I went to see the Broadway production yesterday with my sister. It was her 15th birthday, and though she considers herself a phan, she's never seen the mainstage production. Poor girl, she's only ever been exposed to the film versions - and a few surreptitious bootleg viewings :)

So anyway - after waiting a ridiculous half hour waiting in line at the Times Square McDonalds (take my advice, don't try to eat there) we finally got to the Majestic. Our seats were not that wonderful - rear mezzanine, row D, the two seats farthest left. In retrospect this was a bad idea, since the music from the pit is piped up through huge speakers mounted to the wall; sitting so far to the side ruins the stereo effect of the music.

There was only one replacement in the cast: Here is who we saw.

Erik - Howard McGillin
Christine - Sarah Pfisterer
Raoul - Gary Mauer
Andre - Jeff Keller
Firmin - George Lee Andrews
Mme. Giry - Leila Martin
Meg - Lori MacPherson
Carlotta - Liz McCartney
Piangi - Larry Wayne Morbitt

I didn't have a good pen with me, and my little notebook's spine cracked and all the pages fell out - but it almost didn't matter, because the performace was pretty bland in sum, not much really standing out except Howard's "Music of the Night" and Sarah's "Wishing."
 
 

Prologue
--------
The auction scene was unusually slow - felt like they were dragging it out. Fortunately the Auctioneer's voice didn't go nasal until the last line.
 

Rehearsal
---------
Carlotta's and Piangi's entrances were very good and strong.

All the spoken lines in this scene were very well given. Sometimes they get swallowed in the music or background noise, but today they were very clear and readable.

A cute antic I never noticed before: there is a fat little seamstress trying to do something to the back of Carlotta's dress as she rehearses, but Carlotta keeps turning around and swirling the skirt out of her hands.

Piangi actually let out an audible, "Oooaaaaah!" as he fell off of the elephant.

I noticed that Mme. Giry and Christine weren't even looking at Carlotta as she sings "Think of Me;" they're both looking into the distance, at something offstage. And even after the curtain falls on Carlotta, Christine doesn't even stir.

As Sarah was singing "Think of Me," the change in her voice was wonderful; she transformed from a shrinking chorus girl to a graceful diva before my very eyes. Her enunciation all through the song was perfect; her tone was clear and lovely. At the end of the tune, she cheated a little on the high note by hitting an intermediate pitch and stairstepping up; but she made it sound like she wasn't cheating by sustaining the lower note.
 

After the Gala
--------------
Reyer literally *danced* off the stage after his little conversation with Christine - and after kissing her hand. Hmm, I wonder if he has a little crush on her :)

The "bravi's" were sadly lacking in pinasch today.
 

Angel of Music
--------------
Although I liked Joelle Gates, the new actress playing Meg on Broadway, the last time I saw
her - I also really liked her replacement. Her voice was very soft and mellow.

Sarah objected audibly to "Really, you were perfect." "No," she cries demurely.

I will never, ever stop campaigning against the lyric change in "Angel of Music." I hate Meg's new lines.

Sarah was good all through the song, but she did drop one terribly flat A on "grant".
 

Little Lotte
------------
I love that Raoul comes and puts his hands on Christine's shoulder, and she immediately starts singing about the Angel of Music. This happens again in "All I Ask," actually.
 

The Mirror
----------
Howard's initial entrance was a bit harsh, and you could really hear the hissing of breath under his mask, almost as if he was spitting. But "Flattering child" was MUCH better, and "Come to me" was pulsatingly seductive :)

The way Howard took Sarah's hand and drew her across the threshold was gentle and perfect.
 

Phantom of the Opera
--------------------
The body doubles were very good today. The Phantom never jerked Christine even when she hesitated. There was also a great cloak swirl on "inside your mind."

Howard and Sarah's voices were both very good on the recording. They blend quite nicely, and their duet in the boat was VERY good.  But where does the recording end? Are they actually singing in the boat, or is that still part of it?

The tension really built in Howard's body at the end of "POTO," especially when he took off his hat and cloak as Christine was singing. The energy was just crackling in the air! But it just mellowed and then melted away as he began to sing "MOTN."
 

Music of the Night
------------------
There was audible softening on "Since the moment;" the way he relaxed into the song felt like slipping into water - and drowning blissfully, I might add :)

The second "my music" was almost whispered, and there was a great dramatic pause in which he looked at her so intently that the whole house stopped breathing.

