[Favorite Portrayals] AVM Blog Party -- Day Seven

Day Seven: Pick a character: Choose Your Favorite Portrayal. 

Sooooooo. I had to think a lot about this. There are so many characters that I love and want to just rant about, so finally I decided to pick three characters.

First: The Phantom.

"Touch me, trust me, savor each sensation."

My favorite Phantom is Michael Crawford, I feel like he really nailed the character and showed him how he is supposed to be. Over the past few months I've listened to a lot of different actors and I've found the same thing with all of them; they are way too angry. I don't mind a strong Phantom. I don't mind if actors portray him a little more actively aggressive. I mean, different actors see roles in a different way, and that is part of the beauty of Theatre. I just feel like the Phantom, as a character, shouldn't be a loud sort of person. He shouldn't be so sharp and harsh.

The Phantom wants to be normal. He does his best to be a gentleman, a professional eloquent sort of person. He speaks like a gentleman. He dresses like a gentleman. He wears a wig and a mask to make himself look more sophisticated. Even when he writes notes to the Opera House, he is very polite and passive. He isn't (typically) a loud, aggressive man. He is like the dog who will take a lot of hits, but when his bone gets taken away he growls and bites.

That was a really weird analogy, but you see my point.

The Phantom spent his entire life hiding under the Opera House. No  one ever saw him, no one ever heard from him except through the notes he wrote. No one knew anything about him. He didn't go unnoticed and undetected for years by being loud and throwing tantrums. He kept himself a secret by being quiet, clever, manipulative. He got the whole Opera House to believe he was a Ghost, to listen and obey him, and he never showed himself even once! It wasn't until Raoul showed up and tried to take Christine on a date that he finally revealed himself to Christine, and took her down to his lair.

"Look at your face in the mirror. I am there inside..."

Now, when The Phantom is with Christine he should be at especially gentle and careful. He loves her, he wants her to trust him. He would be at his very best around her, with her he would act even more like a gentleman. He wouldn't want to do anything to scare her or make her wary of him. She's the one thing he really cherishes, he wouldn't want her to  be afraid of him. I think that is why I prefer it when The Music of the Night is gentle, enticing. This is the moment when the Phantom is revealing himself to Christine, showing her what he loves and asking her to love it too. He wouldn't be forceful. He would be very tender, leading and letting Christine follow.

The Phantom usually kept to himself. He only started to stage catastrophes when Andre and Firmin, the new owners of the Opera House, refused to respect him or obey his orders. Most of the time the only reason he got aggressive was when it had something to do with Christine. He was in love with her voice and he wanted her to be the star of everything. When Firmin and Andre didn't comply, he got angry. But even then, he started out small and tried to get what he wanted in a passive way. He sent notes and warnings. He tried to be as civil as possible. He didn't immediately fly off the handle, he tried to deal with the problem like a normal person would. He was insane but he wasn't an angry lunatic... at least not at first.

"Dear Andre, just a brief reminder. My salary has not been paid. Send it care of the Ghost, by return of post, PTO. No one likes a debtor, so it's better if my orders are obeyed."

At the end of Act I, Christine and Raoul get engaged. This sends The Phantom into a tail spin. He loves Christine and he feels like she had betrayed him by choosing Raoul. This betrayal sends him into a rage, and he started striking more aggressively after this. However, he still kept the cool gentleman front. He speaks eloquently. He 'asks' for the cooperation of the Opera House. All of his writing is calm and well put together, as if he is trying to keep his anger under control.

"Why so silent, good messieurs?"

"Fondest greetings to you all. A few instructions just before rehearsal starts; Carlotta must be taught to act, not her normal trick of strutting round the stage. Our Duan Juan must lose some wait, it's not healthy in a man of Piangi's age, and my managers must learn that their place is in an office, not the arts. As for Miss Christine Daae! No doubt she'll do her best, it's true her voice is good - she knows though, should she wish to excel, she has much still to learn! If Pride will let her return to me, her Teacher. "

I think the Phantom should be more tender and vulnerable. It makes him more sympathetic when he has a soft side to him. It is so much better when his character is fueled by heartache, and not just mad rampage. It is my humble opinion that the Phantom should be mostly heartbroken when Raoul and Christine get engaged, at least until he hears them singing together and breaks into rage. The same sort of heartbreak should be there in the final lair. He will be angry, of course. Christine betrayed him (twice) and she was the one person he really trusted. But his anger shouldn't be the main point of his character. It is so much better to channel the pain and loneliness of the Phantom then the insane, broken side of him. I'm not saying the Phantom should be just tender and gentle. That is another extreme. I just think there has to be a healthy mix of both, with a strong tilt toward the misery in his character, not the wounded anger that so many of the actors channel right now.

