Orchestras: Canned Or Alive

Greetings, all! In the spirit of trying to be more active on this blog, I've decided to attempt a weekly format. Instead of waiting for an awesome topic to pop up in front of me, I'm just going to blog about anything that pops into my head that has to do with the world of POTO. That is, after all, how most blogs tend to work, right?

Fortunately, this week's topic is something pretty interesting. A recent post on Mark Shenton's blog points out that stage musicals seem to be turning increasingly to artificial things in order to save costs, potentially leading to greater profits. For example, some use projected sets and effects rather than ones that actually have to be constructed by hand. And some stage productions, as Shenton notes, use pre-recorded instrumental tracks rather than hiring live musicians.

Now, the example Shenton brings up near the end isn't a great one if he wants to argue the point that this is a bad thing – I don't think anyone could deny that the use of canned music in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is a stylistic choice rather than merely a cost-cutting one. And it's certainly not a new thing; in its early days, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom was mocked by critics for its use of drum machines and prerecorded synth instruments. (The organ, percussion, and synth strings of the Overture and the title song, for example, are entirely prerecorded.) And in the Japanese productions, the orchestra has been completely prerecorded since the beginning. Going back even further, it's often said that Bye Bye Birdie was the first musical to feature some prerecorded singing, and that was way back in 1960.

So what do I think of this? In short, I think it can work well as an artistic choice to create a new and different sound. And as a cost-cutting measure... well, I'm not the biggest fan of it, but given the economic situation, it may be the only way for new musicals to make enough money to last for a good length of time on Broadway. In any case, feel free to weigh in on this issue by posting your comments!

Keep an eye out for another blog post next week – perhaps one that's more POTO-related!


I remain your obedient servant,
I.A.E.

Understudies Need Some Love

Greetings, fellow Phans! Well, the semester is officially over for me. I'm now enjoying summer vacation and should be able to blog here more frequently. Also, I'll be going to see POTO in Las Vegas in a little over a month, so you can expect a review of that performance. I'm definitely excited to see the stage show again, and I've heard great things about the cast! Speaking of stage show casts...

Joyeux anniversaire à toi, Monsieur Gaston Leroux!

143 years ago today, the man who created the original story of Erik, the Phantom of the Opera, was born. This year also holds the honor of being the 100th anniversary of the novel's first English-language publication. (It had first been published in French 2 years prior as a newspaper serial, and debuted in novel form in 1910.)

Whatever version of POTO each of us might hold nearest and dearest to our hearts, we must give credit where it is due... so cheers to the man without whom none of this -- not the movies, musicals, Phan webpages, fanfics, or even this very blog -- would exist. Thank you, Monsieur Leroux, for creating a story that has stood the test of time and continues to touch audiences to this day.


I remain your obedient servant,
I.A.E.

New Touring Production Coming Soon!

It was only a matter of time, I suppose (and let's hope this isn't a really bad, early April Fool's Day joke)... but according to a just-released article in Variety, Cameron Mackintosh (who produced the original productions of POTO as well as many, many other musicals in the UK) is planning to debut a new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical that will open in the UK and then tour around the world. The production will feature all-new direction, sets, and costumes.

That last bit makes me a bit wary... but I'm willing to approach it with an open mind, seeing as there were many aspects of the non-replica Hungarian and Polish productions that I liked. "Different" doesn't necessarily mean "bad;" what made me fall in love with the musical was the superb story, characters, music, and lyrics, so as long as those aren't messed with and the performers chosen are good, I'll be eager to see what comes out of this. But what do my fellow Phans think?


I remain your obedient servant,
I.A.E.

Complaining About Shows You Don't Watch, or Don't Like

The title of this post is taken from two pages on TVTropes, a site I've mentioned here before and probably will bring up many more times in the future. XD This is intended as a response to the most common criticisms of dissenters in general, which have been used quite a bit recently by fans (and even the creative team) of a certain new POTO-related stage show. This seems especially pertinent now given the tactics being employed by the show's composer who, along with his company, has sunk to new lows in order to paint everyone who opposes the musical as a loony whose opinion doesn't deserve to be taken seriously.