The Phantom of The Opera – Intense, Impressive, Emotional!

I’m a big fan of Dallas Summer Musicals and as we get ready to say good-bye to 2018, I am deeply grateful for the laughter, the emotions, and the memories I’ve experienced this year enjoying the magic of musical theater.

Last Friday, my daughter Elyssa and I had the amazing experience of being part of a press event for the spectacular return of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA to the Dallas Fort Worth area.

Cameron Mackintosh’s spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, is now on sale for the triumphant return of the “Angel of Music.”

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA comes to the Dallas Music Hall at Fair Park as part of the Dallas Summer Musicals (DSM) and Broadway Across America (BAA) Broadway season through Jan. 6, 2019.

We arrived at the Music Hall at Fair Park prior to curtain for an exclusive chandelier press experience with The Phantom himself, Quentin Oliver Lee, who is the fourth African-American actor to ever play the role of Phantom across all productions!

Elyssa and I loved learning about all the unique, behind-the-scenes production elements in this new version of the show and discovering the inner workings of the show’s legendary flying prop.

Here are some interesting facts I learned from Stage Manager, Mitchell Hodges:

The legendary chandelier for THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA weighs 2,000 pounds!

The chandelier is unique to the production, it belongs to THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA tour production.

The chandelier travels with THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA tour in every city where the production is featured. It takes a day and a half to set up.

The chandelier was designed 10 years ago and although the cost is unknown, it is estimated at well over $1 million.

The chandelier features 300 pieces of gold, with 3,000 beads to cover it. It is truly majestic and impressive.

Stage Manager Mitchell Hodges says it’s always fun to see the audience reaction when the chandelier flies for 15 seconds and free-falsl over them. They may know the story, but they don’t know that’s going to happen. There’s always the occasional scream!

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Elayna Fernandez (@thepositivemom) on Dec 21, 2018 at 5:18pm PST

When I asked Hodges what his favorite part of being Stage Manager, he said the most exciting challenge is to load 20 trucks worth of stuff into a tiny building and figure out how to arrange everything with the space they’re given. He’s been in the industry for over 10 years and 3 years with THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA production. 

One of my favorite parts was looking at Maria Björnson’s amazing costumes up close. They were stunning and I learned that some of they weigh 40 lbs.! That is outrageous and incredible!

Elyssa and I went on to enjoy the show together. We had great seats and we were really excited because she read the book and we had seen LOVE NEVER DIES earlier this year.

Hailed by critics as “bigger and better than ever before,” this production boasts exciting new spectacular special effects, scenic and lighting designs, staging and choreography. 

Presented by Cameron Mackintosh, this extraordinary reimagined production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s PHANTOM is performed by a cast and orchestra made up of 52 people, making it one of the largest productions currently on tour in North America.

Based on the classic novel Le Fantôme de L’Opéra by Gaston Leroux, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA tells the story of a masked figure who lurks beneath the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it. 

THE PHANTOM falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine, and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her extraordinary talents and by employing all of the devious methods at his command.

The storytelling was quite intense and emotional. The music was gorgeous. I shed plenty of tears.

Directed by Laurence Connor (who co-directed the new production of Les Misérables that is back on tour across North America after a hugely successful revival on Broadway, directed the award-winning new production of Miss Saigon that played London’s West End, Broadway and begins its national tour in 2018, and also directed the stage version of the movie School of Rock now playing on Broadway, in London’s West End, and on North American Tour), with choreography by Scott Ambler, set design by Paul Brown, Tony Award®-winning original costume design by Maria Björnson, lighting design by Tony Award®-winner Paule Constable, sound design by Mick Potter, and musical supervision by John Rigby. presented by Cameron Mackintosh, The Really Useful Group, and NETworks Presentations.

The production is overseen by Matthew Bourne and Cameron Mackintosh. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA: music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; lyrics by Charles Hart (with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe); book by Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber; orchestrations by David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Cameron Mackintosh’s brilliant original production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA continues performances at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London and in its recording-breaking run at the Majestic Theatre on Broadway and many other cities around the world.

