Cameron Mackintosh Ltd:

Les Miserables, produced by Cameron Mackintosh, almost equals Phantom in its popularity and the dedicated of its fans. There is a newsletter called "The Barricade" which operates from Texas. The show opened in London a year before Phantom did.

As with Phantom, there are many excellent fan web sites on Les Miserables, which make extensive use of the show's logo, photographs, sound clips, and libretto, all copyrighted material. They, like the Phantom sites, provide good, free publicity for the producers. They have not received objections.

The Really Useful Company rudely ignores fans who seek permission to use copyrighted logos. What does Cameron Mackintosh Ltd do in similar circumstances? They allow "The Barricade" to print regional show logos on each cover. In one issue they ran a competition offering press packs and cast jackets to the winning fans. They appreciate and help them.

Look at the 10th anniversaries of each show. Cameron Mackintosh put on a spectacular event, in a venue large enough to seat hundreds of fans as well as cast and crew from the past. Fans were given the opportunity to reserve their seats before the tickets went on sale to the general public. A glossy souvenir program was produced to celebrate 10 years of the show, mentioning the fan newsletter. The concert was televised, recorded, and released on video and CD, so even fans who couldn't go to the concert could see and hear it.

What did the RUG give us for Phantom? A small, poorly-organized event which excluded most fans. Are we bitter? Yes we are.

The Livent Corporation:

Livent produces Phantom in Canada and has taken it on international tours. When the show had its first anniversary, fans were upset that the tickets were priced too high for many of them to be able to afford. But when they complained, Livent listened. They talked to the fans, and acted on what they were told.

Each year in Toronto, something has happened for the anniversary of Phantom, even if it's just a speech at the end of the show and a birthday cake being wheeled on the stage. One year free CDs were given out. They always have new souvenirs on sale.

For the 5th anniversary, they pulled the stops out. For a week, there were autograph signings, tours of the theater and backstage, demonstrations of the make-up and the costumes, the special effects, all the things the fans would love to see. It was free, and organized so that as many fans as possible could take part.

Fans who write to them get a response. One fan on the Phantom list, Nick Jackson (whose page came under threat from the RUG) was even sent a free t-shirt in thanks for his comments on the show!