Alright. I know. It's a silly thought. Obviously more musical theatre exists beyond the industry known as "The Phantom of the Opera". Oh wait. I'm sorry. I meant "Andrew Lloyd Webber and Hal Prince's The Phantom of the Opera"
When I think about the impact this production has head on the cultural phenomenon that is American musical theatre (don't forget, it's technically a "British import") I can't help but ponder the devastating effects as well as the endlessly inspirational results.
"Phantom" has lasted about 10,000 performances at The Majestic Theater. And if not, it's reaching that number very quickly. Obviously a world record. We can thank New York City tourists for this monumental financial achievement. But the big question remaining is "Why?" "Why THIS show?" "Why not a show like '1776' or 'Dreamgirls' or heaven forbid, 'Nine'"?
The show has some sex, but not too much. Sure there are elements of violence, but again, not too much. Yes, there is spectacle, but keep in mind the bare stage and/or simple backdrops that exist throughout most of the piece. The moments of spectacle are sparse, albeit remarkable, they do not consist of a steady flow like that of Disney's "The Lion King" or technically downtown's "Blue Man Group" So we come back to the question, "Why THIS particular show?"
It seems rather strange, but if you were to put this project under a magnifying glass, the answer seems all too clear.
I will admit, while many scoff at the notion that this show can be considered "good", I am loud and proud to admit that this show is always a unique and astonishingly rewarding experience in multiple ways. However, in my latest attempts to see the show I feel disheartened at the lack of vitality that exists in the show. My God, there are actors who have been in the show for over two decades. The technology is exactly the same as it was in 1986. And if you were to compare to some rather excruciatingly high-tech Great White Way productions like "American Idiot" or "Fela!", one can't help but wonder why this show has yet to receive an upgrade. The most heart-breaking quality one can examine is the poor excuse of performance exuded by the majority of the cast. The show now feels like it is a piece to be sung, not performed. Poor Howard McGillin. He has performed the show 5,439,302,208 times. When I see him onstage, I can't help but wonder, "Does the meaning of your poetic language change every performance, or desperately every month?" Luckily, he has hung up the mask and departed from the production for (unlikely) bigger and better things.
And yet, the show still nearly sells out every night. Tourists come because "Everyone else has already seen it. I suppose I should too." But what about those damn people (myself included) who come for seconds? Less than a decade ago, the show switched its advertising slogan to read "Remember your first time," very well aware that a large portion of their marketing demographic go towards people who return and return. So why do I keep on returning?
The music. The score. Now before you begin arguing the quality of this score, let me at least make me a few opinions rather clear. Is this the greatest score ever written? Of course not. Is it the smartest? No way in hell. Is it by any means revolutionary? Hardly. The quality that this score possesses unlike most can be summed up by one word: Romanticism. And in its truest form.
I'm not talking about romantic. The young kids in school don't swoon 7th grade girls with "Music of the Night". I am talking about Romantic-ism in its purest form. We as centralized Americans (forgive the generalization) crave and adore emotional romanticism in any artform. Not to mention, there is hardly any symphony on Broadway that can come close to comparison, although the good folks at Lincoln Center easily give them a run for its money. And when you add this orchestra with a backdrop such as Paris, the ideological dream capital of the world, and a typical (yet astronomically bizarre) love triangle, you have Harold Prince shoving down gallons of Romanticism down the throats of every audience member who witnesses "Phantom." Not much thought, but more emotion that one should probably consume. Take a listen to the "Entr'acte" of Phantom. You'll have some sense of what I refer to.
Why is this important? Charles Isherwood, a frustrating and relatively juvenile critic for the New York Times wrote an interesting features article in the Saturday Arts and Leisure section, one day before the Tony Awards. The headline reads, "Broadway has Lost Its Voice". Now, folks have been saying that theatre is dead since the times of the Ancient Greeks. Upon first reading the article, that's all I merely read it as. An old guy complaining about the modern times. But after some serious reflection, Isherwood (shockingly) has a truly significant point. Why were the Tony Awards so drastically uneventful and unexciting?
