If you expect to see Andrew Lloyd Webber’s adaptation of “The Phantom of the Opera” when you walk into the Lied Education for the Arts Center this weekend, you may be in for a shocking but sweet surprise.
Creighton’s fine and performing arts department’s production of “Phantom,” which runs through this weekend, has many of the same characters that appear in the rather familiar musical “The Phantom of the Opera” by Andrew Lloyd Webber. However, “Phantom” has a different storyline and different music.
Christine Daeé (Chelsey Hill) is the first to appear on stage, selling her music and singing in the streets. Philippe (Mark Karasek), a connoisseur of music in Paris, discovers her talent, and arranges for her to get singing lessons at the Paris Opera House.
Meanwhile, Gerard Carriere (Patrick Kilcoyne) is fired as managing director of the opera house and is replaced by Alain Cholet (Nik Whitcomb) and Carlotta (Colleen Kilcoyne), a rather wealthy couple. Carlotta immediately promotes herself to play a lead in every production; her terrible voice is apparent to everyone except herself and her husband.
When Christine arrives at the opera house, Carlotta puts her in charge of costumes, since “the best way to become a singer is to observe a singer.” However, the Phantom (Ryan Malone) hears Christine singing and, enticed by her beautiful voice, offers to anonymously give her singing lessons.
Several weeks later, Christine is at a party with many of the opera house’s patrons, including Phillipe. Phillipe encourages her to sing, and many patrons become very impressed with her talent. To please the patrons, Carlotta gives her the lead in the opera house’s next production.
Before opening night, Carlotta purposely gives Christine some sort of drink to affect her performance. Christine fails to hit the high notes again and again, and the Phantom, angry that the opera house did not let down the curtain after her first missed note, cuts the curtain down. Christine faints back in her dressing room and the Phantom takes her underground to his lair.
Phillippe, noticing that Christine is nowhere to be found, leads the police to search for the Phantom and for Christine.
Malone and Hill were incredible in this production. Their voices blended perfectly together during duets, and each individual’s voice had a wide range that worked well for this genre of music.
However, I found the lyrics of the music in some parts hard to understand. The lyrics were very rushed, which presents quite a challenge for the actors and actresses, as well as the audience members.
Colleen Kilcoyne, who played the proud Carlotta, also had a noteworthy performance. Her gestures and emphasis on certain parts of “This Place is Mine” were humorous. The audience got quite a giggle out of her and her “sidekick” Alain Cholet (Nik Whitcomb).
The main characters’ performances were matched by the characters who didn’t have as much stage time. For example, during a beautiful scene which explains th Phantom’s childhood, Molly McGuire, who played the Phantom’s mother, danced gracefully and sang beautifully. At one point, she was joined by a female chorus, and their version of “Ave Maria” could easily take one’s breath away.
The playwright of “Phantom,” Arthur Kopit, who has been nominated for three Tony awards, was in the audience on opening night. He displayed a huge smile and clapped enthusiastically with the rest of the audience while the actors and actresses took their bows.
The cast has a reason to smile too. When you get a smile from the playwright, you know you’re doing something right.