I promise I won't rant as long with my other two 8-)

The Pirate King (The Pirates of Penzance) 

"For I am the Pirate King!"

Hehe, I bet you didn't see this coming. The Pirates of Penzance is one of those fun, relaxing musicals that you watch when you are in need of a laugh, and I really love it. My favorite performance is the one that Anthony Warlow is in, because, of course, Anthony Warlow. He is such a brilliant Pirate King. He is so funny! He does a "Jack Sparrow" take on the character. He copies Johnny Depp's mannerisms so well, it's fabulous. He also brings something of a charm to the role that no one else really has, it makes me happy. He does all these fun little things too, like draw guns during a sword fight and the whole *drunk hands* thing. Like, there is one scene in particular that I really like, where he is is explaining to one of his pirates that he can't leave the ship because it isn't *really* his twenty-first birthday;

"For some ridiculous reason, to which, however, I’ve no desire to be disloyal... Some person in authority - I don’t know who - very likely the Astronomer Royal, has decided that, although for such a beastly month as February, twenty-eight days as a rule are plenty, 

One year in every four his days shall be reckoned as nine and twenty. Through some singular coincidence – I shouldn’t be surprised if it were owing to the agency of an ill-natured fairy – 

You are the victim of this clumsy arrangement, having been born in leap-year, on the twenty-ninth of February."

When he says "An ill-natured fairy." he pulls a little fairy out of his ear and flicks it away. It's so unique and clever. He does all sorts of those type of things in his performances, little quirks that fill out the Pirate King. He makes you believe the Pirate King is real, he makes you love him and want to be part of his crew. I love Anthony Warlow, he is such an amazing actor,

You can actually get this performance on a DVD. It is well worth the buy,

"I sink a few more ships, it's true, than a well-bred monarch ought to do."

Lilly Craven (The Secret Garden.)

"A girl at work in her garden..."

I absolutely love Lilly and Rebecca Luker portrays the part perfectly. She is gentle and sweet, you can tell just by her voice that she is a graceful, beautiful young girl. I love her infliction and how light she is when she is sings. She makes you love her. It is hard to find really good female actors who aren't too harsh or sharp when they sing. I listened to the Lilly from the Original Australian Cast, and she was fine... she just wasn't Rebecaa Luker. When you listen to Rebecca Luker, you love Lilly You can tell she is a very special soul, someone sweet and tender, someone who just wants to help others to see the beauty she sees in the world. She has this amazing ability to sound like she is speaking when she is singing. She is just gentle and soft, the words seem to flow out of her without any effort, you just love to listen to her. She has such a subtle, layered emotion to her voice. Sometimes I listen to her and I get all choked up inside. She makes me want to cry.

"How could i know I would have to leave you?"

Lilly is a character on Broadway that I would love, love, love to play. She's only a ghost, but you can bring so much to her character. She is the Beauty in The Beauty and the Beast story. I love her relationship with Archie. She loved him so much and she is so upset that she hurt him... she knows how much he loves her in return and she can't bring herself to leave while he is grieving so much. And even though they don't have many scenes together, I really love her and her little son Colin. She's also really cute with Mary. You can tell she would have been a really good mother. She is beautiful and strong, she makes me want to be brave. Lilly is someone I would really love to bring life to on stage. And I *think* I could do a good job with her.

Have you heard Michael Crawford play the Phantom? Have you seen The Pirates of Penzance? Do you know who Rebecca Luker is? Who do you think does the portrayal of your favorite character?

Peace out y'all!

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella

A little of this and a whole lot of that.

I'm back, peasants.

It's the first of October! *flails* How have all of you been? Autumn has finally blown in here; our leaves are changing and the air smells like snow and ice and crushed leaves. We this brisk, sharp wind during the day and this glorious blue sky in the afternoon and you just feel like *doing* things. So what have I been doing?

Well, first things first. Last week I read Jane Eyre and I loved it. I thought it was really good, a lot better than I expected it to be. I cried at the end, and I probably would have cried harder if certain people hadn't kept interrupting me during the last chapters. *wiggles eyebrows at young sisters.* I will probably do a post on Mr. Rochester sometime in the near future because I quite like the man and I feel like I want to dedicate a post to him. Because he is fabulous! BOOM!

Sometimes I worry about  my taste in fictional men. Mr. Thorton, Sydney Carton, Edward Rochester, Dean Winchester, The Doctor, Eugenides, Severus Snape, Dragon, Dustfinger, Tony Stark....

