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Here's the thread to post anything and everything related to the Great White Way!!! Ready, set, go!

Give my regards to Broadway.  ;)

I will... Haha jk

"I'm flying high, defying gravity.
Kiss me goodbye, I'm defying gravity
And you can't bring me down!"

OMIGOD I love that song!

Me too. Glinda, Elphie or Nessarose?

I walked down part of Broadway once (well, the sidewalk part, at Times Square). ;)

  SOME  ENCHANTED  EVENING......!!!

Elphie forever definitely!!!! You?

I love Elphie, but being disabled and a wheelchair user, makes me empathize with Nessa. I know what it is to be pitied and how badly it can affect your life. I know what i is to want to take control of things even if it is by force. I know what it is to be stuck in a chair and looked down upon...

Awww... The one difference between you two is that you won't be crushed by a house! :D

Well gosh I hope not!

i dreamed a dream is a great broadway song. I love BROADWAY!

This thread brings to mind the movie "Yankee Doodle Dandy" with Jimmy Cagney.  Great old Broadway tunes in that movie.

Remember the music man?

Me too!!!

Isn't I Dreamt A Dream a West End song? Anyways, I LOVE musical theater. But I'm not a big Schönberg fan. I CAN listen to it, but I'm not really touched. Even though I might be the only person in the world.

I thought of "The Music Man" at the opening of Believe.  Remember "... the bing-bang-bong on the Chinese gong by the bing-bang-bonger in the rear?"  Although David doesn't really go in for bing-bang-bong; he usually uses the gong more like a tympani.

Phantom of the Opera is one of the biggest shows, it's really hard to do, especiallly on the girl who's playing Christine.... that E note...

The role of Christine's actually not that hard. The hardest one in Phantom is Carlotta- you have to be a really good coloratura to sing that part correctly. It's very difficult to sing "badly" correctly.

In a lot of productions of Phantom the high E is pre recorded. The only Christine I know of that sang it every night consistently is Sierra Boggess who played Christine in Vegas, at the 25th anniversary, and most recently had a short run on Broadway :)

Yeah, do you think It's possible to sing the e note with singing lessons?

If you have the range, yes. Otherwise no. Proper technique can increase your range though.

Yeah definitely! I know from experience!  :P

That helps so much thanks!

It's in the show Les Miserables which started in the West End but eventually transferred to Broadway as well...to the best of my knowledge, the West End production is still running or a revival is still running. The Broadway production has closed, but I know for a fact there is a revival coming in March/April (with ramin karimloooo!!!) Hope that helped! :)

Yes I know, it was later on on Bway. But it was original in teh WE.

Brodaway, that's where all the real actors come from.

And the West End!!!

Yep!

Let's not forget that Susan is a West End Star and if you've seen some of her clips, she's extraordinary!

Yes! Her Elle Woods was phenomenal!

Definitely my favourite, I have a hard time listening to any that aren't her. She's fantastic as Serena on the Original London Cast recording as well.

I saw Alexia Khadime in Wicked in London about a month after she took over for the second time.  OMG, I still get goose bumps when I think about it.

I love the West End Elphabas, more than the Broadway ones usually. Its mainly a difference in how they're portrayed. I think the Broadway production plays on Elphaba's youth, so typically they sound younger. The West End production perhaps embodies the gritty side of Elphaba, which is a bit more to my taste personally, like Alexia, and later Rachel Tucker and Louise Dearman, and before they had Kerry Ellis. They tended to be 'growly' which for me gave Elphaba real life. Willemijn (current Elphaba, also did Broadway, Dutch and German productions) I feel is better suited to an English accent as well.

I'm also very much looking forward to seeing Jemma Rix when Wicked comes to Sydney later this year. I've heard clips from her, and she plays Elphaba wonderfully.

3 broadway/west end shows I refuse to ever see are Aida, Rent, and Miss Saigon

Any particular reason?

They're based off of 3 of my favorite operas, Aida, La boheme and Madame Butterfly, so I have a bit of personal bias against them

I can't believe there is a lord of the rings musical!

ok I usually love myself a bit of good theatre like phantom, les mis, wicked , lion king, shrek, etc but, I have to say after the tony awards guys... run don't walk to download the broadway cast album of Rocky off of iTunes! It is absolutely amazing! And yes Andy Karl is amazing and.... very easy on the eyes (probably tied with John Cudia who I saw as phantom)!! ;) And an amazing voice! he did an awesome job on the tony's and definitely one of my top three performances. Plus the 2 other montages from the show on youtube are just mesmerizing and can't take your eyes off to the point you want to see more! I hope when I am briefly in New York in September or if the girls play radio city again and I can do a weekend if Andy is till in it next year (very grueling show and very hard 8 shows a week) I would love to see it! So I usually wouldn't say I "love" something or tell people to listen to something but this album is amazing! oh, and it's not just boxing and for guys, it's for everyone. It has a beautiful storyline to it to, about hardships and overcoming the worst possible situation, to working hard to achieve what you want, love (the girl who plays rocky's wife Adrian is incredible to) ,and dignity (not giving away to much)! So a little something for everyone

