What Makes a Great On-Stage Phantom?

Wow, that question just popped into my head, as I look forward to having Peter Karrie on All Things Phantom on September 10, 2011 @ 12 Noon, PST. His performances have earned him the title of “The World’s Most Popular Phantom” on two separate occasions, and we're very excited to talk with him about his portrayal of the role.

However, the question remains open to you, my readers. What makes a great on-stage Phantom in your opinion? We can think of many greats from the past who have played the role from Michael Crawford to John Owen Jones, currently in the production at Her Majesty's Theatre.

As I've wandered the Internet and various forums, you often see posts from individuals who talk about their favorites. Each person seems to have their own idea of what makes a great Phantom and why that individual's performance touched them above others.

Of course, none of us have probably seen every single man on stage who has worn the mask around the world in the various productions. In case you are curious who has worn the mask in the past 25 years, there's a good thread on Deserted Phans, a forum for POTO, attempting to list all who have played the iconic Opera Ghost. CLICK HERE

Out of the ones we see on stage, each fan seems to pick one performer that moves them the most in their performance. Out of the four Phantom's I've seen perform the role, Scott Davies, is my favorite. I wish I could say, I've seen Peter, but I have not.

So what are the qualities of a great stage Phantom? Where in the production do we judge the pinnacle of their performance to form an opinion? Music of the Night? Point of No Return? Final lair scene?

Do we take into account the vocals of the performer? How about his nuances of the portrayal of the Phantom himself -- like the way he moves across the stage, or uses his hands and fingers? How about the acting and his reactions such as his cries, his tears, his rage, his parting words of love to Christine? There are so many variances, it's really hard to point to one single thing that makes a great Phantom. Frankly, I think it's whatever touches you as an individual in the whole of the performance itself.

The character of the Phantom is portrayed differently from actor to actor. Always the same lines, usually the same choreography, but differences of interpretation as to the personality of the individual in the black cape. One may appear more menacing and evil than another in the final lair scene or another perhaps controlling, frustrated, or broken.

In the Music of the Night, seduction, passion, and chemistry between Christine and the Phantom vary too. How many have you watched them glide their hands across her body and sway her in a certain way that gives you that craving to be embraced by that bad-boy? I find it quite fascinating, because some people are more prone to the "sexy" Phantoms rather than the "dangerous" psychopath that has you in his clutches. Ah, such sweet intoxication!

I guess whatever floats your gondola is the one you'll choose as your favorite great on-stage Phantom.

Anyway, tune in if you can to hear Peter Karrie. We'll promise to pick his brain about his interpretation of the Phantom of the Opera and perhaps learn why he was chosen as the favorite of many.

If you want, comments are open this time. Feel free to post what makes a great on-stage Phantom in your eyes.

Regards,
The Phantom's Student aka Vicki

Enjoy Peter in the Music of the Night:

Phantom Forums

Hold onto your masks....Vicki is in a mood....

I've been ripping my hair out trying to think about what to post these days now that I'm done slicing and dicing the story. (Which reminds me, if I have one more comment on a book review that I've never read Gaston Leroux, I'm going to slice someone myself.) Well, on with the post now that I got that out.

I realize I've been bombarding you with Love Never Dies news, which some of you probably wish by now it would just die already. Nevertheless, I said when I got done with the blog/book, I'd probably turn to reporting on stuff. However, once in a while, just for the heck of it, I'd post something Phantom related.

Anyway, I've been hanging around a certain Phantom forum of late that I hadn't lit a candle in for quite some time. So I finally got back in, lit the wax stick, and logged into the forum. There are a variety of forums around the Internet for Phantom fans, and I find the forum world a tad bit interesting.

So what is a forum anyway? Well, to add a little humor to the mix, it's a place where Julius Caesar was stabbed to death in Rome.* Of course, Phantom forums are not Roman forums, but sometimes they do take on those characteristics of Roman forums, as well as gladiator arenas. With the divide in the lair these days, it can get pretty bloody. It is not for the faint of heart, and you could very well get stabbed to death should you tick someone off.

