PHANTOM Opening at Artisan
Artisan Center Theater presents
PHANTOM
By Maury Yeston and Arthur Kopit
Directed by John Wilkerson
Production Runs March 18 – April 23, 2011
PHANTOM will be interpreted for the deaf and hearing impaired by TCC Practicum students on Tuesday March 22, 2011.
Hurst, Texas, March 4, 2011 – Artisan Center Theater proudly presents PHANTOM at its 150 seat theater-in-the-round. The theater is located in the old historic Belaire Plaza at 420 East Pipeline Road. The daytime box office is located at 418 East Pipeline Road. The show runs Friday March 18 through Saturday April 23, 2011. Performances are at 7:30pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday with 3 pm matinees on Saturdays 3/26, 4/2, 4/9, 4/16, 4/23/2011. Reserved seating tickets are $16.00 for adults, $14.00 for students and seniors, and $9.00 for children 12 and under. Monday through Thursday tickets are $12.00. The box office number is 817-284-1200. More information can be found on the website at http://www.ArtisanCT.com
ABOUT PHANTOM:
Forget everything you think you know about Phantom, other than:
He lives under the Paris Opera House
He loves beautiful music.
He is in love with a woman named Christine
He wears a mask.
He seems to hate chandeliers.
Those are pretty much the only similarities between the Tony Award-winning THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA by Andrew Lloyd Webber, and PHANTOM by American composing duo Arthur Kopit and Maury Yeston — which which is about to open at Artisan Center Theater.
Kopit and Yeston were working on their version of the Gaston Leroux novel at roughly the same time as Webber, who had deeper pockets and beat them to the punch. Though never making it to Broadway, PHANTOM has lived on in numerous productions around the world.
This Phantom seems like a really nice guy. His name is Erik. He makes some jokes, likes poetry and doesn’t want to hurt anyone — only doing so when absolutely necessary — and then feels bad about it.
Musically, PHANTOM is a touch more classical and lyrical at times.
PHANTOM is the musical telling of the story of “The Phantom of the Opera”, written by Gaston Leroux in 1910. Leroux himself wrote his book based on what he believed to be a true story passed down from the previous generation of an ‘Opera Ghost’ who wreaked chaos and destruction in late 19th century Paris at the Opera Garnier.
PHANTOM presents a dramatic story that will strike an emotional chord. It begins at the first meeting of Erik (the Phantom) and a street singer named Christine. Erik was born and raised in the catacombs under the Paris Opera House and needs beautiful music – he cannot exist without it. He accepts Christine as his pupil, training her for the opera, but forbids her to see his face. Furthermore, Carlotta, the new diva and owner of the Opera, has such a terrible voice that the Phantom is in torment. His salvation must eventually come through Christine, whose voice is so beautiful that he falls in love with her.
This story takes us to a place where music can fill our lives, transporting us from the world of the ordinary to the extraordinary. Those people who can bring forth beautiful music from the very depths of their souls compel us, astound us and sometimes frighten us. When the Phantom closes his eyes to his gloomy world of ugliness, music brings to his imagination beauty, poetry and ecstasy. Yeston and Kopit deliver captivating music that is uplifting at times, humorous at others, and heartfelt and haunting throughout. Please join us as we close our eyes and enter our imaginations in the re-telling of this beautiful story.
SUMMARY OF PHANTOM:
Who: Artisan Center Theater, a 150 seat theater-in-the-round
What: PHANTOM
When: March 18 – April 23, 2011
Where: The Belaire Plaza, 420 East Pipeline Road, Hurst, Texas
Director: John Wilkerson
Show times: 7:30pm M/T/Th/F/Sat with 3pm matinees on Saturdays 3/26, 4/2, 4/9, 4/16, 4/23/2011
Tickets: Reserved seats: $16.00 for adults, $14.00 for students and senior citizens, $9.00 for children 12 and under. Mondays through Thursdays are $12.00 for ages 13 and up and $7.00 for 12 and under.
Reservations: Call 817-284-1200; web site: www.ArtisanCT.com
List of actors and biographical information can be found on the website at http://www.ArtisanCT.com