End the summer with a night out!
School is back in session and it's fair to say that shifting into a new routine requires some adjustment. Before you get too comfortable, take time for one last spontaneous date night: don't miss Phantom of the Opera at Civic Center Music Hall. Nightly shows run through this Sunday, September 7.
Even if you've seen a past production, this newly reinvented version by Cameron Mackintosh and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group is worth the price of a ticket. It's all the charm and romance familiar to audiences but with an incredible cast, stunning scene changes and special effects, including pyrotechnics and the show's signature falling chandelier, that make the audience's experience more memorable. Even as the theatre props and related details have evolved, the score and story, with their inherent nostalgia, remain true to the classic.
Can't get a last-minute babysitter? Phantom of the Opera is recommended for ages 6 and up, due to some violent themes and the intensity of the special effects experience. I noticed more elementary-school children in attendance than I would have expected at this past Friday night's performance and was glad to see kids taking it all in. My husband, who isn't usually a fan of musicals, thoroughly enjoyed the evening and suggested we see it again this week with our seven-year-old son, Sam. While I know the plot would be lost on him and other second-graders, I have no doubt he would enjoy the colorful costumes, signing and choreography as much as we did.
Tickets are limited but still available for evening performances, as well as a Sunday matinee. Whether you plan a special evening for two or attend with the family, Phantom of the Opera won't soon be forgotten.