Broadway is an amazing place, many beautiful voices are found there. Actually I heard that Phantom and the Lord of the Rings were the biggest shows that had to be set up ever in musical history! Watch the trailer on youtube! it's really epic, the Phantom of the Opera dvd came out already with Sierra Bogess and ramin Karimloo, (they did a really good job) and the Lord of the rings musical dvd is coming out in 2015 for its world premere! I cannot wait! :) ;D

My all time favorite is actually an off-Broadway show, Avenue Q.   

At a M&G years ago at RCMH, I mentioned it to Chloe.  She squealed with delight and said it was one of her favorites too.

Just saw POTO recently! Awesome!

Awesome! Coul you tell the actors? :D

On dvd actually. Ramin and Sierra, but I hope to see the movie soon, (even though the phantom is exactly not the best at... well.. yeah.. whatever...)

Yes, the 25th Anniversary DVD is awesome, especially the finale - Anthony Warlow is one of the "Five Phantoms"!!! But let me tell you - the 2004 movie is not worth watching. In fact, it's horrible. Horrible costumes (totally silly and Christine's outfits are sooo slutty!) and the actors are horrible, especially Gerard and Emmy!

You might remember that Seirra Boggess also played Ariel from Disney's The Little Mermaid. Broadway style, you know?

Yes, I know. She was really good at that part!

     Don't get me started on the 2004 movie! It really is dreadful. The only seen I did like was the Masquerade sequence, but everything else was just awful. As for the acting. It's like Joel Schumacher had never seen an actual production. There are so many incredibly talented actors/actresses out there who have proven their ability to capture the roles.
     It's true that there is a difference to how someone comes across on film and on stage, and most of them are stage actresses, but please, they could've done a better job than the cast of the movie. I would've loved to see Anthony Warlow and Marina Prior, but there are so many I could name that I'd better not.

That's right. She also played Fantine on the West End in Les Miserables.

Marcus, you're so right! Exept that I also didn't like the Masquerade scene... It was black and white with very similar costumes! The original Masquerade is colorful and has the most unique costumes one could think of! And I hate the Hannibal outfits for the girls. I mean, the ones used in the musical are supposed to look a little naughty, if not revealing, to a 19th century audience. The ones used in the movie look slutty to a 21th century audience! Same goes for the actors... pseudo-sexy, totally aged down (Christine is in her twenties, a teenager in the movie. Erik is in his fifties, a young man in the movie. Seriously???) and not able to sing. Well, they could sing pop. Emmy's voice is pretty but in no way operatic. And Gerard's voice has no haunting quality. Btw, I would love to have a movie or at least a recording of Anthony Warlow in Phantom! I adore him so much! I'm especially obsessed with him at the moment... I can't stop listening and watching videos of him on YouTube ;D I'd also LOVE to see a film of him in Annie! And Doctor Zhivago! They are going to make a new remake of Annie. With new music by Jay-Z!!! Aaaargh.... I want a new film of the classic musical production with Aaaaaaaaaaaaaanthony! And the original music, of course... Anyways, the 2004 movie is a horrible, ridiculous travesty of the original.

I thought the lack of colour in the Masquerade scene, although taking away from the vibrancy of the original, did give perhaps a more classical edge to the song, although probably completely different to a real masquerade. I thought the choreography and the filming of it was interesting though.

Yeah, as for Gerard and Emmy, they need to learn to sing true to the style of the show, and the movie was a complete flop.

I also have a little link for you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-76z6IFrrE

And you might be able to find clips from the recent Australian production of Annie, starring Anthony Warlow. They recorded a cast album.
 I actually saw him in Melbourne last week, having a conversation outside Her Majesty's Theatre (where they're showing Les Mis) with no less than CAMERON MACKINTOSH!

Thanks :D I know some clips of Anthony in PotO, Zhivago and Annie, but sadly, there is no full recording. I especially love him as the Phantom with Anna O'Byrne (I loooove her, she's is my all-time favourite Christine!!!) as Christine...

Oh I love Anna, she's wonderful. I really wish I could've seen her in LND when it was in Sydney, but I had an understudy, who was also very good, instead (every single time I go to the Capitol Theatre).

