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Phantom of the Opera still a great show |
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Almost everyone knows the classic story The Phantom of the Opera. But if you have not gone to see it unfold before your eyes, I recommend that you take the time to do so. Years after its record-setting run on Broadway, an audience remains for this classic tale. The Crouse Hinds Theater in Syracuse is currently hosting The Phantom of the Opera. John Cudia played the notorious, haunting Phantom, and Marni Raab played the Phantom’s love obsession, Christine. Throughout the entire play Christine, an actress for an Opera house, is haunted by the Phantom and his music. She falls in love with another man and the Phantom disapproves of her decision. This sends the play to spiral into an entire plot for the Phantom to finally make Christine his wife against her will. While he almost succeeds, behind the monster lies a heart, and if you have not yet seen or heard of this story I think I’ll stop right there. You’ll be surprised at the ending it brings. The actors did a spectacular job of keeping you locked into their performance. I even caught myself at certain times not even remembering where I was because I was so concentrated on the story line. They really know how to make their audience glue themselves to their seats. One of the best parts of the whole thing is that you can tell that every single performer loves what they do, a fact which makes the show even more enjoyable to take part in. Everything from the orchestra to the sets on stage scream to the audience to take the time to go see this production. The power behind the actors’ voices is compelling. Although the singing did not give me chills, it would still leave you in awe over their talents. The costumes were terrific. They made the stage come alive with excitement, and the way the actors and actresses moved in them made the dramatic wardrobe seem like they were extra characters in the story. They were simply beautiful. The backstage crew should also be recognized as they went unseen throughout the entire play, but still managed to completely change the atmosphere of the stage for every scene. The sets were amazing. You saw everything from a giant elephant to bursts of fire. The elephant wasn’t real of course and you could feel the heat from the flames even if you were seated in the balcony, but the detail of all the props deserved three pats on the back. Everything was very well-rehearsed. As a member of the audience that night, it struck me that mess-ups didn’t seem possible. The play as a whole was very put together; it's no wonder to me why the audience was standing in applause by the end. If I had the chance, I would definitely go see it again. Only this time, I would bring some friends along with me. The show is scheduled to run through October 7. |
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