One New Thing: Phantom of the Opera

Tonight I went to see my first Broadway show with Cat. We saw the Phantom of the Opera at the Majestic Theatre. When it first started I was ready to be disappointed. The stage was tiny and the set was really simple. Then magic happened. A chandelier rose from the stage to the ceiling. The stage opened up. Curtains and backdrops were revealed. Actors in fun costumes filled the stage. A little elephant rolled out (not real of course). What a relief!

I saw this at The Fox when I was little. I remember the best scene being when the Phantom rows out in the boat through the mist. This version (I think) was even better. There was mist and glowing lights and the boat swam smoothly through the fog. How did they do that?? My only theory was that there was a giant magnet under the stage pulling it around.

There were even pyrotechnics! At one point big flames shot up and I could feel the warmth on my face all the way up in the balcony.

One big let down was when the chandelier fell. It wasn't very dramatic (the chandelier going up was more so!) and there was no glass shattering sound effect. Also, the music was not what I was expecting - I thought it would all be like the awesome Phantom of the Opera theme song - kinda 80's and just awesome. (I know I said it twice, but that's what it is. Awesome.) But that song only lasted a minute! The rest of the songs, not so catchy. Something should be done about that.

I thought I knew the story, but I must have been getting The Phantom and the TV version of Beauty and the Beast confused. I thought Christine went to visit the Phantom often and they fell in love. But this Phantom was just a baddy! A murderer! 

note: thick burger and too brown fries

After the show, since we were conveniently in the neighborhood, we stopped into the brand new Steak n' Shake. Ohhh, what a let down. I specifically ordered an 'orignal steakburger' rather than a 'steakburger' so there would be absolutely no confusion. But I got the goddamn 'signature' burger with cheese. Horrible. (But would it really be a Steak n' Shake experience if your order wasn't messed up?) The fries were way too salty. Even the burger was super salty. It was no taste of home. They are still very new, so I'm hoping if I go back they have things straightened out. To make matters worse, the girls had to wear these weird, sad outfits. They were in short black skirts that were incredibly unflattering (and these were skinny girls!). They were too tight and made from a horribly cheap material. And on top of that, they also had to wear knee-high pleather boots. I have no idea whose call that was, but I'm pretty sure it had to be a man's idea. A man who spends too much time with prostitutes.

- Megan Leigh