Questions about "Phantom of the Opera"
Apr 28th, 2003, 10:21 AM
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Questions about "Phantom of the Opera"
I'm going to sound like the country mouse that I am here, but. . .
I went to see the touring production (Broadway South) of "Phantom of the Opera" in Raleigh last week. Though I don't have much background in theater I thought the actors did a wonderful job and the staging was great, but I have questions about the chandelier.
The chandelier in the Raleigh production looked like an embellished Victorian-era brass space ship. I thought it would have been a lovely crystal chandelier. Over the weekend I saw a television commercial for the play and the same chandelier in the theater was in the ad.
Also, the chandelier was only hauled up over, to what looked like, the orchestra pit. (I was in the back) Was that for the safety of the audience? I thought the chandelier was supposed to take a dramatic fall across the audience.
Other people who have seen the play in other venues was this the same? Maybe it's the set up of Memorial Auditorium that prevents this.
I went to see the touring production (Broadway South) of "Phantom of the Opera" in Raleigh last week. Though I don't have much background in theater I thought the actors did a wonderful job and the staging was great, but I have questions about the chandelier.
The chandelier in the Raleigh production looked like an embellished Victorian-era brass space ship. I thought it would have been a lovely crystal chandelier. Over the weekend I saw a television commercial for the play and the same chandelier in the theater was in the ad.
Also, the chandelier was only hauled up over, to what looked like, the orchestra pit. (I was in the back) Was that for the safety of the audience? I thought the chandelier was supposed to take a dramatic fall across the audience.
Other people who have seen the play in other venues was this the same? Maybe it's the set up of Memorial Auditorium that prevents this.
Apr 28th, 2003, 12:07 PM
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Thanks for your response Celine fyly.
After thinking about it some more, my guess is they don't want crystal or something that would shatter into a million pieces for safety. Maybe they could have made 'crystal' out of lucite or plexiglass or something more glass like.
It really wasn't a big problem, but Memorial Auditorium has two big, beautiful chandilers inside (and more in the waiting area) so the contrast between crystal and a spaceship looking one was jarring.
After thinking about it some more, my guess is they don't want crystal or something that would shatter into a million pieces for safety. Maybe they could have made 'crystal' out of lucite or plexiglass or something more glass like.
It really wasn't a big problem, but Memorial Auditorium has two big, beautiful chandilers inside (and more in the waiting area) so the contrast between crystal and a spaceship looking one was jarring.
Apr 28th, 2003, 12:52 PM
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I have seen Phantom 3 times at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, though it was several years ago. The chandelier was indeed "crystal". It was hauled up and hung squarely above the audience and then fell to the stage. Maybe since I last saw the show (and it did have to be at least 5 years) something happened to make them switch.
Apr 29th, 2003, 01:24 AM
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I have seen Phantom in Boston. Do not know anything about Raleigh venue, but it seems logical to assume a certain type of pre-existing structural stuff must be available to fly the chandelier over the audience - perhaps this did not exist in Raleigh, which I assume is a smaller venue than Boston or Washington.
Apr 29th, 2003, 02:20 AM
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Saw the touring company here in Honolulu, also saw the Broadway production 3x. The only time I thought the chandelier looked cheezy was my last time in NY when I had crappy seats way in the back. When you're sitting under it or at least in the front orchestra section, the effect is quite impressive.
While we're on this subject - has anyone noticed a severe decline in the quality of the NY production? Like they cut cast or something - the sound sucked and our Raoul left at intermission(he was speaking his lines, anyway).
While we're on this subject - has anyone noticed a severe decline in the quality of the NY production? Like they cut cast or something - the sound sucked and our Raoul left at intermission(he was speaking his lines, anyway).
Apr 29th, 2003, 06:48 AM
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Yikes, at least the cast didn't leave in the middle of the show!
There is a lighting structure in the middle of the orchestra section, but the chandelier was no where near it. The chandelier went almost straight down, it there was going to be an accident, the orchestra conductor would get hit.
Seating at Raleigh's Memorial Auditorium (I just can't call it the BTI Center) is in one continuous line. Though there are section names, the Balcony is behind the Mezz and it is is behind the Orchestra. My guess is there is seating for 2,000 - 2,500 people.
There is a lighting structure in the middle of the orchestra section, but the chandelier was no where near it. The chandelier went almost straight down, it there was going to be an accident, the orchestra conductor would get hit.
Seating at Raleigh's Memorial Auditorium (I just can't call it the BTI Center) is in one continuous line. Though there are section names, the Balcony is behind the Mezz and it is is behind the Orchestra. My guess is there is seating for 2,000 - 2,500 people.
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