REVIEW: Latest ‘Phantom of the Opera’ is unlike you have ever seen it

"The Phantom of the Opera" returns to Milwaukee in grand and spectacular fashion at the Marcus Center for Performing Arts. Nicholas Dettmann photo.

By Nicholas Dettmann

MILWAUKEE – When you’re Broadway’s longest running show, you have to change things up a bit to maintain that titles. Well, with “The Phantom of the Opera,” mission accomplished in grand and spectacular fashion.

Through March 17, the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts is hosting the latest national tour for the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic love story. Based on the French novel by Gaston Leroux, the central plot for “The Phantom of the Opera” revolves around a beautiful soprano, Christine Daaé, who becomes the obsession of a mysterious, disfigured musical genius living beneath the Paris Opera House. The Phantom haunts the Opera House while a cast prepares for an opera, professing his love for the beautiful voice of Christine. If that opera doesn’t showcase Christine, he promises penalties beyond their wildest imaginations. In the process he falls in love with more than Christine’s voice.

Produced by Cameron Mackintosh with The Really Useful Group and NETworks Presentations, “The Phantom of the Opera” steps up its proverbial game with enhanced staging, stage design, scene changes and costumes, as well as a collection pyrotechnics bring the story to fans better than ever before.

More than 50 people complete the cast as well as the orchestra to make it one of the largest productions on tour in North America, according to a media briefing packet.

“With ‘Phantom’ still the reigning champion as the longest-running production on Broadway after 30 phenomenal years, with no end in sight, I’m delighted that this spectacular new production of ‘Phantom’ has been well received in the U.S. as the brilliant original and has already been seen by over 3.7 million people across North America since it opened in November 2013,” Mackintosh said in a news release. “With an exciting new design and staging, retaining Maria Bjornson’s amazing costumes, the new ‘Phantom’ is thrilling audiences and critics alike all over again.”

Yes it is.

I last saw it in the early 2000s, also in Milwaukee. At that time, I was still playing string bass so I had a natural curiosity to hear the music. It was magnificent.

I saw it Friday night with my wife, who is an organist and has a degree in music. She had never seen the live version of “The Phantom of the Opera,” but saw the 2004 movie starring Gerard Butler as The Phantom and Emmy Rossum as Christine.

The story starts with an auction on the stage of the Paris Opera House, set in 1911. After bidding completes on a few items, the auctioneer draws the attention to a chandelier hanging over the Marcus Center crowd, covered with a tarp. Suddenly, the tarp is pulled away, lit and the mesmerizing first notes of “The Overture” blare through the speakers of the Marcus Center, rumbling off the walls and under your feet, making you and any music lover quiver.

For this run of “The Phantom of the Opera,” The Phantom is played by Quentin Oliver Lee. His credits include “Prince of Broadway” on Broadway, as well as touring with “Festival of The Lion King” starring as Scar. His performance was breathtaking.

The female lead for the run is by three women – Emma Grimsley (March 6-7), Kaitlyn Davis (March 8-10) and Eva Tavares (March 12-17). On Friday, it was Davis and, like her counterpart, her performance was nothing short of spectacular. Davis has played Christine previously. She’s also performed at Carnegie Hall, as well as on television with “Law & Order: SVU.” She has a solo extended play of original music called “You Got Me.”

Christine’s lover, Raoul, is played by Jordan Craig for the entire run. Craig’s credits include playing the Tin Man in “The Wizard of Oz” with the Alliance Theater and several shows at the Houston Grand Opera.

One of the pleasant surprises was the mixture of humor into the story. Combining that with seamless set transitions and top-notch special effects helps add to an unforgettable production of one of theater’s greatest productions ever.

And of course, the iconic score, featuring "The Overture" and "Music of the Night."

There are 10 shows remaining. Tickets can be purchased at marcuscenter.org or ticketmaster.com, or by calling 414-273-7206, or visiting the box office at 929 N. Water St., Milwaukee.

Don’t miss it. It’s “Phantom of the Opera” like you’ve never seen it before.

The chandelier hangs from the ceiling moments before the start of the March 8 showing of "The Phantom of the Opera." Nicholas Dettmann photo.