Phantom Musicals
Phantom: The American Musical Sensation is a musical with music
and lyrics by Maury Yeston and stage play written by Arthur
Kopit. It was based on Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel The Phantom of
the Opera and is frequently described as the most successful
musical never to have played on Broadway.
Yeston and Kopit had just finished the musical Nine, winner of
the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1982, when they were
approached by Geoffrey Holder to write an American musical
based on Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel, The Phantom of the Opera.
Holder had obtained the rights from the Leroux estate, making
Phantom the first and only Phantom of the Opera musical to do so.
The plans were for Holder to direct.
Yeston and Kopit's original problems with the storyline were the
questions of: “Why did Erik, the Phantom, love Christine?” and
“How did they meet?”. Leroux's book offered no insight into these
questions. In the novel, Christine and the Phantom had already
met and known each other for some time, and there was not an
explanation as to why he loved her. Yeston and Kopit decided to
move the story to an earlier period to the time of the actual
meeting so that the audience could experience that moment. They
also decided to place the Phantom in danger so that Christine
could be his salvation. The Phantom's danger was that he had a
life-sustaining need for beautiful music and could not exist
without it. The conflict in the story comes two-fold: firstly, when
Gerard Carriere loses his position as head of the Opera house and
therefore cannot protect Erik anymore; and secondly when
Carlotta, the new diva and owner of the Opera, starts to sing. She
has such a terrible voice that the Phantom is in torment and his
salvation must eventually come through Christine, whose voice is
so amazing that he falls in love with her. The story also twists
later on when it is revealed that Gerard Carriere, the previous
owner of the Opera house, is actually Erik's father. Erik's worst
fear is that he would be captured and treated like an animal in a
zoo because of his horrendous face. The police surround him and
the chief of police tells his men not to shoot because they "can take
him alive!" It is Erik's worst nightmare that he will be put on
display like some circus freak, so he shouts out to his father for
help. Carriere understands and he grabs a policeman's gun and
aims at his son. He can't bring himself to do it, but Erik begs him.
Carriere fires and the Phantom falls, calling out Christine's name.
Yeston and Kopit also had to deal with other problems; an event
that would impact the publicity of their musical. In 1984, British
producer Ken Hill did his own melodrama musical of The
Phantom of the Opera in England. But the real threat emerged
through an announcement in Variety (magazine) where an article
was published concerning plans for a musical production of The
Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Shortly after that, Kopit saw the Andrew Lloyd Webber version of
The Phantom of the Opera in New York and realized that the
approach he and Yeston had taken was fundamentally different
that it could still work on the musical stage. A few years later, he
rewrote his script outline into a teleplay for a 4-hour 2-part
miniseries and sold it to NBC, with Yeston’s blessing. It was
filmed at the Opera Garnier, the only Phantom-based story ever to
do so, and the only music used was opera music. It starred Charles
Dance, Teri Polo and Burt Lancaster and premiered on television
in 1990. Kopit said, "I told Maury to hold on. There were Phantom
musicals sprouting up all over the place by that time. Maybe
someone would see the miniseries, think it would make a good
musical and we’d be ready.” In effect, this is what happened.
Phantom: The American Musical Sensation is a musical with music
and lyrics by Maury Yeston and stage play written by Arthur
Kopit. It was based on Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel The Phantom of
the Opera and is frequently described as the most successful
musical never to have played on Broadway.
Yeston and Kopit had just finished the musical Nine, winner of
the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1982, when they were
approached by Geoffrey Holder to write an American musical
based on Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel, The Phantom of the Opera.
Holder had obtained the rights from the Leroux estate, making
Phantom the first and only Phantom of the Opera musical to do so.
The plans were for Holder to direct.
Yeston and Kopit's original problems with the storyline were the
questions of: “Why did Erik, the Phantom, love Christine?” and
“How did they meet?”. Leroux's book offered no insight into these
questions. In the novel, Christine and the Phantom had already
met and known each other for some time, and there was not an
explanation as to why he loved her. Yeston and Kopit decided to
move the story to an earlier period to the time of the actual
meeting so that the audience could experience that moment. They
also decided to place the Phantom in danger so that Christine
could be his salvation. The Phantom's danger was that he had a
life-sustaining need for beautiful music and could not exist
without it. The conflict in the story comes two-fold: firstly, when
Gerard Carriere loses his position as head of the Opera house and
therefore cannot protect Erik anymore; and secondly when
Carlotta, the new diva and owner of the Opera, starts to sing. She
has such a terrible voice that the Phantom is in torment and his
salvation must eventually come through Christine, whose voice is
so amazing that he falls in love with her. The story also twists
later on when it is revealed that Gerard Carriere, the previous
owner of the Opera house, is actually Erik's father. Erik's worst
fear is that he would be captured and treated like an animal in a
zoo because of his horrendous face. The police surround him and
the chief of police tells his men not to shoot because they "can take
him alive!" It is Erik's worst nightmare that he will be put on
display like some circus freak, so he shouts out to his father for
help. Carriere understands and he grabs a policeman's gun and
aims at his son. He can't bring himself to do it, but Erik begs him.
Carriere fires and the Phantom falls, calling out Christine's name.
