My one theater-related prayer during my four years at SLU has been that “Phantom of the Opera” would come to the Fox. Finally, that dream came true.
Cameron Mackintosh’s reinterpretation of the stunning original show will grace the stage from March 4 through the 15. “The Phantom of the Opera” tells the story of a masked man that lives underneath the Paris Opera House and terrorizes the performers. Dressed as the mysterious Angel of Music, he begins to train Christine, a young soprano, and falls in love her. Meanwhile, Christine’s childhood sweetheart Raoul, now a rich viscount, enters the picture and Christine must choose between the two.
Last week, I spoke to Storm Lineberger, the actor who plays Raoul, Christine’s love interest. He says that, in creating the new productions, the producers were not trying to remake the original (because the original was perfect), but they instead took on the task of reimagining the production from a new perspective. For example, the set focuses more heavily on the opera house itself: it showcases the passageways and the catacombs behind and under the stage that were not included in the previous production.
Lineberger finds this to be grittier and more realistic interpretation. It also takes all the advantages of the new technology that has been developed in the past thirty years. The show will feature high-definition projections and a twenty-ton wall that is moved using an electric motor and makes for seamless transitions. Storm assured me that the classic boat and chandelier are still a part of the production.
In addition to the sets, this interpretation is much more story-driven and focuses on Christine and her plight as the story progresses. It emphasizes that she has to choose between the two sides of herself. With the noble Raoul, she would have social stature and stability, while with the Phantom, she would have passion.
Directed by Laurence Connor and choreographed by Scott Ambler, along with a whole host of Tony Award winners on the production team, this is a production I am very much looking forward to experiencing.
