If there's one thing Cleveland is known for among locals (besides the sports, of course--go Cavs!), it's PlayHouse Square, the phenomenal theater district in town. While most wouldn't think that the city has theater, it most certainly does--at least three of them, in fact, in what is the second-biggest theater district in the country, right behind Broadway!
So, it's in this environment that I grew up, exposed to the arts in all forms. I've ended up as an avid musical theater fan, and like any high-school musical theater fan, I was exposed to Andrew Lloyd Weber's classic musical, The Phantom of the Opera, in middle school, and it rocked my world. I wasn't alone: People who don't even know that much about theater know about this show, and for good reason. It's a veritable classic.
The first production I saw when I was younger was back when the "final" production of the tour of the show came through, in 2010, to commemorate the renovation of the Allen theater and its closing. (More info on that here, for anyone curious.) It was well-done, but I was left underwhelmed. That, combined with me growing up and hearing the songs over and over and over, while simultaneously realizing that the story pales in comparison to Gaston Leroux's original novel (go read it, people!) made me not necessarily lose love for the show, but to see it as it is--a spectacle with a story that is timeless, but problematic, and with songs that tend to be overplayed. (Kind of like Les Mis or Wicked. A good show, but c'mon, people, there's more to musical theater than those shows only!)
So, to say that I was skeptical about this production is an understatement. It was touted as having "new staging" and being "better than ever!" I just looked at the advertisements, shrugged, and went about my day. After all, it's Phantom. Everyone knows it. Whoop-dee-doo. I have seen the movie musical version more times than I could count, most of them in middle school. I know the songs already. What could they possibly do to make it new?
Well, as I found out from seeing it this past (as of this article's writing) weekend, a lot. From the moment the show began, I was blown away. When they said "new staging", they weren't kidding--the set was nothing like what I'd ever seen before, whether it was the film version, or the other tour. For example, while the film and old tour had a focus on candles in the Phantom's lair, this production had a more sparse feel to it, stripping away the frivolity and leaving behind what was important--the emotion of the score and the acting.
Not to say that there wasn't grandeur--for example, the Masquerade number was punctuated by a wall of mirrors, making the stage feel large, grand and disorienting as the dancers were reflected from every direction. But, the grandeur was saved for when the show needed that oomph, and not used excessively. In a show like Phantom, where much of the musical is oomph, it's nice to have that small breather between the extreme drama.
A promotional still from the PlayHouse Square website for this production, featuring the "Masquerade" number.
The special effects, to that effect, were also phenomenal, with the chandelier and the smoke used to create a creepy and immersive atmosphere. Also, the pyrotechnics were wonderful! As an audience member, I went, "WHOAH HOW DIDN'T THEY CATCH ON FIRE THAT IS SO COOL". They really nailed the "spectacle" this time around! Here's some behind-the-scenes footage, which gives you a pretty good idea of what I mean.
The sets, also, deserve another special mention for having the coolest set-up ever. Essentially, the buildings and stairs to the dungeon were represented by a large column (for lack of a better term), and the way they did transitions was creative, but also made sense artistically. Having worked on crew for High School theater, I looked at that and went, "Oh my goodness, that is a phenomenal idea". I don't want to spoil the big surprise of the column (you'll see what I mean during the titular song "The Phantom of the Opera", if you do see this version), but the ingenuity of the sets are what really sold me on the show this time around. The costumes were also divine this tour, with each really feeling like 1800s French clothing. The designers really did their research!
Still, enough gushing about the presentation. Time to get to the part everyone thinks about--the cast. As my mom said when we left the show (I always see the productions with my family, since getting the subscription to the Broadway Series is kind of "our thing"), "I know it's Broadway, but this time, it really felt like Broadway!" The cast was Broadway-caliber--and this is coming from someone who's visited Broadway, too! Everyone could sing, and could sing well.
The Phantom, played by Chris Mann (Glee and The Voice fans may recognize him from being a Warbler and a finalist respectively), had a somber sound, but there was surprising power and feeling in his voice. He could sing. If you want a sample of how he sounds, here's him singing "Music of the Night". Take a moment to sample his Phantom. You won't regret it.
Back yet? Okay. I may be a voice student, and I know how to talk about music, but dang. His voice left me speechless. His vibrato, his timbre, his tone--oh, golly. I swooned listening to him. His acting also deserves a mention, since unlike other Phantoms, who can over-act, his Phantom was melancholic, devious, but also still pitiful enough to make me go, "Well, Phantom kind of murdered people, emotionally abused and manipulated Christine, thought he was entitled to her, abducted her, and was kind of a piece of trash, and I can't let that slide, but y'know what? He's a good antagonist. I feel a tiny bit bad for him (but not really)." That's hard to do! The Phantom is a complex character, but he can come across as a one-dimensional baddie if not played well. So, kudos to him for nailing the role! He's my favorite Phantom I've seen so far.
Another promotional still for the "Phantom" tour, featuring Christine (Katie Travis) and The Phantom (Chris Mann).
As for Christine--oh my goodness. Katie Travis has the voice of a Disney Princess. She hit every note perfectly--and, for the reference of anyone who's never sung Phantom before--the score is hard. Especially Christine's part. The runs she has to do in "Phantom of the Opera" (along with that ending high note) are hellish, but Katie Travis hit them with ease. And, for the rest of the score, she also got through with a smoothness that I admire, but with emotion to spare. Her Christine was believable, and that is no easy task on the part of the actress. She was awesome!
She and Mann have wonderful vocal and on-stage chemistry, as she does with Raoul (Storm Lineberger), who sounds like the perfect Disney Prince counterpart for her Disney Princess voice. (Ironically enough, he's played Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid before, so it makes sense!) Raoul also deserves a mention, since in this production, he does not come across as mean or controlling, like he does in the film--he actually is a good person, and Lineberger gives Raoul a kindness that made me really like Raoul this time around--which is impressive, as Raoul was never one of my favorites, even in the novel. So, kudos to him!
The score was, as always, phenomenal. Listening to the show again, I remembered why I grew to love the show in the first place--the music is heavenly. Hit with a tidal wave of nostalgia, I just barely kept it together through the first couple of numbers. (Kind of like I just barely kept it together through the "Lava" short in Pixar's Inside Out.) No matter how problematic the plot may be, the music is still the jewel in this musical theater king of a show's crown. Now that I'm older, and take the plot with a grain of salt, the music still enthralls, and for that, it holds a special place in my heart.
So, all in all, this production was wonderful. It was so good, it made a Phantom-cynic like me get swept up in the splendor of the show, and have a ton of fun. All in all, not a bad way to spend 3 hours, right? The tour's trailer is here (albeit for a different city, but same production), to give you an idea of what it all looks like. The show is here in Cleveland until July 10, so if you are in the area and there are tickets available (sold here), I'd recommend giving it a shot!
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