Actually, my favourite Christine would have to be Gina Beck. I absolutely adore her, she's the reason I got into Wicked as well!

Well, my favourite Christines are Anna O'Byrne, Claire Moore, Claire Lyon, Sierra Boggess, Sarah Brightman, Luzia Nistler, Ana Marina and Rebecca Caine. But I like most Christines. Exept for Emmy Rossum and Anna Maria Kaufmann ;D And my favourite Phantoms are... Well, in no real order, but kind of like this: Steve Barton (well, I am obsessed with him in general), Peter Karrie (he IS Erik, most perfect Phantom of them all, if you ask me...), Michael Crawford, Grant Norman, Hugh Panaro, Anthony Warlow (as a performer in general, he comes right after Steve. I love both so much! but as the Phantom he is at this place... poor guy...), Alexander Goebel, Ernst D. Suttheimer, Colm Wilkinson and Earl Carpenter. And, well, John Owen-Jones, Ian Jon Bourg, Henk Poort, Brad Little, Gary Mauer, Anthony Crivello and Ramin Karimloo. And every other Phantom besides Peter Hofmann (who was brilliant in general and totally miscast in PotO), Gerard Butler, Peter Jöback and Uwe Kröger ;P You see, I have a lot more favourite Phantoms  than Christines...

I haven't heard much by Gina Beck yet, but I liked what I've heard. Anyways, I'm not much into Wicked. I don't know why. I like some of the songs (Wonderful, Popular, Thank Goodness), can't stand other's (Defying Gravity, urgh!)... And I don't like the basic idea... It's like "poor Wicked Witch, we'll make a book/musical just for her where her baaad past is shown and she only became evil because everyone bullied her! Aaargh... I only like G(a)linda, she's awesome! I like her in Wicked more than in WoOz. While I never cared for Elphaba in the wizard (she was just a boring flat villain...) I can't stand her in Wicked...

*slight spoiler alert*

Elphaba doesn't actually become wicked (at least in the musical). Well, she does, for about ten minutes, but then you find out she's not actually wicked. While she's not a particularly complexed character, she is passionate and compassionate, feisty and independent.
That being said, G(a)linda is basically my favourite character, ever! She's not like most of the typical, brainless 'popular' girls, but she's also caring, and she learns so much throughout the story. She's not perfect, nor was she ever meant to be, and I think that's one of the best things about her.

I think with Elphaba, it's not so much about the character. Elphaba is a symbol for anyone who has ever felt like an outcast, and I think, at some point everyone has. I suspect we can also empathise with Elphaba, but we all secretly wish we were Galinda, but throughout the show, we learn to embrace our uniqueness(?) just as Elphaba does. For me, 'Defying Gravity' has always been such a powerful number, and it's about shedding your fears about what others say or think, particularly the ending where she flies.

NOTE: perhaps you just haven't heard the right version of 'Defying Gravity'? There are so many different versions of 'Defying Gravity' out there, not just in terms of covers like the Glee version (which, to be honest, does not do the original any justice) but also the number and variety of women who have played Elphaba in the show, each actress brings something unique to the role:
     Who can forget the raw power with which Louise Dearman and Jemma Rix belt out the song, the sheer determination and character that Kerry Ellis and Rachel Tucker sung with and the elegance that Nikki Davis Jones uses in her riffs.
There are so many more amazing actresses who have brought Elphaba to life but I just can't possibly name them all. Also I wouldn't necessarily trust what other people say about who the best Elphaba is, there is no definitive answer.
     If you do want to have a look at some clips, and need some suggestions about who to listen to, just shoot me a message, I'll be more than happy to help out.

The show, at least for me, was never about Elphaba becoming evil, in part it is to dispel the illusion that she was evil at all, so there's a lovely message about 'never judge a book by its cover'. But within that there's also the idea that from the right perspective, anyone can be considered 'evil'. But at the heart of the show is acceptance of yourself, and of others.

Sorry for the rant, Wicked is one of my all time favourite musicals and as you can tell, I absolutely adore it.

Thank you, but I know these things... I know Elphaba didn't become really wicked, but I meant I didn't like the original concept. Anyways, I don't like her much, while I love G(a)linda... As for Defying Gravity, I just DON't like the melody... The lyrics... the song itself very much. Same goes for The Wizard and I. And no, I don't dislike Elphaba's songs because I don't like her character.

Anyways, I rather like Wicked, I own two recordings, but I don't manage to feel it. It's just not for me... same goes for Les Mis. I've tried, but I am not able to like it. In fact, Les Mis might be my least favourite musical...