The first lines of the song were breathed, and there was a little too much hissing - but his tone was so light I forgave him :)

Sarah touched her cheek as he sang, and her hand drifted from her face to her throat and she closed her eyes, losing herself in his voice.

As he stood up from the organ he moved slowly and hesitatingly, as if he was unsure what he was doing or how to handle the effect his voice is having on her. "Close your eyes" was great, almost spoken, imploring - and soar was great too. "Long to be" was a little too harsh, though.

On "sweet intoxication," it sounded as though he was the one who was drunk. He bent his head, too, placing his cheek against her neck and seeming to breathe in the scent of her skin. He delivered "Touch me" with such an empassioned, tortured tone that "trust me" almost got lost. And I could have just disappeared into the last note; he began it so softly I could barely feel it coming until it was upon me.
 

Stranger ...
------------
Sarah's "I remember" was very smooth.

Howard's grief was just a little too angry for me - I think he should have cried more. And the way he reached towards her on "Dreams of beauty" was almost menacing! And "Come, we must return" was too harsh.
 

Notes/Prima Donna
-----------------
I could just SEE the dollar signs in Firmin's eyes as he sang his little solo.

Raoul's entrance felt early - he came in and stood there dumbly as Andre and Firmin finished "clearly quite insane."

Howard's voice was lovely on the note recording - and his *speaking voice* was even more lovely than his singing voice!

The transition into Prima Donna seemed to be the turning point for Andre (Jeff Keller). He didn't have a good performance at all today; he was actually FLAT through the whole song.

Carlotta was strutting so dramatically that I thought she might tip over backwards :)
 

Il Muto
-------
I love this scene :) And it was really great, as usual.

Howard's "toad" snicker was really evil-sounding.

WHY oh WHY is George Lee Andrews (Firmin) so calm as he says, "Simply an accident?" I never understood the way he delivers this line.
 

All I Ask
---------
Christine should get madder at Raoul for not believing her when she talks about Erik. But I love how he puts his hand on her shoulder and she immediately starts singing about Erik's eyes.

Gary's R's were really hard all through the song, and it sounded really comical.

Howard's rebuke on the reprise was so full of pain, and his "no's" would have melted a heart of stone.
 

Act II - Masquerade
-------------------
This number was just no good today. Firmin was early on his entrance, and Andre's performance was just poor.
 

Notes/Twisted
-------------
The orchestra fell behind on the note!
 

Wishing
-------
This whole number was great. Sarah delivered the preliminary lines very clearly and coherently, which was a refreshing change from Adrienne McEwan :)

Wandering Child was also great - Howard gave me the tingles - and there were still remnants of the flame burst flickering all the way into the next scene.
 

Don Juan
--------
Sarah was very sly and sexy all through this number, and Howard was in fabulous voice. His reaction to "bodies entwining" was perfect - he balled his hands up around his cloak in ill-concealed nervousness.

The ring exchange was weird - Howard put it on her finger, but she didn't resist at all.

One thing I love about Sarah Pfisterer is that she makes it obvious she doesn't loathe Erik. She didn't shriek when she realized who was under the cloak, as did Ms. McEwan. And the look on her face as she unmasked him was very complex - but one thing it wasn't is *afraid*. It was more like an expression of testing her bravery, proving to herself that she can look at him. Oh, and she looked confused and embarrassed when the wig came off with the mask - she actually moved towards him with it extended, as if to give it back to him.
 

Final Lair
----------
Howard was just too angry at first - but the "mother" lines were very well-delivered. Gary's "I love her" seemed to cause Howard actual physical pain. On "This is the choice" he didn't press her to the floor, thank heaven. And he actually sobbed on "tears of hate."

But the one surprising thing about this scene - HOWARD ended the kiss, not Sarah. She looked as though she would continue kissing him forever, but he pulled away from her.

The last moments of the show were so bittersweet. Howard didn't even pretend to be interested in the ring when Sarah came back; he took her hand and placed his other hand on her cheek as he sang "I love you." And she looked back, crying into her hand, the whole way back to the curtainline.

I gave Howard a standing ovation at the end of the show, but there were only a few others doing the same. All in all, the show was kind of poor; I was sorry that it was my sister's first experience, because I know that this cast can do so much better. Hopefully they were just having an off day.