Well, they really aren't that bad. I'm just kidding, of course. :snicker: We are all mature adults, hiding behind some really odd screen names, with either recognizable avatars of Phantom something or other, or something really strange uploaded as our picture. Rarely does anyone use their real name. Only fools like authors who want to promote their books do, like me (mistake number one).

We all wear masks. Of course, it's the lair, why wouldn't we? No need to tell the other guy at the other end who you are when you're just trying to express your opinion about something Phantom-related. Right? It sort of feels Phantomy in a way. You get to hide in the catwalks of the opera house and peer down to the stage below. When you're ready to say something, you just let a note filter down to the floor and it gets posted. Viola! You're a phantom and nobody knows who in the hell you really are. You can hide behind your keyboard and boldly make your presence known.

I'm not sure after being back in the forum of the lair whether I like it or not. You tend to find that things are very polarized for the most part right now in many areas. It's not just the Love Should Die versus the Love Never Dies fans, it's the Leroux lovers, the stage lovers, the movie lovers, and the other lovers all thrown into a bowl mixed together. There are threads that you can weave your way in and out of according to various topics from personal news like you got dumped by your boyfriend/girlfriend, or the hot topic of the day about Love Never Dies and how you hate or love the dang thing. You can check out team Erik or team Raoul, or whatever your little Phantom heart desires. There's pretty much a thread for everything.

Unfortunately, like a bunch of toddlers in a playground we don't always play nice, so that's why they have "moderators" who are the keepers of the forum. Phantom fans are prone to strangulation, short tempers, and other personality quirks that Erik possesses. It's a tough job to keep the candles lit in the lair. Sometimes I get visions of them running around saving Raoul's everywhere that have been strung up and hung by another testy Erik. They quickly enter the thread, loosen the grip around someone's neck, and save the day. Peacekeepers indeed enforcing the rules of the forum . . . bravo to you brave souls!

However, if you're looking for fans of like precious faith in any area of Phantom, forums can be useful and a fun place to hang around. It's a place to share your excitement, likes, dislikes, post photos, and be real mysterious behind your avatar and screen name. It is not, however, for the faint of heart. Even with moderators, it can sometimes get a bit volatile, and you might feel like you are sharing Julius Caesar's death scene after expressing an opinion.

If you're looking for a few, here are some links. Pick a name, grab your mask, upload your avatar, and go for it! But remember, people in forums sometimes get stabbed.

Broadway World - POTO Forum

Deserted Phans

Erik of Music
Erik's Lair

Fanfiction.net - Phantom Forum

FanPop.com - Phantom Forum

Music of the Night - Yahoo Group

Musicals Net Phantom Forum

Phantom Collectors - Yahoo Group

The Phantom's Opera

I am sure there are plenty others out there, so if you're part of one you'd like me to enter another link, just add a comment, and I will put it above.

Regards,

The Phantom's Student or The Student
You'll find me lurking under that name in forums.

* Yeah, I know, on the steps of the portico of Theatre of Pompei. I'm trying to draw an analogy here, folks. Want to clarify that point lest I get another email that I'm a moron for not knowing anything.

High School Productions of Phantom of the Opera

If you're looking for a high school/college productions of The Phantom of the Opera, Rodgers & Hammerstein's website is the place to check out. You can do a search of where the productions are scheduled by going to the "Now Playing" tab. Sort by title, using the Phantom of the Opera search term. All the schedule productions will list.

If any of them are near you, go check them out and give the kids support! Enjoy the show. Frankly, I think this is absolutely wonderful for the younger generation to be able to play these iconic roles on stage. Who knows, perhaps some famous new upcoming artists will one day play Phantom, Christine, or Raoul, plus any of the other characters on stage in Vegas, New York, or London. Gosh, if I were in high school and could carry a tune, I'd audition, that's for sure. However, I'm flat as the lake in the lair.

Here is a link to a recent production at St. Edward's High School with production pictures.