I actually saw it and loved it!!!!!!! Awesoem acting!!!! So emotional!!!! Poor phantom!!!!!!!! Gerard Butler did a great job, and so did Emmy!!!!!! Everyone should so see it!!!!!

Well, to each his own. I liked it to - before I knew more videos of the actual musical and realized how stupid the film was... But again, it's a pretty romance film for teenager. It just doesn't give justice to the musical - or the book.

I think that's what irks me the most about the film. The Phantom of the Opera is one of the best musicals out there. And, although I suppose that perhaps Gerard and Emmy really aren't that bad when it comes down to it, I think I'm just annoyed that they were in the movie, when there are so many Phantoms and Christines out there who are monumental.

Even the 25th Anniversary, as much as I love Sierra and Ramin (don't get me wrong, they're amazing) I really would have loved to see John Owen Jones and Gina Beck instead, but you can't please everyone.

Actually I was a little annoyed by the Phantom's make-up in the movie.

Yes. I like both Sierra and Ramin a lot, but I think they are a tiny bit overrated, since everyone screams out "THEY DA BESZZTT!!!1!!" But i think it was a very good performance, especially compared to the movie. Of course, th RAH couldn't do the stage justice, but it was nice. Especially if it's your only chance to see the play, exept for low quality YT clips of single songs... It's just... Ramin is a lot too young and too sexy for me. And I am not too fond of his MOTN, while I love is PONR, his Final Lair and his darn you... And at least he's really sexy and attractive. Gerard Butler is supposed to be sexy (Jolly Shoemaker might know why...) with his open shirt and all that nonsens, but he has no natural sex appeal, there's nothing attractive about him. He might have been attractive, if he didn't try that hard.

I like both John Owen-Jones and Gina Beck (even I haven't heard much by her) but they wouldn't have been my favourite cast. In fact, I am not sure about my dream cast at all. I adore Anthony Warlow in general, and as the Phantom, but I prefer more Leroux-ish Phantoms. Anthony is just like John such a beautiful-voice-good-technique-pretty-much-perfect singer. I love him as the Phantom, but while he's my 2nd favourite musical singer, he's not my favourite Phantom. I LOVE Peter Karrie, is the perfect Phantom (if you ask me), but he is too old now. Hugh Panaro is a wonderful "young" (OK, he's seven years older than JOJ, but he's younger than Anthony and still active...) Phantom. As for Christine, I've already mentioned how much I adore Anna O'Byrne. But I enjoy her mainly with Anthony... haha! Anyways, you have seen my long, long list. I'd be happy with any of them.

The movie is nice to watch as a movie. It's horrible to watch as an adaption of "The Phantom Of The Opera", both the musical and the book. The costumes are horrible, colourless, slutty (in a 21th century way!!! it's set in the 19th century!) and the actors are tooo young. Making the horribly deformed Phantom, who is about 50 years old (50 years in the Victorian era were OLD not middle-aged as today!) and HOORIBLY deformed (they made the deformity a lot smaller in the musical and that's okay, but Gerik's deformity was hilarious!) a pseudo-sexy young man with a little sunburn on his face that for some reason decided to live under an opera is silly. As for Christine... I can't stand the whole Christine as a teenager thing. That's just unrealistic. She was in her twenties, of age, has finished college and was a proper opera singer. She was young, yes. She was naive, because of her unworldly upbringing. But she wasn't a child. Think of the book and that time.They talked about the 15 year old Jammes like an infant, while Christine was always treated as an adult lady. Well, exept by Raoul who walked in to Christine's aunt and asked if she (Christine) was still a virgin or not...  ::)

The movie has lots of nice things, just like the black and white scenes, teh pictures coming to live, the set, etc. But that doesn't make up for bad acting and worse singing, totally nonsense sub-plots (what kind of junk buisness had the managers? and why the heck was Christine Mme Giry's adoptive daughter???) and unnessecary sexualization.

love sierra and Ramin! And you are very lucky if you got to see John owen jones and one of my faves as is Gina of course (she's the new glinda in the wicked us tour!) I would have loved to seen John and Rachel Barrell though! She's one of my faves since I was young and definitely tried to be like her since we are the same height and have the same type of hair! ANd as for the phantom movie yeah I love gerard butler but they could have done a better job with the make up and costumes (yes just like the latest les miz movie there were a few actors where  in the phantom on the west end who were in the movie so I liked it! and Emmy Rossum is ok I liked her a lot at the time!

I don't hin people should look at the way they look, i think it's the singing and acting we should look at . ;D

To be honest, Isabella, I don't know what you mean. Who doesn't look at the singing and acting? A musical constists of lots of things, such as the staging, the choreography, the costumes. It's the base of it all and there is a lot of work put into it and people should respect that work. It would be foolish to ignore it, because it what makes the musical alive. Still, singing and acting are essential in musical theatre. The singing is part of the musical, the acting is part of the theatre and everything else is the base of it all.