Quentin Oliver Lee portrays the man behind the mask, ‘The Phantom,’ with Eva Tavares as ‘Christine Daaé, Jordan Craig as ‘Raoul,’ Trista Moldovan as ‘Carlotta Giudicelli,’ David Benoit as ‘Monsieur Firmin,’ Rob Lindley as ‘Monsieur André,’ Susan Moniz as ‘Madame Giry,’ Phumzile Sojola as ‘Ubaldo Piangi’ and SarahGrace Mariani as ‘Meg Giry.’

Quentin Oliver Lee has been seen on Broadway in Prince of Broadway as well as the national tour of Porgy and Bess. His regional and opera credits include Festival of The Lion King (Scar), Encores! Golden Apple, La Bohème, Carmen and Gianni Schicchi.

Eva Tavares hails from Vancouver, BC and trained at the UBC Opera Program and the Banff/Citadel Theatre Professional Training Program. Credits include the world premiere of Sousatzka, West Side Story and A Little Night Music.

Jordan Craig has performed at the Houston Grand Opera (Billy Bud, Tosca, Carmen) as well as the Alliance Theater, Geva Theatre Centre, Actor’s Express and Atlantic Lyric Theatre.

Trista Moldovan played the role of ‘Christine Daaé’ in the Brilliant Original Production’s historic 10,000^th performance on Broadway. She has also been seen on national tour in White Christmas, Bridges of Madison County and The Phantom of the Opera.

David Benoit’s Broadway and National Tour credits include Jekyll & Hyde, Avenue Q, Les Misérables, Dance of the Vampires, Young Frankenstein and All Shook Up.

Rob Lindley is a Jefferson Award winner who has performed in the Chicago productions of Fun Home, The Tempermentals, Funnyman, Candide and more. He has also been seen at Long Wharf, Asolo Rep, Shakespeare Theatre in DC and directed the off-Broadway and national tour production of 50 Shades!

Susan Moniz’s credits include Grease on Broadway (Sandy/Rizzo), 1st National Tour of Fun Home (Helen), Follies (Sally, Chicago Shakespeare), world premieres of October Sky (Elsie) and Peggy Sue Got Married (Peggy), Kismet (Joseph Jefferson Award). TV: “Chicago PD,” A&E’s “Romance, Romance.”

Phumzile Sojola has been seen on Broadway in Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Lord Pinkleton – original cast) and The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess (Peter).

SarahGrace Mariani has been seen in An American in Paris (Ogunquit Playhouse), Had She Never Asked Me (Dance Film) and New York Theatre Barn.

The Ensemble includes Adam Bashian, Stephen Mitchell Brown, Daniella Dalli, Kaitlyn Davis, Tynan Davis, Dan Debenport, Patrick Dunn, Mark Emerson, Jordan Ensign, David Foley, Jr., Emma Grimsley, Jim Hogan, Edward Juvier, Adryan Moorefield, Sarah Mossman, Shane Ohmer, Constantine Pappas, Lily Rose Peck, Herb Porter, Nicholas Ranauro, Stephen Tewksbury, Carmen Vass, Jessica Wagner, Victor Wallace, Micki Weiner and Marguerite Willbanks. The Corps de Ballet includes McKenna Birmingham, Daniela Filippone, Charlotte Hovey, Jordan Lombardi, Danielle Reinstein and Tara Sweeney.

Andrew Lloyd Webber said, “I am really pleased that Laurence Connor’s new production of PHANTOM will continue to tour the U.S. playing in tandem with the Broadway production which just celebrated 30 years at the Majestic Theatre.”

Cameron Mackintosh said, “With PHANTOM still the reigning champion as the longest-running production on Broadway after 30 phenomenal years, with no end in sight, I’m delighted that this spectacular new production of PHANTOM has been as well-received in the U.S. as the brilliant original and has already been seen by over 3.7 million people across North America since it opened in November 2013.”

Tickets for PHANTOM at DSM start at $26 (pricing subject to change) and are now available for purchase online or in-person at the Music Hall at Fair Park Box Office – be sure to grab your tickets before it’s “Past the Point of No Return!”

For more information, visit the official show site  ThePhantomOfTheOpera.com , Like ThePhantomOfTheOpera on Facebook, follow the PhantomOnTour tweets, and follow PhantomTour on Instagram.

[ela]

Show photos courtesy of Matthew Murphy