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Comments: |
First, let me explain a
little bit about myself. I'm fifteen years old, so I've never seen
Michael Crawford perform the role in which he received so much acclaim.
(Even if I did, I would have no clue as to what was going on since I was
only four years old when he had his last performance.) I also live in a
small town close to San Antonio, TX and I rarely leave state boundaries.
However, I love musical theatre and whenever I hear the voices on the
soundtracks of any Broadway play, I can imagine what the performance is
like.
This is how I fell in love with this Andrew Lloyd Webber masterpiece:
My mom had bought two tickets for the production of PotO which would be
performed at the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio. The tickets were for
my grandparents anniversary probably because my grandmother had fallen
in love with Elton John's and Tim Rice's Aida (which, I might add, is
another lovely show I have witnessed). So my mother called my
grandmother to reveal her devious plans. To her surprise (and annoyance)
my beloved grandma refused the tickets.
"I don't think I would like it," she said. "Why don't you take Kay
instead, I'm sure she would like it more than me."
So, my mom made a date with me to see Phantom together.
Forgive me when I say this, but at that time half of me didn't give a
rip about the Phantom. And other ALW musicals scared me half to death! I
mean, I thought I would have nightmares after seeing a fat King Herod
dancing in gold bikini shorts in the '70s movie of JCS! But the other
half was a little anxious, and that part of me beat the other one to a
pulp as time progressed.
Finally, the day arrived. My mother and I dressed nicely in our Sunday
wardrobe, and I soon regretted it since it was so cold in the theatre.
The phantom would be played by Ted Keegan and most of the other
performers I have forgotten. Not that I could see them anyway. We had
seats that weren't necessarily in the nose-bleed section, but they were
high enough so that they looked like small action figurines. (It
disappointed greatly that I couldn't see the Phantom's face.) Yet, once
the play began, I was captured by the story, the music, and everything
else that made the musical what it is.
It was Phantom obsession from that point on. I've made some funny little
drawings of me fawning over the Phantom, and I haven't stopped playing
my CD since. In fact, I think it was Phantom that encouraged me to
perform for my future career.
In the process of learning a few facts about the originators PotO, I
happened upon a few sites about Michael and learned a little bit about
him. I have read articles, interviews, and even anecdotes about this
amazing man from the United Kingdom. I have also watched video clips,
even though my pathetic excuse of a computer can't produce a single
volume of sound. I bought his Disney album, and is very different from
his Phantom voice: his voice is soft and gentle, which isn't something I
didn't expect. I loved the CD, but I hide it from my family's eyes and
ears. (My sisters make fun of music as often as they hear something they
can ridicule. They're parasites, but I love 'em.)
Then I remembered something I read on a website called Coming
Attractions. Andrew was going to make a movie of his critically
acclaimed musical starring... ANTONIO BANDERAS!!!
'What's the deal, here!' I thought. Antonio is a good actor, sure, but I
can't imagine him as the character that earned my admiration in a single
day. He was great in Evita, but I think one ALW film starring him is
enough for me. Otherwise, if only me alone, doing another musical by
this great composer would be redundant. Plus, I don't think Tony's Latin
image and heavy accent would work for a man who was from France. Okay,
so Michael's British, but he looks more French than Monsieur Banderas.
Je veux monsieur Crawford joue le fantome! (Please don't judge my
French, this my first semester of the language.) I don't see why Andrew
the WB even persist in thinking he's "perfect" for rolling the money in.
I appreciate as well as applaud your ongoing fight for MC's artisty and
the movie's box-office grosses, instead of focusing alone on
money-making grosses alone like some certain people that won't be
mentioned in this sentence. In this sentence, on the other hand: Andrew
Lloyd Webber, Antonio Banderas, and that money-grubbing group at Warner
Bros. I would like to just mail each them a quarter enclosed with a
letter that reads BUY A CLUE! *deep breathe* There, I feel somewhat
better now.
By the way, I enjoyed your own version of what the PotO script should be
like. I miss the the bench scene though... oh well!
Thank you for occupying what time you have to read this.
-Kay
P.S.-If either ALW or WB is reading this, please don't destroy this
great musical, I'm begging you. :(
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