All Things from the heydays of Phantom

I like to post old and "obscure" ,as it's been put, things from Phantom especially pre 2000. I have a specific interest in covers and understudies who have no online presence, which makes me sad, and I want to put them out there so they get the attention they deserve! var sc_project=11768495; var sc_invisible=1; var sc_security="a565bd9c";

[phantomofrueplumet]

Christine absolutely refused to go down without her kitty 🐈‍⬛

(Original photo credit @operafantomet)

[phantomofrueplumet]

VHS to MP4 conversion!

𝘏𝘪 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦, 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 have 𝘢 𝘝𝘏𝘚 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘰𝘴.. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 - 𝘪𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘰𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘰𝘮 (𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦) 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦! 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 (𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘵) 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘵 :)

[phantomofrueplumet]

Just to confirm, this is completely false correct?

[phantomofrueplumet]

RIP Timothy Nolen. Looks like he may have died all the way back in August. It's sad how there are no articles or obituaries online and it wasn't brought up until now, the only thing I can find is his name listed on a memorial page in the SAG-AFTRA magazine. He was 82.

(For anyone who does not know, he was the 2nd Phantom on Broadway, and 4th ever principal Phantom in the world), taking over for Michael Crawford in 1988 until early 1989.)

[phantomofrueplumet]

POTO B’way closing

Im sure everyone is very upset about the Broadway production closing, I cried several times.

Dear TheaterMania: With all due respect, I can almost guarantee that us fans really do not need a blow by blow of the set being taken out to add to our sorrow.

like I get it its a huge deal and huge story and I am sure I’m being way over the top it just..makes it hurt even more seeing this kinda thing!

Anyone else agree?

[phantomofrueplumet]

Insert stapled to the April 29th playbill from the Los Angeles production of Phantom regarding Michael Crawford’s last show!

[phantomofrueplumet]

A 1995 Toronto playbill with an insert of Doug LaBrecque going on as The Phantom. He played Raoul in Toronto, though I am not sure whether he was was principle or understudy, even the playbill collections don’t show much in terms of him. I do know there is an audio recording of him from 1998 with Ethan Freeman so he was likely in the show to some capacity for a few years. Mid 90′s programs from Toronto are nearly impossible to find (heck, there’s alot more original cast or Colm Wilkinson ones), and 1996-early 1998 I have legit never seen and don’t know the understudies (it’s driven me crazy for years)

Anyway this was a neat find, there is also a video (so shaky it might as well just listen to it) of his Music of the Night on YouTube and he sounds really nice!

[marleneoftheopera]

does anyone else keep getting messages/comments about how they should’ve cast michael ball as the phantom?

[phantomofrueplumet]

@marleneoftheopera​ Yes, There are several people who I would like to see play the role more than him. Ben Jacoby, Michael Shawn Lewis, Andrew Ragone, Jeremy Hays (all from Phantom),  Alexander Gemignani,  Alfie Boe (Both Les Mis)..

I would pay a kidney to see any of them in the role and many other people as well just didn’t wan to rant too much!

[phantomofrueplumet]

Here is the obscure cast member of the week! LOL (I guess this is my thing now, posting anyone who I’ve never seen online before)  Fireman and Phantom / Raoul understudy Brian Noonan, who was in Les Misérables (The Third National Tour sometime around 1995) as Enjolras. Not sure how long he was in Phantom, this is from October of 2001.

Also features Elizabeth Southard as the princess and the understudy Christine before her National Tour run as principle Christine. She also was an understudy in the Vancouver stop of the Canadian tour in 1997 with Peter Karrie. 

[phantomofrueplumet]

So apparently Lawrence Anderson, who was Raoul in the 2nd U.S. Tour from 1995 (?) to the closing in 1998 also did a stint in the UK Tour in 1998 for the Dublin, Ireland stop. Pretty interesting (and random! wonder if he has family there or if it was an emergency cover type scenario) 

So I guess Steve Barton isn’t the only Raoul to play the role in both the USA and the UK.  

[phantomofrueplumet]

Another obscure Christine I've never heard of - Jamie Dawn Gangi from 1993 Toronto (not sure whether it's early or late '93). This is pretty much the only Christine I have never seen mentioned online so I'm putting it out there! She is also married to Stephen Buntrock, former Roaul and Phantom understudy on the US tour and Broadway!!

And based on another article she played the role on Broadway too though I have never seen anything in playbill archives.