Let me propose a theory that holds dear to my heart: the lack of original scores. Broadway loves to title itself as a community. If it is a solid community that they speak of (count how many times the word arises at the Tony ceremony), then there is a certain responsibility by those who become involved. Jukebox musicals can be delightful. As a serious Elvis fan, I loved the "All Shook Up" production for all its candy-coated glory. Slightly intriguing bio-musicals like "The Boy From Oz" and "Buddy" serve a relatively important purpose. But if the Broadway "community" is consumed by these types of productions, than Broadway as a cultivated American culture is in grave danger. When Isherwood says, Broadway has "lost its voice", he's referring to its own sense of identity. If Broadway productions continue to rely on the music that is produced in Nashville, or L.A., then what the hell is coming out of New York? If this type of atmosphere were to dangerously continue (which in my opinion is highly unlikely) then the tourist filled theatre district would become more and more like a Vegas copout. I love Vegas, but they have their own culture that they wear proudly. New York does not need to copy.
The two original scores were "The Addams Family" and "Memphis." While I have only heard two songs from Addams I can honestly say it sounds very familiar to Memphis, despite its "Mambo"esque theme. And Memphis sounded like, well, everything else. And thus the end of original scores. I was hoping to email a broadway composer with the hopes of working as an intern. I came very close a year ago with one show that ended up falling through but this year I came across an interesting problem: There weren't any musical composers! Whether it's factual or not, I am thoroughly convinced that the heart of this issue that faced the Tony awards this year, and overall the dissatisfaction with Broadway as a whole (and if you're in New York, it's relatively understood) lies in the lack of new composers, new works.
Thus we came back to our friend, "Phantom". I earlier stated that it must be seen under a magnifying glass. Not because there are great details to be discovered, but because this production takes the certain elements of musical theater and blows them to a larger than life proportion. The sets are blatant, but mammoth. The score is traditional, but expanded. The story is common, but twisted. And here's the most fascinating part. It's performed around the world, constantly.
So bring me the romanticized ideology that American audiences so desperately crave! And bring me the enormous symphony that plays eight times a week! It serves as a significant reminder of an era in which Broadway flourished with its own voices! In 1984, the nominees for Best Score were Jerry Herman, Stephen Sondheim, Kander and Ebb, and Maltby and Shire. Two years later Phantom opened and still exists today (thanks to the million dollar money making capitalist schemes of Cameron Macintosh, as well as a devastating film from Mr. Joel Shit-maker). But Phantom continues playing its soaring string sections. Thank goodness for Revivals. Otherwise, we'd be left with the last reminder of the voice Broadway has yet to be.
Final statement. No. I don't believe that musical theatre is dead by any means. If anything, it's better than ever before (over $1 Billion in profits!) However I am more than excited and overjoyed to discover the empathy about this years Tony awards. It's a telling sign that the score is in high demand, whether obvious or not. Some new musicals have been announced for next year. Two are musical revues (Ray Charles and the Beatles). But then composers Kander and Ebb, David Yazbek, Matthew Sklar, Marc Shaiman and more are making a comeback. Stand back and let the masters back into the ring. I can't wait to listen.
That's a long blog post.
ReplyDeleteNow, the last theatrical production I was at was Woman in White in December 2005. So, I haven't seen anything that has been on Broadway in 5 years. BUT, having seen over 50 Broadway shows, Phantom as been and continues to be my favorite for 22 1/2 years. I think your reasons are partly right, but I think you are missing a piece.
ReplyDeleteYes, the music is beautiful, the score can still give me goosebumps and the show can still make me cry. The costumes are beautiful but not overdone. Some scenes are as simple as shadows and a curtain while others have an elaborate staircase with highly decorated dummies. There is violence, but not overdone. There is passion, but not over exploited. There is mystery but it is not the focus (the film stupidly removed any hint of it). There is the mourning of a loved one that so many can relate to. There is the romance of the Phantom, Christine, and Raoul and a "happily ever after" for Christine and Raoul. But there is also the redemption of the Phantom. Redemption is a powerful theme. Who hasn't wanted it or needed it at some point from someone? Romance is definitely a big part of the show, but the climax at the end is one of forgiveness, mercy and redemption. They make possible the "happily ever after." And all these, love, mercy, forgiveness, redemption, are universal human themes that anyone can relate to in any country or culture, in any decade. They do not expire and they do not limit their audience the way some shows do. All those things together, make a show that can last for decades ... maybe longer.