Play of the Week: Phantom of the Opera

Broadway shows come and go all the time, but some stay longer than others.  Some are hits and last for years, while others flop almost instantly.  One of my all-time favorite shows happens to be one of Broadway’s longest running shows: “The Phantom of the Opera.” My first exposure to “Phantom” came in the eighth grade when the school band played a medley from the show.  I had another encounter one year later when I finally watched the show on DVD, and then again another year later when I finally saw the show on Broadway.  Words cannot describe what I experienced that day. The cast was spectacular, the costumes phenomenal, and the effects blew me away. Even the theater itself was gorgeous.


For those of you who do not know the plot of the play, it takes place in an opera house in Paris. Said opera house is the home of the unwanted masked musical genius known as the "Phantom", who has made it his business to see that the young dancer Christine, whose sweet voice captured his heart, stars in the operas he himself writes. The owners realize they must put on his productions or else terrible things begin to take place. With time it becomes obvious that the Phantom loves more than just Christine's voice, but the girl herself. However, Christine realizes she is torn between her love for her childhood friend, Raoul and her fascination for the Phantom, despite his growing reign of terror.


I must warn you: the show is 99.9% singing. For those of you who cannot handle this, I advise you to stay away. But, if you can handle the beautiful vocals of the performers, I highly recommend this show. It would get five stars in my book any day.