signed my playbill and I asked if I could get a picture with him and he said sure and he took off his glasses and my mom took a picture of both of us and then we left and I skipped halfway down the block before I realized how dumb I looked. And well that was my Phantom Adventure.