[wheel-of-fish]

@littlelattewanders tagged me to share my nine favorite phantoms! They are, in no particular order…

Saulo Vasconcelos

Jeremy Stolle

Earl Carpenter

Ethan Freeman

Michael Crawford

Hugh Panaro

Davis Gaines

Tomas Ambt Kofod

Gary Mauer

Honorable mentions go to Brad Little, John Cudia, Jonathan Roxmouth, John Owen-Jones, Ian Jon Bourg, Howard McGillin, Laird Mackintosh, Ivan Ozhogin

Uhhh not sure who’s been tagged, so feel free to ignore: @i-am-melancholys-child @boxfivetrades @phangirllnd @hobbitmajora @jeremystollemyheart @cryomyst @coatntails @masksonmasks @witdiseased

[cryomyst]

Thank you @wheel-of-fish for tagging me! ❤️

The top of my list is James Barbour coz he’s the first phantom I saw live on Broadway… 🤣 Just kidding, my nine favorite phantoms are:

Ramin Karimloo

Colm Wilkinson

Hugh Panaro

Gary Mauer

Peter Jöback

Saulo Vasconcelos

Earl Carpenter

Howard McGillin

Jonathan Roxmouth

Tags: @letyourfantasiesunwind81, @i-penna, @rienerose, @ashadeintheshade, @jan-phangirl, @nerdywriter36, @behindthemirrorofmusic… No pressure to play, of course!

[letyourfantasiesunwind1]

Thank you @cryomyst 💖💖💖💖💖

My 9 fav Phantoms:

1- Hugh (I could stop here!!!!!!!)

2- JOJ

3- Jeremy Stolle

4- Gary Mauer

5- Laird Mackintosh

6- David Thaxton

7- David Shannon

8- Ethan Freeman

9- Ian Jon Bourg

Tags: @a-sleeping-bud @a-partofthenarrative @boxfivetrades @marleneoftheopera @jennyfair7 @nerdywriter36 @tomblr1895 @jamiepage19 @obesessedwbeautiesandbeasts and anyone else who wants to play. No pressure!!!!

[marleneoftheopera]

Thanks for the tag @letyourfantasiesunwind81!

I say this for every tag I get but wow how do I pick just 9?! I also say this every tag too but at least 4 or 5 of these spots are always changing like weekly. And even though there’s a number next to them they aren’t really in any order. Besides Michael, he is always number 1.

1. Michael Crawford

2. Jonathan Roxmouth

3. Ted Keegan

4. Jeremy Stolle

5. Hong Kwang Ho

6. David Thaxton

7. Mikael Samuelson

8. Norm Lewis

9. Hugh Panaro

Also adding in Ramin, Tim Howar, Josh Piterman, Ben Crawford, Tomas Ambt Kofod, John Martin Bengtsson, Victor Wallace, Derrick Davis, John Owen Jones, Mike Sterling, Gary Mauer, Saulo Vasconcelos, Scott Davies, Espen Grjotheim, Ian Jon Bourg, and Ben Forster. And also Gardar and Bronson, even though they were LND Phantom’s.

Tagging @glassprism, @operafantomet, @roadtophantom, @atruevaljean, @phantomrueplumet and whoever else would like to do it!

[phantomofrueplumet]

Thanks @marleneoftheopera for the tag! Okay so top 9. This is easier for me than the one with Christine since I have been pretty consistent with my Phantom favs over the years lol, I can even do them in order! 

Peter Karrie (I’m a huge drama fan for this role and he is as dramatic as it gets! love the kinda nutty and unstable portrayal at the end alot also)

Michael Crawford

Ramin Karimloo

Ethan Freeman (same reason as #1 on the list in his own way)

Ernst Suttheimer (same reason as 1 and 4 haha)

Norm Lewis

Ted Keegam

Scott Davies

Ben Crawford

Also like John Owen-Jones, Davis Gaines, David Thaxton, Jeff Keller,... OK im rambling but anyway I like them pretty much equally. There’s really only 2 I dislike in the role. Easy to please me as Phantom haha 

all of my followers and people I know on Tumblr has been tagged.. so I guess whoever wants to do it plus @teaandpinkfrosting, @behindthemirrorofmusic

[wheel-of-fish]

@opheliarose7​ tagged me to share my favorite 9 Christines and tag 9 mutuals! They change all the time, but here are the ones for today, in no particular order.

