Vegas Phantom is #1 on Review-Journal's Top 10 List

The Las Vegas Review-Journal's Mike Weatherford has named Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular as his favorite Las Vegas show of 2006.

"Chances are, you already know whether you like this musical. If it's not your favorite, you might still enjoy this relaunch, which loses a lot of the flat humor and repetitious music in a fastidiously pruned 95-minute edition. That brings full focus to the Gothic atmosphere of the custom theater at The Venetian, the top-notch performances and the hands-on direction by Hal Prince," he wrote.

Following on the "Year in Entertainment 2006" list were: Cirque du Soleil's Beatles show Love, Prince in concert, Liza Minnelli in concert, Clint Holmes in concert, the Cirque du Soleil production Ka, Blue Man Group: Live at the Venetian, the sketch comedy performances of The Second City, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme in concert, and Hairspray, which played the Luxor Las Vegas earlier this year.

Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular opened at the Venetian Resort on June 24th.  The production, which includes every song from the original, reunites Lloyd Webber, Prince and others from the original creative team.

The roles of The Phantom, Christine and Carlotta are double-cast due to the challenging vocal score and performance schedule of Phantom. Donning the infamous mask for the role of The Phantom are veteran stage and opera performer Brent Barrett, seen in the smash Broadway musicals Chicago and Annie Get Your Gun, and Tony Award-winner Anthony Crivello, known for his roles on Broadway in Kiss of the Spider Woman and Les Misérables.

The show also features Sierra Boggess and Elizabeth Loyacano as Christine, Elena Jeanne Batman and Geena Jeffries as Carlotta, Tim Martin Gleason as Raoul and Larry Wayne Morbitt as Piangi (both from the Broadway cast), Rebecca Spencer as Madame Giry, John Leslie Wolfe as Andre, Lawson Skala as Firmin, Justin Lee Miller as Don Attilio and Buquet, and Brianne Kelly Morgan as Meg Giry.

The state-of-the-art theatre is designed by David Rockwell of the Rockwell Group, and "harmonizes with the show's original set design and serve to transport theatergoers to the famed Paris Opera House," state press notes.

Phantom at The Venetian is produced by The Really Useful Theatre Company, Inc., Live Nation and BASE Entertainment.

The Phantom of the Opera became the longest-running show in Broadway history on January 9, 2006, when it played performance #7486, surpassing the record run of Cats (also created by Phantom composer Lloyd Webber, producer Cameron Mackintosh and choreographer Gillian Lynne). It has since become the first production in Broadway history to surpass 7,500 performances (which it did on January 21) and reach 18 years (which it did on January 26). The show is directed by Harold Prince.

Based on the classic novel Le Fantôme de L'Opéra by Gaston Leroux, The Phantom of the Opera "tells the Story of a masked figure who lurks beneath the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it. He falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine, and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her extraordinary talents and by employing all of the devious methods at his command," according to press notes.

The musical had its world premiere on October 9, 1986 at Her Majesty's Theatre in London, winning every major British theatre award including the Olivier and Evening Standard Awards. The New York production, starring London stars Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman, opened on January 26, 1988. The musical won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

Tickets are available at the Venetian box office at (866) 641-7469 or (702) 414-7469, or online at www.Venetian.com. Visit www.phantomlasvegas.com for more information.

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Photo - Anthony Crivello and Elizabeth Loyacano

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