It's Sunday, September 2nd, 2012. Tonight, after six wonderful years, the company of Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular at the Venetian Hotel and Casino will take its final bow.
Six years. It's amazing to think about, isn't it? The production opened in June of 2006, and initially, a lot of Phans were skeptical that a production with some songs and scenes abridged would ever match the original, even with a custom-built theatre modeled after the Paris Opera House. I was one of those skeptics, and it took me a while to come to the party... but in the summer of 2011, any doubts I had were erased when I saw the show for the first time. Here's a comment I made on a Facebook post about the closing, in response to a question from a Phan who had never seen the production about what it was like:
I saw it 5 times, and every single time, the experience was wonderful. Because the theatre was made to look like the real Paris Opera House, as soon as you walked in, you felt like you were somewhere else; you were in the Phantom's world. Even the entrance outside the theatre was decked out in Phantom, and the energy from the people there (especially in the hour or so before a show when folks were lining up to buy tickets and go inside) was just amazing. What I also loved was that even when you weren't able to go inside and see the show, they played the audio from the current performance in the lobby. Once or twice, I wasn't able to get tickets, or it was a 2-show day and I could only afford to go once, but I still sat in the lobby and could listen to the show.
As for Anthony Crivello... If you're a fan of Leroux's novel, I think you'd really appreciate all the things Anthony did in the role. What really amazes me is that he hadn't read the novel, and yet he got so many details spot-on. And from a psychological perspective, you can see how his Phantom operated -- what set him off and made him violent, and what could pull him back from that. He's one of the few stage performers where I didn't feel like I was watching an actor playing a role; he WAS the Phantom, to the point where I was actually a bit nervous to meet him the first time. lol
But yes... It was an amazing experience, and I consider myself lucky to have seen it as many times as I did. The world of Phantom will never be quite the same after tonight.So it ends tonight. After one final performance this evening, the cast will get together for one last party in the Phantom Theatre before going their separate ways. Then (and this is what really upsets me) the custom-built theatre that was made specially for this production and modeled after the real Paris Opera House will be gutted. While some features like the proscenium and the box seats might remain, all the things that made it the Phantom Theatre will be removed and either destroyed or sent to other productions of the show. The chandelier will become a fixture -- still beautiful, but never again will it assemble over the audience's heads and then come crashing down. It pains me to write that; all I can think is "How could they?!"
Yet, in my view, this cloud does have a silver lining. There are many performers in the Vegas cast who were there since the very beginning and will be able to perform in the final shows. Anthony Crivello (the Phantom), Kristen Hertzenberg (alternate Christine; started out as the Mirror Bride and Christine understudy), Larry Wayne Morbitt (Piangi), Danielle White (Ensemble and Carlotta understudy), Michael Lackey (Auctioneer and Phantom understudy), Brianne Kelly Morgan (Meg), and many others in the company were there at the start and will be there tonight at the closing. It always felt to me like the Vegas company was one big family, and so I'm glad to see that so many people who were there from the beginning will be able to close the show together. And naturally, I'm hoping all the performers, musicians, and staff will be able to find good work worthy of their talent afterwards. Hopefully, some will even make it back to POTO one day on Broadway, in a future touring production, or elsewhere.
I'm thankful to everyone involved with the production -- everyone who had a hand in getting it started or keeping it running as long as it did, and that includes the cast, crew, musicians, ushers, gift booth folks, ticket sellers, and frequent audience members who spread the good word about this production. I'm especially thankful to the following people: Anthony Crivello, for being a truly frightening and compelling Phantom, but also one of the coolest and most giving people I've met. Kristen Hertzenberg, for showing me how well a Lerouxian interpretation of Christine can fit into the Lloyd Webber version, and for demonstrating how a performer can have all of their character's best qualities in real life. Danielle White, for being completely awesome, open, and honest, and for adding so many great phrases to my vocabulary (namely "Diva snooze"). Sarah Elizabeth Combs, for being my first Vegas Christine and showing me how a slightly modern twist can also work for the role. Brianne Kelly Morgan, for first getting me really curious about the show and for being so cheerful and energetic when talking to Phans online. Michael Lackey, for setting the bar higher for me when it comes to delivering monologues (especially those regarding music boxes and chandeliers). Daniel, a.k.a. BoBo, for taking me backstage so many times and telling me so many awesome stories about the show. And last but not least, my Vegas Phan crew for convincing me it was worth it, taking me there, getting me backstage, giving me a tour of the Strip, setting up a meeting and more with one of my childhood heroes (that would be our former Grantaire/Javert in Les Misérables, Mr. Crivello), and helping me find even more reasons to love this musical and story.
I'll conclude this blog entry with a letter I posted on the "Farewell" page for Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular:
Dear Company of "Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular,"
I've seen the show five times -- twice last year and three times this year -- and every single performance of this production I attended was one of the most magical events I've ever experienced. The venue is simply breathtaking; this was how "Phantom" was meant to be performed, and it's wonderful to know that there has been a production with such care and attention paid to every detail of the experience. The effects (and especially the four-piece chandelier) are a marvel to watch, and the care taken to make the theater look like the real Paris Opera House has, in my view, paid off superbly. I've ended up sitting somewhere different every time I've seen the show, and no matter where I was sitting, the view has been great and the experience amazing.
The visual aspect, though, is far from the only wonderful thing about this production. As with any update to a great and long-running show, the make-or-break aspect is the cast. I've seen and heard a lot of casts perform "Phantom," and I can quite honestly say you've consistently been among the very best. I don't know how you do it; none of the performances I attended of your production ever felt stale or halfhearted. Every single time, I've been moved to tears. The vocal and acting performances from the whole company have been astounding. This was one of the few productions I've seen of any musical, opera, or play where, in many cases, I didn't feel like I was watching actors playing roles onstage; a lot of you became your characters in my eyes. And the orchestra is also one of the best I've ever heard in a "Phantom" production; the power and energy the players bring to the score were always a treat for the ears.
One more thing I love about this production is how personable everyone has been. All the cast members, ushers, and crew I've met have been incredibly nice and easy to talk to, and I'm glad to be able to call myself a friend of several people in the company. I learned more about what it's like to be in this show and to have a career in theatre from my one-on-one chats with the actors than any video interview could ever teach me, and I appreciated those opportunities. I hope every single person working in this production will find great work befitting their immense talent, and that perhaps someday in the future, they'll get to return to the world of the Phantom. I know that the Phan community has benefitted greatly from having your production around, and I'm sure Gaston Leroux and Maria Bjørnson would be proud to know that their work has inspired such consistent and overall greatness.
In closing, while I'm sad to see this production close and wish it could play longer or be preserved somehow, I'm also glad for the opportunities I've had to see such a marvelous theatrical work, and to talk to such amazing people. Best wishes to all of you for the future. Please know that all of you will be missed, and I hope to see you all onstage again someday! Thank you for living up to your name and making every performance a spectacular one.
I remain your obedient servant,
I.A.E.
