A Rebuilt Phantom Trades the Chandelier for New Machinery

Mackintosh rebuilt the production rather than shrinking the original, and the differences land in the machinery instead of the score. The Hal Prince staging gave way to new scenic design and a larger on-stage orchestra than most tours carry. The Paris Opera House is now built from moving architecture rather than a single revolve. Lyrics and songs stay where they were. Anyone who knows the older version will spend the night comparing. The cast list runs large by touring standards.

ASU Gammage sits on Forest Avenue in Tempe, a Frank Lloyd Wright design from 1964 with a circular facade and tall slender columns. Three thousand seats curve around a wide proscenium. The grand tier pushes you back far enough that the stage machinery reads as a whole picture. Acoustics were designed for unamplified orchestras and still favour the pit. Doors open an hour before curtain. Concessions and the box office sit in the curved outer lobby ring.

The performance runs Thursday, October 1 at half past seven at 1200 South Forest Avenue. Campus lots on Apache fill early on show nights. The Valley Metro Rail stops at Veterans Way and College, a five minute walk. Run time sits around two and a half hours with an interval. Anyone expecting the exact staging they saw years ago should know this is a different production of the same show. Weeknight performances here tend to hold seats longer than weekend ones.