And the problem is, the singing and acting were particularly bad in the movie. Gerard Butler is a very bad singer. His acting is mediocore, but inapproriate for the Phantom. As for Emmy, she has a really pretty voice. The problem just is, that she doesn't have the voice for a 19th century opera singer, like Christine is supposed to be. And back then she didn't have the voice of an adult, as Christine is an adult. She has the voice of a 21th century teenage pop singer and that's absolutely okay. Just not for Phantom of the Opera. And her acting is very plain. She was just there, being pretty. And she was not able to portray an adult with such a life story. Christine was raised by her father, traveling like a gypsy all around Sweden, all her education were fairy tales - and she believed in them. She was a tomboy, later raised by an old Frensh lady (NOT Mme Giry!) after her father's death and she then became an opera singer, with a bad social standart. Emmy played Christine as a spoilt little, innocent, teenage princess. So, after all, both were absolutely miscast. It wasn't their fault - it was Joel Schuhmacher's. But apart from that, other things in the movie were important to. You can't judhe a movie or a play just by singing and acting! There were some nice things in the movie, but lots of bad things, compared to the musical.

And if we see it the way you want us to see it, if we only judge it by the singing and dancing - well, then is the movie a lot worse than it actually is. Because the singing and acting is definitely the weakest part of the whole thing. Well, and Christine's slutty outfits, their bad, too...

And yes, sex is a big part of the musical - but in a decent way, and that's okay. The movie is over-sexualizied, that's not okay.

That's your opinion,  :D But it's okay, you kind of have to go beyond the singing and acting to really see their emotions.... but whatevs.... I think Masquerade was way better in the movie.... I love the musical with Ramin and Sierra, I think Ramin did a great job! But Sierra, I thought her voice was too strong for the part..... especially when she sings "Wishing you were Somehow Here Again," the strength note she sings sounds like somebody stepped on her toe! It's meant to be soft, a sad goodbye song. Emmy did it just right... and the special effects in the movie! WOW! But still I agree with you, past the point of no return in the movie... was focusing to much on the sexual thing.... i really wanted to see the tender love... not lust... I don't like the song at all if you ask me but.. yeah! So that's my opinion!    ;)

I don't only need more than singing and acting to like the play, I also need good singing and acting to feel the emotions.

Past the point of no return was okay, because the sex theme is approriate there. It's just that everything in the movie was about sex. I mean, everything in the musical is about sex too, but in a more... decent and serious and maybe more civilizated way. Joel Schuhmacher just decided to turn the whole movie into a corny, exaggerated and obstrusive sex parade. And that's annoying. It's about restrained lust, not about sex-around-the-theatre.

I think Sierra is a wonderful Christine, but not the best, she's slightly overrated. Anyways, her passionate Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again was just right, even though I prefer other versions. Her voice was not at all too strong for the part. Christine's voice is supposed to be strong. Opera singers are supposed to have strong voices, and while PotO is not an opera (even though some people believe that), Christine is an opera singer. And it's not meant as a soft goodbye song. It's meant as a passionate ´wishing you were somehow here again, I wish you were back with me-song. Christine is angry with her father for leaving her and telling her about the angel that turned out to be the Phantom! She's angry with herself, for being angry with her late father. She is angry with Erik, with Raoul, with Carlotta. She is desperate, because she misses her father, she is afraid, she loves Raoul, but also loves and hates Erik at once. There are so many powerful emotions. And she needs her father back, in her difficult situation! That's what it is in the musical. In the movie, it's a Christine-is-visiting-thegraveyard-to-sing-apretty-song-for-her-father-and-show-the-audience-her-cleverage-scene. Anyways, my favourite version is Anna O'Byrne's (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_cXX7tuAck). Perfet singing and acting.

As for Ramin, I really like him. He's a good Phantom. But a tiny bit overrated too. He is to young and too "sexy". I'd love him to play the Phantom again in maybe ten or even twenty years. He'd be perfect! His singing and especially his acting (those facial expressions! those shaking hands!) are fabulous, while his voice is a tiny bit too earthly and real. He's not unearthly enough, yet.