Yeston and Kopit also had to deal with other problems; an event
that would impact the publicity of their musical. In 1984, British
producer Ken Hill did his own melodrama musical of The
Phantom of the Opera in England. But the real threat emerged
through an announcement in Variety (magazine) where an article
was published concerning plans for a musical production of The
Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Shortly after that, Kopit saw the Andrew Lloyd Webber version of
The Phantom of the Opera in New York and realized that the
approach he and Yeston had taken was fundamentally different
that it could still work on the musical stage. A few years later, he
rewrote his script outline into a teleplay for a 4-hour 2-part
miniseries and sold it to NBC, with Yeston’s blessing. It was
filmed at the Opera Garnier, the only Phantom-based story ever to
do so, and the only music used was opera music. It starred Charles
Dance, Teri Polo and Burt Lancaster and premiered on television
in 1990. Kopit said, "I told Maury to hold on. There were Phantom
musicals sprouting up all over the place by that time. Maybe
someone would see the miniseries, think it would make a good
musical and we’d be ready.” In effect, this is what happened.
Another Phantom musical was composed by Ken Hill, as we have
seen before.
Ken Hill's Phantom of the Opera is the first musical adaptation of
the novel Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux. It deals with
the hideously disfigured Phantom's amorous obsession with the
magnificent, naive singer, Christine.
Despite it being the first musical adaptation of the story it
received a lot less publicity and acclaim than the version it
inspired by the award-winning Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Ken Hill's Phantom musical is a unique and brilliant adaptation
of Gaston Leroux's classic novel, dealing with the hideously
disfigured Phantom's amorous obsession with the magnificent,
naive singer, Christine. Writing witty, original English lyrics to
the music of Verdi, Gounod, Offenbach, Mozart, Weber and
Donizetti, Hill created a stunning evening of murder, mystery,
and song. It is a return to Gaston Leroux’s original story and its
long forgotten humour. For Ken Hill, like Gaston Leroux, the
Opera Ghost is not merely a "creature of the imagination of the
artiste," rather he is a spirit who will touch all those who enter the
theatre.
This first production was produced at the Duke’s Playhouse,
Lancaster on July 26th, 1976, where it proved to be an extremely
popular hit. Ken Hill’s Phantom of the Opera then emerged in
1987 for it’s American premiere in St Louis at the Repertory
Thatre of St. Louis. This production starred Sal Mistretta as The
Phantom - his performance won him the St. Louis Theatre Critics
Award. A second US production was mounted in 1988 in San
Francisco at the famed Theatre in the Square, produced by
Jonathan Reinis.
In 1991, Ken Hill's Phantom of the Opera returned to the United
Kingdom where it embarked on a national tour and then
transferred to London’s West End. It opened at The Shaftsbury
Theatre on December 18th 1991.
Since 1992, Ken Hill's Phantom of the Opera has toured the world,
in countries such as New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Japan,
Korea and the United Kingdom.
seen before.
Ken Hill's Phantom of the Opera is the first musical adaptation of
the novel Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux. It deals with
the hideously disfigured Phantom's amorous obsession with the
magnificent, naive singer, Christine.
Despite it being the first musical adaptation of the story it
received a lot less publicity and acclaim than the version it
inspired by the award-winning Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Ken Hill's Phantom musical is a unique and brilliant adaptation
of Gaston Leroux's classic novel, dealing with the hideously
disfigured Phantom's amorous obsession with the magnificent,
naive singer, Christine. Writing witty, original English lyrics to
the music of Verdi, Gounod, Offenbach, Mozart, Weber and
Donizetti, Hill created a stunning evening of murder, mystery,
and song. It is a return to Gaston Leroux’s original story and its
long forgotten humour. For Ken Hill, like Gaston Leroux, the
Opera Ghost is not merely a "creature of the imagination of the
artiste," rather he is a spirit who will touch all those who enter the
theatre.
This first production was produced at the Duke’s Playhouse,
Lancaster on July 26th, 1976, where it proved to be an extremely
popular hit. Ken Hill’s Phantom of the Opera then emerged in
1987 for it’s American premiere in St Louis at the Repertory
Thatre of St. Louis. This production starred Sal Mistretta as The
Phantom - his performance won him the St. Louis Theatre Critics
Award. A second US production was mounted in 1988 in San
Francisco at the famed Theatre in the Square, produced by
Jonathan Reinis.
In 1991, Ken Hill's Phantom of the Opera returned to the United
Kingdom where it embarked on a national tour and then
transferred to London’s West End. It opened at The Shaftsbury
Theatre on December 18th 1991.
Since 1992, Ken Hill's Phantom of the Opera has toured the world,
in countries such as New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Japan,
Korea and the United Kingdom.
An amazing version can be found in Czech Republic.
It is based in the famous novel written by Terry Pratchett:
Maskerade.
The premiere was in 12th April, 2006 and is still playing.
The author and adaptor is Stephen Briggs.
It is based in the famous novel written by Terry Pratchett:
Maskerade.
The premiere was in 12th April, 2006 and is still playing.
The author and adaptor is Stephen Briggs.
A new musical version of the story just opened at Toby's Dinner
Theatre of Baltimore. It is a completely original version
commissioned by Toby herself some years ago, with a book
written by Michael Tilford and music and lyrics by Tom Alonso, a
Howard County native.
Standouts in the minor supporting roles include Byron
Fenstermaker as the Inquistor of the trial, Dean Davis and Scean
Flowers as the first owners of the opera, Laura Keena as Meg Giry,
Maya Goldman, a diminutive charmer, as the Young Phantom,
Laura Wehrmeyer as Christine, Braxton Peters as the Phantom.
Theatre of Baltimore. It is a completely original version
commissioned by Toby herself some years ago, with a book
written by Michael Tilford and music and lyrics by Tom Alonso, a
Howard County native.
Standouts in the minor supporting roles include Byron
Fenstermaker as the Inquistor of the trial, Dean Davis and Scean
Flowers as the first owners of the opera, Laura Keena as Meg Giry,
Maya Goldman, a diminutive charmer, as the Young Phantom,
Laura Wehrmeyer as Christine, Braxton Peters as the Phantom.
