Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular!

As you may know, an edited version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera opened at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas June 24, 2006. It cost over $40 million to make, and comes deluxe with a 80 foot diameter custome-built theatre, designed to look like the real Paris Opera House. There is a Paris Opera House facade, actual boxes for a mock stage, and the infamous chandelier, which is larger and more realistic than that of the normal musical. The chandelier is also designed in 4 sections, which assemble themselves over the audience's heads during the overture, and break apart later.
This version is more extravagant, with advanced pyrotechnics, and a strobe lighting effect. Also, although all of the original songs are left intact [save Point of No Return, which is shortened], the show only runs 95 minutes. This is due to there being no intermission, and many dialogue sequences [ex. "You hand at the level of your eyes...", etc.] being cut, along with dance scenes and certain lyrics. It is, all in all, more based on the film version, with the chandelier falling after Point of No Return.
However, despite these alterations, my friend, Lucy, who saw it, says that is is "amazing."
Discuss it in here!

I'd be so interested to see this, but it costs enough to get to London, let alone Las Vegas!
I'm not sure I like the idea of it being more like the film, or the cuts, but the set and design sounds amazing!
Btw, I own a Phantom casino chip which I assume came from the theatre...but I'm not sure (got it from eBay!).

It does sound amazing. The reviews have all been... well, spectacular. My grandmother may go to see it!

I can't go in Las Vegas to see it...But I have a performance and I think that it's cool

The set is elaborate, and the pictures I have seen, alone, are incredible.

Me! Me, that's me! I'm Lucy!
I did see it, and it was phantastic! Truly incredible. The security is unfathomably high, so, you can't bring cameras, phones, etc. But, it was great. The chandelier was amazing, how it assembled itself!
The only thing I did not like was the shortening of Point of No Return, or the way that so many dialogue scenes were cut...
But, it is a treat if you can see it!

Yes I know, I don't like the point of no return scene is too short

It was a foolish decision

I got a souvenir brochure for this production and it looks great!

I don't like how the chandelier falls after PONR though making it more like the film. Whats the point of that?

You need a 'big' ending to Act One*, which the chandelier provides. Theres already enough drama towards the end of the show. Did they put anything extra in at the end of Act One to compensate for there being no chandelier drop there?

*well thats what I think anyway

There aren't even Acts, are there? It was all shortened to 90 minutes... Maybe it is, I have no clue.

Yes, I was thinking about this last night and remembered that there aren't acts!

Alright! There aren't any? I was right. Good. It's too short! I hate how they did that, too.

Yes its very different. Very much like a film, which isn't good in my opinion. (not that I don't love films!)

I read thay it was done so that tourists in Vegas could see a glammed-up version of the show, without having to sit for 2-3 hours and miss out on other attractions..
Personally, I'd only go there to see the Venetian, even though I can't gamble!

Do yopu have to be 21 there then? I'm sure its 18 here but I'm not 100% sure because I'm not really bothered about gambling!

I suppose that makes sense, and if it introduces people to the 'proper' show its a good thing.

I loved the Las Vegas Spectacular! It was my first time seeing Phantom on Stage and it is quite... Spectacular! Though it is a bummer they cut out some things, but the important pieces are still there. I saw Sierra Boggess and Brent Barret as the leads and they were fantastic. It was very showy and very Las Vegas-like. The chandelier was very cool and I enjoyed it immensely.

You don't have to be 18 or older or anything to see it. As long as you don't walk into the gambling section and stay on the path, it's fine. You walk past the gambling rooms to get to the theater (as well as the Blue Man Group.)

Wonderful, wonderful show! I do recommend it to those who can't watch the US Tour or Broadway in the western U.S.

The Blue Man Group...Ugh.
I love the way the chandelier was done in this production.

An interesting coincidence occured the other day. My mom had a meeting at work (she works in a church). Well, the organist at the church is interested inn the arts and they got talking about my obsession with theatre. It turns out, one of the men at the finance meeting is Todd Keagen {I have NO clue if I am spelling this right!}'s brother. Allegedly, Todd is or has done POTO in Las Vegas, and they got talking about it.
I thought it was really neat!

Wow!

And I know what happens at the supposed end of Act One, these sparks come flying out of the stage and a huge Paris Opera House rises up out of the stage.

Yes, there are no Acts, though. A giant Opera House replica does rise up and the Intermission music is played, but the second part quickly follows.
It would be foolish to have acts in a 95 minute show.

Man, I want to see this sooooo bad, but I live all the way across the country. The chandiler's actually shattered in that lol.

I have a few bootlegs of it if you are interested! PM me!

It's awesome how the chandelier assembles and shatters...

Really? Okay will do!