Christine is supposed to be very young actually, not Sierra's age, is she 40? I don't know, but still.... the movie I thin really showed his desperateness more then the musical..... Gerard Butler really brought to life the phantom's character, He's frightening, he's attractive, he's utterly desperate for love..... NOT SEX. That's the way it is, Maybe I look at it differently then you do.... but still... Christine is supposed to be an innocent, naive, gullible, inexperienced opera singer who is caught in the Phantom's clutches. The realistic depiction of the outfits in those times were excellent. I plain out have to say it. The movie is better then the musical. I didn't see the too much sex thing you're talking about, or even the "sl--ty" dresses as you put it, I saw true acting, and real emotion, (not saying that the musical doesn't have great acting in it!) but yeah. it's the way you look at it. You can sit down and watch a movie expecting you'll see something overly sexy, and you will, but if you watch a movie not knowing what to expect, well then... you don't find all the black spots your mind has created.  ;)

I think Gerard Butler brought a character to life, and I think he's a more than capable actor, but the Phantom from the movie wasn't the Phantom that so many 'Phans' have fallen in love with. He's not supposed to be frightening so much as unsettling, and he's supposed to be charismatic, not attractive. His singing was not quite up to scratch, it didn't have the right tone, (I think it's very hard to do, and even if you look at plenty of other Phantoms, he's definitely not alone), but I do feel, at least for the movie, they could and should have had someone better. As for desperation, I've seen Phantoms who show more sorrow and desperation than the movie's Phantom.

For me Gerard Butler lacked something in his portrayal of the Phantom, and again, it has nothing to do with his acting ability. His version of the Phantom just didn't cut it for me to be honest.

Even Emmy, don't get me wrong, I think she's lovely, she's sweet and innocent, but I think she lacked that subtle mature quality that I think is inherent in Christine's character. Christine is hardened by her father's death, an orphan. She's an adult. You'll note that Christine is also fascinated by the darkness "Little Lotte thought: Am I fonder of dolls or of goblins or shoes?" She's not completely innocent. There is something twisted in her, which is what draws her to the Phantom, something that Emmy's portrayal lacked. It's not so much that the Phantom traps her, but she is equally drawn to him.

I understand that for the movie they deliberately made her younger, but it didn't work for me, but that has nothing to do with Emmy. She played Christine well, but she fell slightly short in the Finale (the trio with the Phantom and Raoul) and I found the scene a little dry.

I agree with Marcus, I understand Isabella, but I am afraid she doesn't understand me.

Sierra is not 40. She was 29 at the 25th Anniversary and she is 32 now. Christine is supposed to be in her early twenties. Sierra is a few years older, but who cares? If you really want Christien to be played by only by actresses between the ages of 22 and 25 then there won't be many productions anymore. The imprtant thing is a good singer and actress, not a young girl. And Christine isn't that innocent. She isn't in the book. She isn't in the musical. And she isn't in the movie. In the book she is a tomboyish girl of a questionable parentage who became an opera singer. Society didn't have a good opinion of opera singers. She is much the same in the musical, exept that she was originally a dancer, because ALW wanted to show off Sarah Brightman's (she was the original Christine an dhis wife back then) dancing abilities. In the movie, she was raised by Mme Giry (who came up with such an idea?) always stole her attention for Meg (she never did that in the book or musical!) and she was a lolita. If you ask me, the movie Christine is the least innocent. She's jsut the most naive. Christine isn't naive. She doesn't believe in the angel of music because she is stupid or naive, but because she was raised in a very unusual way. She didn't know better. Apart from that, she believed it was an angel sent by her father in the book and the musical. She believed the angel actually was her father in the movie. I am criticizing Joel Schumacher, not Emmy Rossum. There are so many different Christines. Just watch this video, Isabella: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7gtyWXwGzI It is impossible to like them all, but it's also impossible to love only one of them. That is the wonderful diversity.

My opinion has always been, that the Phantom longs for love. Anyways, he also longs for sex, that is minor. The original intention of the creative team of PotO though wanted to make the Phantom long for sex. Personally, I ignore it. "The Point Of No Return" is for that matter and that's it. Everything else is about love. In the musical.

I think you didn't understand me correctly. As for the outfits. The Hannibal slavegirl outfits are supposed to look provocative - from the view of a 19th century person. They do look that way in the musical. They are not at all provocative to a 21th century person, but 21th century persons don't exist. The movie outfits look provocative to a 21th century person. Not much, but a bit. I have no personal problem with it, but it's very unrealistic. The second is Christine's cleverage on the graveyard in a snowy night. How unrealistic is that? She'dget a pneumonia. And people didn't survive that back then.

I've said it and I say it again: Gerard is a good actor, but bad as the Phantom. He didn't fit at all. He isn't a good singer. Emmy is a lovely singer but not for Christine. She is an average actress, but that is unnessecary since Christine is often portrayed by weak actresses. Both of them were autotuned, because he never had any training and Emmy was simply too young. The great opera singer Kristina Nilsson, who is the real life base for Christine, said only fully grown girls should sing/learn opera, because they would ruin their voices any other way.

