After a nearly 25-year run, many fans of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hit play, The Phantom of the Opera, may worry that the acclaimed musical could be running out of steam. After all, this season’s touring version, brought to Austin by Broadway Across America, lacks any big name stars or famous faces. When the stage is set and the action begins, however, any doubts about whether or not the play still has life in it will evaporate, thanks to skilled direction from one of Broadway’s greats, director Harold Prince, as well as pitch-perfect performances from a talented cast. It all comes together to immerse audiences in a world of romance and rivalry, of fanfare and horror, presenting audiences with one of the most exciting stories in history all the while.
Director Harold Prince has been heralded as one of the greatest artists of the New York stage, and as he brings his talent to Austin, audiences will quickly see why. Each scene, each sequence, each movement transpires with delicate precision, as if we are watching figures in a music box, each moment planned to create just the right effect. Prince’s talent for theatricality is also on full display, as flowing rivers of mist, lavish, ever-changing sets, frightening and mystifying special effects, and gorgeous choreography fill the piece with life and energy. He is able to pull out fantastic performances from his actors as well, though it’s not a difficult task with such a talented company.
The role of Christine was most famously performed by renowned Broadway ingenue Sarah Brightman, and to this day she has been seen as the height to which each actress in the role seeks to ascend. Trista Moldovan takes on the challenge of reaching that summit, and is able to hit the mark squarely more often than not. Though seemingly meek and innocent, when she opens her mouth, her voice is a flaming arrow, aiming straight for the core of each audience member, and hitting them dead-on. She may not be the towering inferno of raw emotion that some of her predecessors have been, but she provides a soft, gentle flame, full of warmth and brightness, drawing the audience in like dazzled insects.
The title role of the Phantom is one of the most challenging on Broadway, simply because of the huge range required. He is a character of mystery and menace, but also one with the necessary charisma to make us sympathize for him, despite the many horrifying acts he perpetrates. Tim Martin Gleason brings us a Phantom to remember, a bold, taunting phantom, whose frightening antics can fill the auditorium with gasps, but as he sings his sad soliloquies, tears can be found in the eyes of even the most stone hearted of theater goers. He is able to project his raw emotion, even through the bloody, mangled face he wears for the last act of the play.
Whether you’re new to musicals, or if you’ve seen Andrew Lloyd Webber’s entire catalog, this is a show that no one should miss. With the beauty of Webber’s music, the whimsical and creative touches of Prince’s directorial genius, and fantastic performance from the entire cast, Phantom of the Opera offers Austinites the opportunity to spend the evening waltzing through their wildest dreams, and even their most frightening nightmares, creating what’s sure to be one of the most memorable nights of theater this season.
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