Post by roguecannon on Nov 20, 2008 20:20:25 GMT 9.5
In Auckland!
Fun sort of city, though in the middle of the week its not as if there a huge number of things to do...but there was ONE thing I came here to see.
And I saw it.
Row C -Third row back.
DEAD CENTER SEAT.
So close I swear some times I almost felt I could reach out and touch the performers.....but I digress.
It was the 'A' case if you will, Anthony and Ana, with Alex and the rest all at the top of their game as always, damn near blowing me back across the Tasman to Sydney. Damn near better then Sex...but I digress.
I was somewhat annoyed that no-one stood for a standing ovation and I was just too damn cowardly to do so -but I swear I came damn close thrice, once when Nadia came out, once when Ana came out and once when Ant came out. The last time, I twitched up and went right back down when I realized to my horror that no-one else was even going to get up for Warlow himself! Sometimes I guess having a dozen fanatic girls with glitter masks may be an asset....
Though I will take an oath that Nadia and Alex both smiled directly at me as I held my hands as high as I could and clapped and Warlow -as I was directly in front of him when he bowed- looked directly at me and shot a grin...
Of course I'm probably just imagining it, but damn it, its the story I'm sticking to!
I should have had the courage to stand up when Warlow came out, I'm sure I would have got the Kudos for being first
Anyway, moving on.
I had the awesome bonus of going backstage with a small group -about 10 people- after the show ended with the Deputy Company Manager Holly Buchanan and it was AWESOME to see it.
She also politely told us no cameras were allowed which was a bit annoying so no pics, sorry!
We walked in on the -audience- left of the backstage to the 'quick change' area where the cast have to change between scenes. THIS AREA IS LIKE 4 METERS FROM THE SIDE OF THE STAGE. Seriously, I measured it roughly, they are barely out of site around the corner. I saw some of the cool gear for Price, Nadia and some others, they have to get changed in TOTAL SILENCE in record speed, as most of the time they don't have the time to jump to their dressing rooms behind the stage. Very small area with lots of half dressed people...speaks well for their professionalism that they get it done.
Very cool stuff.
Interesting fact 1; a great many of the costumes are the same costumes from the original Australian production of Phantom, they have been maintained THAT carefully between shows for so long, that they are still entirely viable. The casts wigs are also almost entirely human hair. And after every performance, it is taken out, washed heavily and straightened, then put back into the design they need...and it is a real b*tch of a process according to Holly.
Interesting fact 2; this is the smallest theater they have been in. EVER. So much so, a lot of stuff had to be 'floated', that is suspended from the roof to stow it! And I'm not talking about music boxes here, the frigen ELEPHANT from the Hannibal sequence and much of the Mascaraed staircase are dangling on lines that looked all too thin to me...
The guy who also controls all the electronic rigs and bits that move also has a problem in that thanks to the cramped conditions, he now only has a VERY limited view of the place. He is SUPPOSED to see everything directly, instead now he uses 3 TV monitors...uch, that doesn't sound good!
Also some VERY tall ladders the cast have to climb. After the Phantom and Christine go through the mirror, they have to run around the back to the left hand side and up to the 'travalator' -what they call the zig-zagging staircase- via a pair of ladders in a VERY short time. Lots and lots of practice makes perfect. Warlow also has to climb one HELL of a ladder to get up the arch to his little golden spaceship -cute name- and he of course gets a lot of time to do this in as we don't directly see him for some time. He is also strapped in quite tightly when he is in it.
The stage itself is covered in tracks for the theater boxes, the chandlers from the side in the lair and one or two other things...but NOT the boat. That is directly remote controlled on wheels by a guy like a big toy car....and God help him if he hits any of the floor candles, they're $1000 a pop!
And candles have been hit several times.
So anyway while we were being given the tour, I had the good fortune to have Jackie Ress -aka Madame Giry- show up. She had a couple of friends she had gotten into the tour, and I managed to intercept her as everyone walked down to have a look at the orchastra pit and we chatted for a good 5-10 mins. WONDERFUL lady to talk to, really easygoing and she signed my book and everything!
Oh and you girls are officially upgraded to the Official Stalker Group for this touring company. Kudos!
Well not really
She DID know all about you -ALL the cast does it appears- by name, she knew about 'that website' and when I mentioned 'unexpected song' by name, she was very much 'Yes, thats it!'.
She appeared slightly confused how *I* had fallen in with the group -I think she got the impression we were all girls, I wonder how- but was cool with it when I explained everything. She was also in full agreement with my awe at Ant for his final LSS performance and how neither he nor Alex or Ana so much as flinched during the poor misshap.
And she is also in some awe of ONE of you, who has apparently seen this company 30+ times. So am I for that matter...
She was also quite, if not horrified, then quite shocked I guess, when she realized the problem the shortened season meant for the group in terms of airline tickets, the work and travel complications involved, and she appeared quite impressed by the fact that so many people were frantically reworking to try and attend...
She told me to say she was looking forward to seeing some of you in the next few days BTW.
And many more in the LPS and LADS.
She also annoyingly found my position vis-a-vee the glitter masks utterly hilarious and she left me with the distinct impression that Ant would as well...and that my request for a waiver may fall on deaf ears.
Dang.
By the time we finished out tour of course, all the other cast had long since left, which was a shame as the Stage Door was right up in the open right next to the place this time and only a small scattering of people were there when our group went inside...
