Buffalo is officially under invasion by the world's most famous phantom - the "Phantom of the Opera."
Shea's Performing Arts Center presents Andrew Lloyd Webber's chandelier-smashing success now through April 19, the show's first return to the venue since its 1999 premiere. One of the most profitable musicals in the world, what remains to be seen is if the caliber of a touring production measures up to the standards of its Broadway counterpart.
This traveling company has gone to great lengths to ensure that every detail is as authentic as the productions that play to packed audiences at Broadway's Majestic Theatre and London's Her Majesty's Theatre.
According to the show's playbill, 20 48-foot semi trucks transport the large variety of props from city to city, where they perform for about four weeks. The famous 1,000-pound chandelier, which took three months to construct, and the 1.5-ton staircase are just some of the large set pieces the show is known for. A 60-member technical crew and 37 scenery and electrical operators join the 17 orchestra members and 36 stage performers to ensure that the world's third-longest running musical is a bona fide imitation of the Broadway experience.
Knowing every aesthetic detail - from a life-sized elephant to the 35,000 chandelier beads and 213 electric candles - has been replicated, the question remains: does the cast make the grade?
If Friday night's opening performance was any indication, the answer is yes.
Heading the cast of talented and touring nomads is the Phantom himself, Brad Little. Though the California native is a long way from home, he is no stranger to travel, having been a key player in "Phantom's" touring company since 1994. Little dazzled the audience with his incredible voice and enormous stage presence.
Talented Rebecca Pitcher, playing the role of na??ve Christine Daa?(c), joins Little with another dynamic performance. As it was portrayed on stage, the strength of the two leads stood out most in the reprise of "All I Ask of You." The power of the pair had the effect of diminishing the strengths of the rest of the cast. In comparison, characters like Raoul (Tim Martin Gleason) sounded weak in their vocal abilities, although they could still hold their own in the Broadway show. Another noteworthy performance was by Patti Davidson-Gorbea in the role of Madame Giry.
But there were times when the Broadway show certainly looked like it was born in Buffalo. The set was serviceable, but certainly not on par with the extravagance of the Broadway production. Perhaps there was no greater example of this than the dummy stand-ins that occupied the stage in place of real actors in the larger scenes, such as the performance of "Masquerade."
Based on Gaston Leroux's novel "Le Fantome de l'Opera," "Phantom" premiered in London on Oct. 9, 1986, winning every British theater award before opening on Broadway in 1988. As the playbill indicates, since its birth, the musical has become one of the most successful entertainment ventures in memory, profiting more than movies like "Titanic," "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial," and "Star Wars."
For those students who have not had the chance to experience a Broadway or touring show, this traveling musical has proved it has what it takes to thrill audiences with no prior theater-going experience.
"The Phantom of the Opera" performs through April 19. Special $15 student tickets for matinee and weekday performances can be purchased at the box office.
Photo: Courtesy of Mitchell Kish
