Playwright: Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber. At: Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph St. Tickets: 800-775-2000; www.BroadwayInChicago.com; $23-$115. Runs through: March 2
Happy 25th anniversary to The Phantom of the Opera! This popular Broadway is now updated and reimagined, with new props, sets and costumes. There is still more pomp and circumstance intact in this production than a Liberace and Elton John concert combined.
The longest-running musical in Broadway history tells the story of an opera house haunted by a disfigured composer who lives underneath it. A chorus singer named Christine Daae moves into the spotlight and quickly becomes his obsession. Their fate unfolds in two and half hours.
The "Music of the Night" is there, with the classic Andrew Lloyd Webber score and lyrics by Charles Hart having captivated audiences for years.
The new blocking moves things along quickly with a lot of smoke and mirrors. It was interesting to note that cables now help the actors descend the appearing out of thin air tower stairs without falling in the new hi tech show.
The secondary characters take a back seat to main love triangle of Christine, Phantom and Raoul until Ubaldo Piangi arrives on the scene. Played by flamboyant face-painted Frank Viveros, he is a hoot to watch. Then Jacquelynne Fontaine, as Carlotta, almost steals the show as the diva delivering lines like "Your part is silent, little toad!"
The already massively popular show still needs a bit more tweaking in places to fill out the storyline. For example, in the relationship between Christine Daae and the phantom, things need to be fleshed out more. Is she sympathetic to his plight or truly in love with the man? Possibly adding tender Beauty and the Beast moments drives that point home. It is difficult to see why she puts up with actions such as strangling her and driving her absolutely mad at times. Phantom of the Opera was originally a labor of love for Andrew Lloyd Webber's then-wife Sarah Brightman, so it seems logical to have more of that in the storyline. Christine makes a deal with the devil not to just be a stand-in for Carlotta's role, and seems fully developed.
Cooper Grodin has some nice moments personifying a frustrated Phantom. The mask is off this time around while only being hinted at in past incarnations.
Julia Udine, personifying Christine, performs well vocally and has a wide-eyed innocence. There are a few microphone fade-outs during Udine's solos on opening night but were fairly minor in occurrence.
Raoul—played by recently Windy City Times interview subject Ben Jacoby—has the pipes but sometimes doesn't transcend beyond playing a third wheel, although this is more the script's fault.
Linda Balgord, who plays the ballet teacher Madame Giry, channels the Black Swan headmistress to a tee.
The "Masquerade" dance sequence in front of mirrors is a highpoint and a delight to watch.
Sitting on the fourth row under the chandelier, the rubber glass brought the show literally into my lap. Cast members even stroll right down the aisles at given points. The phantom's voice is projected around the room, and works as a nice stage trick.
For those shelling out big money for tickets, this show gives fans plenty—as the 18 truckloads of sets exemplify. Dressing for opening night has become so casual it was a treat to see attendees dressed in opera-style regalia to show off their night at the theater.
Looking for drama? Phantom has bucketloads of it. So throw Cats out with the kitty litter—this is the Webber musical to see! The Phantom haunts another opera house soon, so get your tickets today.
