Special Episode 26: The Phantom of the Opera

 
 
Episode cover image, featuring a chandelier illuminating the ocean

[Cue aggressively and unapologetically cheesy synth music] In their latest special episode, Flourish and Elizabeth discuss their recent trip to Midtown to see one of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s (many) masterpieces, The Phantom of the Opera. Topics discussed include Elizabeth’s star turn singing “Angel of Music” in the fifth grade talent show, reactions to the production they saw on Broadway (Big Incel Energy!!), and the time Flourish wrote an Erik/Christine fic ~in the style~ of Gaston Leroux.

To listen to this special episode or read the full transcript, pledge to our Patreon!

 

Show notes

[00:00:00] As always, our intro music is “Awel” by stefsax, used under a CC BY 3.0 license.

[00:02:28] Important photographic evidence of Elizabeth’s fifth-grade Phantom forays. The talent show:

 
Image of Elizabeth in fifth grade holding a microphone and wearing a white nightgown onstage
 

Halloween:

 
Elizabeth at age 10 dressed as the Phantom
 

[00:04:42] Flourish’s Phantom/Christine fic is entitled “Madame O.G.” You can also read it on Wattpad (PLEASE check out the cover).

[00:04:46]

Animated gif from a stage production of Phantom depicting Christine fainting

 [00:11:52] LIVING HIS TRUTH.

[00:15:55] The interview Elizabeth heard was on “All Of It with Alison Stewart,” featuring Times journalist Alexis Soloski discussing her story “On Broadway, Newly Vital Understudies Step Into the Spotlight.” The radio piece was especially interesting because Broadway understudies and swings called into the show talk about their experiences during Omicron and beyond.

[00:18:14] The role of the Phantom was originated by Michael Crawford, and this is your (Flourish’s) opportunity to assess and see just how “powerful and sexy” he made it: 

 
 

[00:28:58] Elizabeth debuted her grand theory of “professional partnerships = arranged marriage” in episode 165, “Fests.”

[00:31:12] Elizabeth has not and likely will never see Joel Shumacher’s Phantom film, but now that she’s learned that her ship is depicted by Simon Callow and Ciarán Hinds, she is 100% committed to them.  

 
 

Ships itself, really!!

[00:34:54] 100 years ago—or in 2015—we discussed Flourish’s experiments with Wattpad in episode 3, “What’s the Deal with Wattpad?”

[00:47:00] The original dril tweet, and the *exquisite* Phantom-related reference.

[00:53:20] ERIK JUSTICE! 

Animated gif of Magneto (aka Best Erik) rotating metal balls in the air and winking

[00:53:50]

 
 

[00:56:24] The music that ends the episode is “3 Part Fugue for Church Organ in baroque style” by Jorge Luis Vaverde, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.