Tuesday, February 16, 2016

POTO #65 Notes!

I stopped reviewing every single NYC Broadway performance I go to, especially since many times that I do attend the show I see the same cast members and it makes no sense to point out my likes of various cast members over and over again. However since I haven't written a new entry in quite some time I decided to write some notes on the 65th performance I attended in NYC on February 11, 2016 at 2 pm.

All by my lonesome in the front row with tickets to performance #66


I sat in the front row in a partial view seat off to the side of the stage. Sadly unless I want to pay top dollar or win a $28 ticket in the theatre's new lottery policy for front row partial view seats this may have been the last time I will have gotten to sit in the front row because they aren't selling front row partial view tickets anymore. When I have a chance to sit in the first few rows I do enjoy the performance because I notice a lot more detail with the actor's facial expressions when they perform. I tend to miss those details when I sit in rear mezz but I do gladly sit in rear mezz seats if it means being able to see phantom one more time on the cheap.

So the two cast members I have notes on is James Barbour (the current phantom) and Craig Bennett (who's recently taken on the role of Monsieur Firmin). I've seen Craig Bennett a few times but have not gotten to comment on the great job he does as one of the Opera House managers. He performs very well with Laird Mackintosh and they are a dynamic duo when they play the managers.

James Barbour has grown into the role of phantom. He's been great since I first saw him but he's gotten even better and he managed to have me in tears at the end of the show this past performance and the performance I saw before this on January 29. I pretty much cry every time I see the show but sometimes I cry a lot more at the end especially if the role of the phantom is played well.

One of four curtain call photos I took before I got told to stop taking pictures. I don't understand why curtain call photos after the show aren't allowed. The show is over it's not like I'm taking shots during the performance. 


I don't like to comment on any cast members that I don't think perform their roles well so if I have any feelings about a cast member not being up to par I leave it out of my entries and just discuss it privately with other phans.

I didn't stage door with this performance I'm hoping to stage door before the show when I attend the next performance.

I love these ornate gold painted masks on the theatre doors! 

Overall my most recent performance was pretty spectacular, I'm grateful I got to see the show for a 65th time and am looking forward to performance #66 on March 26, 2016!