As for the sex... I have no problem with it, but as I've said, I think it's annoying. And that's mainly in the small things, it's implied. That's Joel's personal taste. And for the last part of your post, Isabella. What do you actually think of me? I didn't expect anything overly sexy and still don't consider it overly sexy. And my mind has not created any "black spots", as you call them. I have learned a lot about historical - especially victorian - fashion and ettiquette over the years since I've seen the movie for the first time. AND I've got some background information. And I've read and participated in lots of interesting and reasonable discussions. I am not annoyed by thing like PONR, but simply the way it is unrealistic and annoying. Everything is superficial in the movie. Because Joel Schumacher wanted everything to be sexy and cool and young and pretty and so on. And it didn't work.

I didn't say the movie was bad, I just said why I don't like the movie and that is a difference. And it's impossible to say one of it was better in an objective way. You can say what you prefer - I prefer the musical. And Isabella, please watch some clips of the actual musical on YT, because the 25th anniversary is much closer to the musical than the movie, but it's still not the same at all. But after all, that's all subjective.

And I want to end it now. This musical vs. movie fight goes on for a decade now. I just hope it will end. -.- We all have told our opinions. So, that's it. If someone else wants to tell her/his: Do it. But no arguements, please.

Personally, I am open for everything. I know there are many people focusing on one production, mainly the movie, the anniversary or the OLC, screaming "Emmy/Sierra/Sarah izz da bezzt!!11! And all de ozers zuck!!!!11!" but I refuse too. Especially because all these three productions ar eto soem bits overrated. The OLC is one of my favourites, I love it. I especially love Steve and the whole ensemble, I love Michael and I even like Sarah. But there are lots of other wonderful productions around the whole world. I love the 25th anniversary, because it is what gets closest to watching the musical at home, but I still think it isn't the best and doesn't have the best cast. As for teh movie, I'm not a hater of it, even though I might appear to be one. There are lots of things I don't like about it, but I still appreciate it. It's just wrong to say one production was the best - without even knowing more than three. I am proud to have more than... I think twenty favourite Phantoms and about ten favourite Christines, while I like even more. And i hate these who-is-better-catfights. Did you see those on YouTube? It used to be mainly Sarah vs. Emmy, but now it's mainly Sierra vs. Anna  ::)

And Isabella, I really like you. You are a very nice girl. But I want to point out one thing - I said I prefer the musical over the movie. I even said I don't like the movie. You said the movie was better than the musical. Do you see that difference? I don't want to argue here. I just want all of us to keep in mind that we can only tell our preferences - and the reasons for our preferences. This is art, it's impossible to be objective about art. So don't say "XY is better than YX" no matter in what case. Say "I like XY more than YX". There are lots of stage productions and actors I don't like, so I am not at all praising the stage production to be the best. I just like several stage productions a lot more than the movie. Finding a new little clip of an actor I haven't heard of yet is always a great joy for me. It's one of the little things that make me happy.

I'd have to agree with some of your points there. Let's face facts. Gerard Butler isn't the greatest actor and he certainly isn't a singer of the caliber needed for playing the Phantom. As for Emmy, I think she was simply too young. If you look at her now, she is AMAZING! Her voice has grown so much and her opera singing is fantastic. And she's also grown into an amazing actress! I'm a huge fan of hers, especially on Shameless!

I completely agree with you. Gerard was simply a wrong cast. Emmy would have been a good cast now, but not bakc then.

As I said, it is the way you look at it, so you and I have a different opinion, and that is perfectly fine! :D No hard feelings?  ;D  Back to the Broadway subject..... I can't wait for the LOTR musical to come out!!!! I loved the movie, bu a musical!!!!! Imagine how they're going to do it!!!!!!!

The LOTR musical already exists. At least in the West End :) There is even a cast recording :D

They're planning to take it on a World Tour next year :D

Do you know when they are coming out with the dvd????

I didn't know they were making a DVD... Seriously, I have no idea.

Oh, thanks! ;D Is Susan going to be in any new Broadway productions?

Susan has never been in any Broadway productions. She was in the West End, though. I hope she won't play there in the next years, because I want her to stay with CW!

Anyways, I'd like Lisa K, Alex and Méav to play in musicals again.

Me to. I just saw the Poto musical again.... I have to admit... I was wrong, the movie and the musical are the same, in acting and singing.... Sierra and ramin are astounding....

That's nice to hear. I'm glad you like both - means more to enjoy for you :D

yeah.. I made a rash judgment! That's me rash!!!! But broadway is really buzzing this season!!!

