By Valerie Chapman
Halloween is rapidly approaching and Alpine Playhouse has chosen Maury Yeston?s ?Phantom? to parallel the season that often signals mischief, mayhem and monsters for its fall production. The show opens tonight and runs through Nov. 5, with a special Halloween performance and costume contest.
?We try to have our shows correspond to a particular season,? said Cory Larsen, director of the Alpine Playhouse. ??Phantom? fits perfectly with Halloween.?
Yeston?s musical ?Phantom? is not to be confused with Andrew Lloyd Webber?s ?Phantom of the Opera.? Though they both follow the story by Gaston Leroux of the opera ghost who haunted the Paris Opera House in the early 1800s, Yeston?s version follows the original work much closer than Webber?s.
?People are shocked to find out that there even is a book,? Larsen said. ?Yeston?s version is much more adherent to that original work and as a result gives a lot more background on the characters, especially the Phantom.?
Larsen said the character development is what he likes most about this version because it paints the Phantom as a human instead of a monster.
? really brings in the human interest aspect to the show,? Larsen said. ?The characters are people, and the audience is able to learn about them and truly connect to them.?
Jared Saunders, who plays the Phantom, said the background on his character makes it easier for him as an actor to portray his role with real conviction and understanding.
Saunders explained how in Yeston?s version, the Phantom has a mother and a father in the show. The Phantom?s mother used to sing to him when he was little and then she dies, which explains his love for singing and music.
The rest of the story follows the Phantom as he gives secret voice lessons to one of the costume shop workers at the Paris Opera House. He falls madly in love with her because her voice reminds him of his mother, and his obsession leads to his madness and subsequent deaths in the opera house.
? is a very deep character,? Saunders said. ?He?s lived in a tomb all his life, and his only memory of being loved is from his mother. This version makes the Phantom more lovable and makes the audience pity him and really understand him.?
The two musicals both based on the book take different approaches to character development, song styles and background information.
Cast member Johnny Hebda, a junior majoring in music dance theatre, said he has always been a huge fan of anything Phantom-related.
?I like a lot of things about them both,? Hebda said. ?This version gives a more in-depth understanding of the characters.?
Saunders said he encourages people to come and see for themselves which version they like better.
?You?re going to love it,? Saunders said. ?Just don?t come expecting to hear ?Phantom of the Opera? music.?
Larsen said the Halloween season and the recent movie version of the musical has sparked interest in the show, and tickets are selling fast. He expects to sell out and advises people to buy their tickets soon.
Tickets are $12.50 for adults and $10.50 for children and can be purchased online at www.alpineplayhouse.com, or by calling (800) 838-3006. Performances begin Sept. 30 and run through Nov. 5. The show runs on Monday, Friday and Saturday nights and begins at 7:30 p.m.