I like brats. There, I said it. I like character who are kind of rude and bratty and a little rough around the edges. I also like cowards, apparently. (see; Dustfinger.) and that isn't really a good thing. In my defense I will say that usually if I like said brat, they have a character ark and they get better. They don't stay horrible. I think that is what it comes down to. I like stories where the Beast is saved. I like it when you meet the Beast and grow to love him and see all the good in him, and you just know he can be better because you see the man he really is, and then at the end the man inside wins through and the curse of the Beast gets lifted. This is applicable even with Dustfinger. He doesn't stay a coward. He has a fabulous character ark and he gets better and braver and at the end of the story he is a good and noble man.

I also like it when someone has a little more attitude. I don't like jerks, but I do like people who are kind of bratty and sassy. They put me at ease and make me feel more free to be myself.

*I think this is why I like British people.

*I say that word too much, I need to create a new word that is like Anyway but different.

Anyshmackin! I had a thought. As you all know, I really like musicals. A lot. A lot a lot. I don't know how many people would be interested, but what do you think of doing a Musicals Blog Party? It would last about five days and we'd cover a bunch of fun Musical-ish things. It would be brilliant. If anyone thinks they'd enjoy a Party like this, go ahead and comment and I'll think about dates. If not, I might just do a "Musical Theme" on my blog, where I'll just post about my different musicals for a while. My blogging pattern is weird, so if I do this, the "Musical Theme" might last a month, but only be like, four posts. I'd have to see how it worked out.  What do you think? 

I have a few reasons for this idea actually. See, I want to start tilting my blog more toward Musical Theatre. (hence changing the name.) and if I did a Blog Party/Theme Week it would help me jump start that plan. Theatre is where my heart really lies and it is what I get the most excited about. I'll still post about other things of course, but I feel like I should have some sort of "And Theatre!" day at least once a month. That is why I want to start Web-isodes. I want to start my Channel next month. My first myth will be directed toward Halloween because that has become a pretty big holiday and I think it would be good to start with. I might also show off lyrics and scenes. I might write music for my myths, I might perform scenes from my favorite musicals. It just depends on what works and what feels right. I will have to play around with it and figure stuff out.

One last thing. I finally got around to watching The Phantom of the Opera the movie. It is a lot better in context as opposed to just watching clips on youtube. I liked it, but there was stuff that I wish hadn't been in there.

The costumes should have been more modest, especially Christine's.  There was also some random crude//off color stuff that didn't need to be there. (Like the very annoying and random midget who had no point but to be a perve.) They also cut a lot of the songs short. Sometimes they cut out harmony, and I am sure that the whole musical was sung a note or two lower than it really is, which was a little odd. And they took out Raoul's epic sequence in "Wandering Child" and that made me sad cause I love that scene. He did ride in on a horse and yell "No, Christine wait!" But that isn't half so cool as, "ANGEL OF DARKNESS CEASE THIS TORMENT!" I just really love that confrontation and I wish it had been in the movie. But I think, despite it's faults, the movie was still pretty good. The actors all did a nice job with their roles. I really like Madam Giry - In fact I think she is my favorite Madam Giry. Christine was cute and sweet. Raoul was still fabulous. Gerard Butler was a good Phantom. Yes, he should have been more disfigured, but otherwise he played the part well. He was sympathetic, but still really creepy. (Especially in The Point of No Return. That part made me *really* uncomfortable.) And I appreciate that he was more gentle and mesmerizing with his voice and less powerful, scream-y and all-ruling. I'd rather have a Phantom whose voice isn't as good but who sings and acts more like the Phantom should, than a Phantom who has an amazing voice but portrays the character too vicious, angry and loud.  I hate loud Phantoms.* They drive me insane.

source

And actually, I don't mind a powerful Phantom. (For instance, James Barbour.) I don't like the shouting and overwhelming aggression that so many actors bring to the role. It just isn't. 

This being said, the vocals in the movie weren't anything special. I am very picky when it comes to musicals and I know what to look for in quality and in tone and everything, and it wasn't quite there. Christine had a sweet voice, but she sounded tight a lot, like she was trying too hard or something. She didn't open up very well. Raoul was good, but he needed more support and depth. The Phantom was good but he was obviously not a professional singer and his voice wasn't really a "Phantom." voice. It was good enough, but it wasn't great. You know? And that is how all the vocals were. I might say more about this in my Musical Week. We'll see. For now I must go. (They'll wonder where I am. Wait for me Raoul!)

Peace out y'all!!

*swings around cape and leaps off stage.*

Bella

Guess what?? MUSICALS!!!!!!!!!

