Big Voices, Elaborate Costumes and Amazing Special Effects Create Pure Magic
By D. Kevin McNeir
Sr. Correpsondent
& Editor
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| Andrew Lloyd Webber's unforgettable tale of terror, passion and unrequited love, The Phantom of the Opera, recently returned to South Florida at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, led by the captivating performance of Tim Martin Gleason (The Phantom) who was joined by a stellar cast and supported by a dazzling array of elaborate costumes, ingenious special effects and extraordinary sets. |
| Directed by Harold Prince and presented by Broadway Across America (Ft. Lauderdale), the Tony Award-winning blockbuster has earned the distinction of being the longest running show in Broadway history and with its thrilling score, written by Webber with lyrics by Charles Hart, and its poignant, fast-paced script based on Gaston Leroux's classic novel, it's easy to understand why.
Gleason delivers with a haunting interpretation of "The Phantom of the Opera," only to return with a vengeance in his second act-duet with Trista Moldovan (Christine Daae), "The Point of No Return." In fact, there are moments when his voice seems to rise from out of nowhere then soar high into the theater's rafters.
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And while Gleason is no stranger to Phantom, having played the role of Raoul longer than any other actor in American history before returning to the national tour once more - this time as the masked man himself - Moldovan has the both the poise and the "pipes" needed in order to pull of the role of the innocent, young soprano Christine whose beauty and God-given voice cause the Phantom to fall deeply in love.
She is superb in the moving graveyard scene in which she longs for the presence and advice of her deceased father in "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again."
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| Veteran actor Kim Stengel shows off her extensive operatic and theatrical skills as Carlotta Guidicelli, the prima donna of the Paris Opera House where most of the play takes place.
The gowns she wears, including one that weighs in at over 35 pounds, are breathtaking and she is truly stunning when the second act opens to a masquerade party and she descends from a winding staircase.
And then there is Sean MacLaughlin (Raoul) whose good looks and powerful voice make him the perfect foil for the Phantom and a noteworthy adversary for Christine's love.
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This writer isn't sure whether certain points in the play should be called "Ah Hah" or "Wow" moments but with the Phantom guiding his gondola across a fogbound lake, a ghostly candlelit lake that is formed by 140 candles that rise from the ground and a 10-foot high chandelier that first ascends well above the audience's heads before crashing down to the stage floor due to the Phantom's trickery, this show is sure to keep your adrenalin racing.
Over 80 million people in 124 cities in 25 countries have witnessed this Broadway thriller. Now, thru January 17th, citizens of or visitors to the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale area can experience the magic that is The Phantom of the Opera.
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For more information go to www.browardcenter.org or check out other cities where Phantom will be playing next year at www.broadwayacrossamerica.com.
And stay tuned for the rest of the Center's 2009-2010 line up which includes: The 39 Steps, In the Heights, The Color Purple and Mary Poppins. |
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