As for Broadway... Do you know Sutton Foster? I think she's amazing, especially in Anything Goes!

She is! I've only ever listened to the titular song from Anything Goes. To be honest though, I always preferred Patti LuPone's version of the song, but that was partly to do with the production and arrangement as well.

Check out Sutton's "Blow, Gabriel, Blow" it's beyond perfection ;)

As for Patti... I know, she's good. She's a big name. A great star. I've tried to warm up with her. Some recordings are quite nice... but... I just can't. I am not able to. Believe me, I've tried! But Patti shares my least-favourite-musical-singer place with Idina Menzel... I just can't like their singing and acting, no matter how much I want to...

Actually, you know the funny thing is, I feel the same way about Patti most of the time, but for Anything Goes (or at least the song) I think she's perfect. As for Idina, she's not my least favourite, but I do feel she's a little overrated sometimes, but she's got passion.

Funnily, I also really like Patti singing the title song of Anything Goes ;D Even more than Sutton, sometimes, even though I prefer Sutton in general as Reno. Or at all. I absolutely adore her. And the 2011 revival fo Anything Goes was fantastic (JOEL GREY<3!!!)

I really want to know, can you find Alex Sharpe's Eponine on youtube?

I know there's her version of On My Own...

Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX-DOxAOanY

Thanks!!!!!!

Do you think there is a Broadway version of the Cell Block Tango?

There is no Broadway version of it. The Cell Block Tango is a Broadway song, from a musical called "Chicago". Our very own Lisa Kelly used to play the role of Velma Kelly in it. All non-Broadway versions are covers. Do you know the "Spell Block Tango", a parody featuring Disney villains?

Oh, yeah. Most words are copied.

Has anyone seen West Side Story? What is it about?

I never got to see it (though I would love to)... I know the songs, though. The music is by the fabulous, outstanding, wonderful Leonard Bernstein. The lyrics are by Stephen Sondheim (who is also very good).

It's a modern day Romeo and Juliet. It's set in the 50s in NY and it's about star crossed lovers, gangs and so on. It has very joyful scenes, but doesn't end happy - at least not for the lovers. It's Romeo and Juliet.

It's most known songs are I Feel Pretty, Tonight, Maria, America and Somewhere. Somewhere like the acapella song by CW.

Lisa Kelly played the role of Maria (Juliet) twice, Hayley Westenra sung her parts on a CD.

Thanks!

Glad to help :)

Any La Cage Aux Folles fans here? I am absolutely obsessed with it! My favourite song is "The Best of Times"...

Yaaas! La Cage Aux Folles was my school musical last year and I had so much fun doing it. I really love 'We Are What We Are' and 'I Am What I Am'.

So I listened to the original cast recordings of Sweeney Todd and Spamalot yesterday while baking cookies.

...at least I wasn't making pies.

I love these songs, too! What part did you play? :D I also really love the finale! It's one of the best finales fo musicals I know...

I was one of the Cagelles :) And the finale is absolutely wonderful and was so much fun to perform.

Oh, I absolutely believe that! It must have been wonderful! And it#s so very, very funny!

It is, it's one of the funniest musicals I know.

Same here! I think Jacob is especially funny, though possibly a bit exaggerated ;D

I think exaggeration is what show business is about ;) it was so much fun to perform and it was great to experiment with gender a little bit.

Haha, certainly ;D "I've ordered a butler!" - "And you've got a maid!"

Has anyone seen the musical Hamilton? If so is it any good

Hmm... I'm not into rap that much, but it seems to be incredibly popular.

Kevin Tarte will probably play Krolock again!

While this is somewhat out of sequence --

I saw Alexia Khadime as Elphiba in the London version of Wicked.  OMG.  I've subsequently seen the show on Broadway and a couple of touring productions.  The London show is the one I will always remember.

There was a comment about I Dreamed a Dream.  The first year that Susan was on tour with CW, I had a M&G about 2 weeks before the show was at RCMH (this was when you could actually talk to the girls).  I asked her how she felt about doing CW's Tribute to Broadway (Dream and Circle of Life) at RCMH.  She said she was more nervous that her parents were going to be at the RCMH show to see her for the first time with CW.  I told her she'd do a great job, and I would be in the second row smiling at her.  A couple weeks later at another M&G she said she saw me and thanked me.

Continuing on with the theme (and relating it to CW), at another RCMH show I mentioned to Chloe I had seen Avenue Q.  She said she loved it!

For just music, nothing I've seen beats Million Dollar Quartet.  Jersey Boys is pretty good also.

Anastasia is now on Broadway! It looks amazing