You know those people who have a five-year plan? They're the type of people who know exactly what they're going to do and they have all the details planned out.


I've never thought of myself as that person. I know that I want to try a bit of acting, and that is about as far as I've planned. Thinking about the future freaks me out so I think about it as little as possible. But I do have a few things that I definitely want to do now that I've graduated. And since I will probably face a lot of change over the next few months I figured I'd share my PLAN with you.


1.) I want to audition for the Community Theatre that is just off the hill from where they live.  Theatre is my big dream, it's something that I want to do so badly. I want to at least get my foot in with bigger acting experiences. If I could actually go on Broadway that would be beyond brilliant - even if it is Highly Unlikely. But however hard it is, I have to try, otherwise I will never forgive myself.


2.) One day I want to play Christine Daae. She is one of my favorite females on Broadway and her character holds a very special place in my heart. If I could play her I would be so very happy.

There will never be a day when I wont think of you!

*I'd use the original lyrics though, if they would let me.


3.) I want to see a professional production of The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. Like,  in New York or London.


4.) I want to write a fantasy trilogy and (If at all possible) publish it.


5.) I want to write a musical. This is something I am working on but I am a tad stuck because of RESEARCH. *sigh* WWII.


6.) I want to explore Scotland.


7.) I want to go to Rome and visit all the Churches and the landmarks of Catholic History.


8.) I want to write a whole story in poetry.


It's not a huge list, but these are just some things I want to do over the next few years. It's hard to have plans because life could get in the way, but I don't think God wants me to live my life thinking "But what if?..." I think He wants me to plunge in and just take what it dishes out to me. I need to think of life like a baseball game and fight, no matter what the score. I have to be like, "Hey life! Try me! Just TRY ME!"


Haha! Easier said than done.


As for other news, I am still on a musical high. We watched The Phantom of the Opera again this week - I've actually lost count of how many times we've watched it since January. Don't judge me too harshly. It isn't all my fault. My sister is also on a musical kick and her obsession rubs off on me. We're both on a ridiculous Phantom high. I don't remember the last time I was this OBSESSED with Phantom of the Opera for so long! I've always loved it, it's always been my favorite, but I'm not usually listen-to-it-every-day-non-stop obsessive. I think I know why I am so nutty though. When I really love something and I hear lots of annoying hate about it, it just fuels my love for it even more and I get super defensive. And okay, tons of fans hate Raoul and it makes me mad. He is so brilliant! I honestly wonder how weird people are that they can read his character so wrong! It's annoying and I hate it. Then I get mad and listen to all I ask of you and Little Lotte, and Wandering Child, and the next thing I know I'm reciting the first lines of the Opera for the 100th Freakin' time.

SOLD! You're number sir? Thank you. *distant clapping*

Yeah, I have a problem. And my sister is just like. "Guess what I'm doing."

And I'm like "OOoooh, gee let me think. ANGEL OF MUSIC GUIDE AND GUARDIAN GRANT TO ME YOUR GLORY!"

.... and Treskie is like, "Yep, that's the one. Only more like "ANGEL OF MUSIC WHO DESERVES THIS???" And then we sing the whole final song over the phone.

The one upside to this is that I finally know all of Raoul's parts, and not just the lyrics. (I've known those for ages.) I know his notes and where he comes in and everything. It's great. The only song I still can't sing everyone's part in is Prima Donna. Mostly it's Carlotta. She is speaking so much Italian! I get confused okay?

When I am NOT obsessing over Raoul and Raoul/Christine, I am listening to A Tale of Two Cities, Secret Garden, Jekyll and Hyde or Jane Eyre, depending on the day. It's actually really nice. I get to sprawl outside with my notebook and scribble lyrics and plot devices for my different books, while I aggressively sing along with the different parts.


Prima donna, your song shall live again! Think of your public! - You took a snub, but there's a public who needs you. - Is this her angel of music...? - We get our opera - She gets her limelight!- Is this ghost-angel or a madman?!

I have lots of fun singing all five parts. I end up slurring the words though.


IHEARDSOMEONECRYINGIHEARDSOMEONECRYINGWHOTHOUGHCOULDITBEYESTHERE'SSOMEONECRYINGIHEARIHEARDSOMEONEIHEARDSOMEONE RCRINGMAYBEITWASMEOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooOOooooHHHH!!!!

I have a list of NEW musicals but I can't listen to any of them until I can find DVD and the pamphlet so I can read along with the story. West Side Story is the first one I need to tackle. Wish me luck with that!

hmmm. That's it folks. I have no more to say.

PEACE OUT Y'ALL!

*swings around cape and jumps off stage. *

Bella