Giulia Nadruz | Gina Beck | Kelly Mathieson | Mercedesz Csampai | Sibylle Glosted | Amy Manford | Tamara Kotova | Beatrix Reiterer | Ali Ewoldt

Tagging @jennyfair7 @letyourfantasiesunwind81 @glassprism @rscoil @madamefaust @rjdaae @boxfivetrades @theres-music-in-you @teaandpinkfrosting

[jennyfair7]

Thanks for the tag, @wheel-of-fish! 😊

As usual, to make it easier on myself, I’m sticking with Christines I’ve seen live. In no order: Kaitlyn Davis, Jennifer Hope Wills, Kelly Jeanne Grant, Rachel Barrell, Kaley Ann Voorhees, Julie Hanson, Emma Grimsley, Kristi Holden, and Rachel Anne Moore (counting LND because she is AAAH so good)

Tagging: @marleneoftheopera, @phantomtrader19, @benny-lynne, @mothlightfilm, @toru771, @timebird84, @bububalloon, @denise8691 & @pensez-a-daae - no pressure! (And if you can’t think of 9, go with whatever number 😋)

[marleneoftheopera]

Thanks for the tag @jennyfair7!

Just 9?! Alright. And yes these do change up on a weekly basis because I always seem to listen to someone and find a little bit of them that I love that I didn’t hear before haha.

But right now I would say my top 9 are: Sarah Brightman, Elisabeth Berg, Meghan Picerno, Rachel Barrell, Kaley Ann Voorhees, Astrid Giske, Charlotte Page, Sibylle Glosted, Maria Listra, and also I’ll throw in Monika Sommerova, Emma Grimsley, and Adrienne McEwan too cause I’ve been listening to them a bit recently and I loved seeing Emma live.

Tagging @operafantomet, @phantomrueplumet, @roadtophantom, @andrewlloydwebber, @viscountess, @phangirllnd, and anyone else who’d like to do it cause it’s been a long day and I can’t think of who else to tag at the moment lol.

[phantomofrueplumet]

Tagged by @marleneoftheopera, thanks! Definitely gave me something to do tonight!  Okay so here it goes (gonna put a star next to ones I have seen live) In order: Dale Kristien (hilariously I love her for the exact reason some people dont.. her unique diction! not sure why it just gives me chills), Rebecca Caine, Eva Tavares*, Claire Moore, Kaley Ann Voorhees* (her 2nd run), Sierra Boggess, Emmy Rossum, Amy Manford, Rachel Barrell IDK I seem to go back and fourth on Christine favs I’m easy to please with that role  I tag @crazyphangirl, @behindthemirrorofmusic, @letyourfantasiesunwind81 (IK it’s not 9 sorry haha)

[phantomofrueplumet]

So this is very interesting to see. (from early ‘93 playbill) I knew Ciaran was an understudy Phantom on both Broadway and the original 3rd US tour cast, but I never knew Grant Norman was an understudy on Broadway before being in the tour (1994-1995) and in London (1996).  So I guess that makes him the only Phantom to be on Broadway, the US tour, AND London (unless you count LA as a tour since Michael Crawford did that) ..Also was unaware Grant covered Raoul! (and James Romick as Raoul too?! wish there was audio of that!) 

[phantomofrueplumet]

VIDEO GEMS...THAT WE MAY NEVER SEE 😭

These are both pictures of the POTO official site from 1998, and these were all videos you could watch on the site. Not sure what year they discontinued these or WHY (😭😭) but these were once available. And it makes me wonder if it means they took video of the full show. That would mean there’s video out there or MARK JACOBY (and rest of cast). Plus better footage of Crawford from both productions he was in. I want to try to find a way to contact someone about these..like I said why oh why would they take them away. Such a shame but I would love to find a way to find them. Especially the 1991 tour cause Mark sounds so neat I’d love to see video of him. 

[phantomofrueplumet]

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1uWQ2dRsrA40t2sSRU4nIyuwkkGTVvmr8 Former Raoul (National Tour 1999) and Phantom (National Tour 2008) Richard Todd Adams singing the iconic song from POTO This was at a one night show (October 31,2019) called “Broadway Fright Night” at my local regional theater the Palace in Manchester, NH. They did one song from lots of musicals including Phantom, Wicked, Bat Boy, Dance of the Vampires, Jekyll and Hyde, The Rocky Horror Show, Young Frankenstein and much more (anything with a “supernatural or spooky Theme”..guess mass genocide in Les Miz doesn’t count haha) I have the full show but this is all I will share publicly since there’s been a crackdown lately of copyright stuff (well maybe I’ll post one or two more songs), but feel free to ask me if I have a certain song or about the full audio! Who know this might be removed but..whatever. That’s the right attitude right? Lol Enjoy! P.S. Tumblr wasn’t taking the file to I had to upload it to drive