More to come after I come down from this sugar high Phantom always gives me... ;D
Fun sort of city, though in the middle of the week its not as if there a huge number of things to do...but there was ONE thing I came here to see.
And I saw it.
Row C -Third row back.
DEAD CENTER SEAT.
So close I swear some times I almost felt I could reach out and touch the performers.....but I digress.
It was the 'A' case if you will, Anthony and Ana, with Alex and the rest all at the top of their game as always, damn near blowing me back across the Tasman to Sydney. Damn near better then Sex...but I digress.
I was somewhat annoyed that no-one stood for a standing ovation and I was just too damn cowardly to do so -but I swear I came damn close thrice, once when Nadia came out, once when Ana came out and once when Ant came out. The last time, I twitched up and went right back down when I realized to my horror that no-one else was even going to get up for Warlow himself! Sometimes I guess having a dozen fanatic girls with glitter masks may be an asset....
Though I will take an oath that Nadia and Alex both smiled directly at me as I held my hands as high as I could and clapped and Warlow -as I was directly in front of him when he bowed- looked directly at me and shot a grin...
Of course I'm probably just imagining it, but damn it, its the story I'm sticking to!
I should have had the courage to stand up when Warlow came out, I'm sure I would have got the Kudos for being first
Anyway, moving on.
I had the awesome bonus of going backstage with a small group -about 10 people- after the show ended with the Deputy Company Manager Holly Buchanan and it was AWESOME to see it.
She also politely told us no cameras were allowed which was a bit annoying so no pics, sorry!
We walked in on the -audience- left of the backstage to the 'quick change' area where the cast have to change between scenes. THIS AREA IS LIKE 4 METERS FROM THE SIDE OF THE STAGE. Seriously, I measured it roughly, they are barely out of site around the corner. I saw some of the cool gear for Price, Nadia and some others, they have to get changed in TOTAL SILENCE in record speed, as most of the time they don't have the time to jump to their dressing rooms behind the stage. Very small area with lots of half dressed people...speaks well for their professionalism that they get it done.
Very cool stuff.
Interesting fact 1; a great many of the costumes are the same costumes from the original Australian production of Phantom, they have been maintained THAT carefully between shows for so long, that they are still entirely viable. The casts wigs are also almost entirely human hair. And after every performance, it is taken out, washed heavily and straightened, then put back into the design they need...and it is a real b*tch of a process according to Holly.
Interesting fact 2; this is the smallest theater they have been in. EVER. So much so, a lot of stuff had to be 'floated', that is suspended from the roof to stow it! And I'm not talking about music boxes here, the frigen ELEPHANT from the Hannibal sequence and much of the Mascaraed staircase are dangling on lines that looked all too thin to me...
The guy who also controls all the electronic rigs and bits that move also has a problem in that thanks to the cramped conditions, he now only has a VERY limited view of the place. He is SUPPOSED to see everything directly, instead now he uses 3 TV monitors...uch, that doesn't sound good!
Also some VERY tall ladders the cast have to climb. After the Phantom and Christine go through the mirror, they have to run around the back to the left hand side and up to the 'travalator' -what they call the zig-zagging staircase- via a pair of ladders in a VERY short time. Lots and lots of practice makes perfect. Warlow also has to climb one HELL of a ladder to get up the arch to his little golden spaceship -cute name- and he of course gets a lot of time to do this in as we don't directly see him for some time. He is also strapped in quite tightly when he is in it.
The stage itself is covered in tracks for the theater boxes, the chandlers from the side in the lair and one or two other things...but NOT the boat. That is directly remote controlled on wheels by a guy like a big toy car....and God help him if he hits any of the floor candles, they're $1000 a pop!
And candles have been hit several times.
So anyway while we were being given the tour, I had the good fortune to have Jackie Ress -aka Madame Giry- show up. She had a couple of friends she had gotten into the tour, and I managed to intercept her as everyone walked down to have a look at the orchastra pit and we chatted for a good 5-10 mins. WONDERFUL lady to talk to, really easygoing and she signed my book and everything!
Oh and you girls are officially upgraded to the Official Stalker Group for this touring company. Kudos!
Well not really
She DID know all about you -ALL the cast does it appears- by name, she knew about 'that website' and when I mentioned 'unexpected song' by name, she was very much 'Yes, thats it!'.
She appeared slightly confused how *I* had fallen in with the group -I think she got the impression we were all girls, I wonder how- but was cool with it when I explained everything. She was also in full agreement with my awe at Ant for his final LSS performance and how neither he nor Alex or Ana so much as flinched during the poor misshap.
And she is also in some awe of ONE of you, who has apparently seen this company 30+ times. So am I for that matter...
She was also quite, if not horrified, then quite shocked I guess, when she realized the problem the shortened season meant for the group in terms of airline tickets, the work and travel complications involved, and she appeared quite impressed by the fact that so many people were frantically reworking to try and attend...
She told me to say she was looking forward to seeing some of you in the next few days BTW.
And many more in the LPS and LADS.
She also annoyingly found my position vis-a-vee the glitter masks utterly hilarious and she left me with the distinct impression that Ant would as well...and that my request for a waiver may fall on deaf ears.
Dang.
By the time we finished out tour of course, all the other cast had long since left, which was a shame as the Stage Door was right up in the open right next to the place this time and only a small scattering of people were there when our group went inside...
More to come after I come down from this sugar high Phantom always gives me... ;D
Please feel free to introduce yourself in the Introducing thread in the General board, also to contact myself or anyone here if you have any questions. We hope you enjoy your time with US!