"Phantom" is great at Indianapolis

By FRANK & LINDA PHILLIPS
frankphi@hotmail.com

“Phantom” starring Tony Lawson and Krista Severeid received a standing ovation at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre, Indianapolis, Saturday night.

I know. I was one of the first on my feet.

The truly great stories, the ones that endure a century or longer, are stories that deal with broad and magnificent themes.

“Phantom” is like that. It compelling tells what happens when a man (or woman!) spend much of their lives hiding from their neighbors for fear of not being accepted and then find freedom – though not right away – through self-revelation.

Gaston LeRoux’s novel, “The Phantom of the Opera,” published in 1911 tells the story of a child born out of wedlock to a great opera singer. The child is misfigured with a terrible face at birth and hidden away by his parents in the catacombs beneath the opera house in Paris.

Years pass before the B&B production of “Phantom” by Maury Yeston and Arthur Kopit begins. Now, the “Phantom” is living behind a mask in the catacombs. A young lady becomes the opera house’s new favorite singer – a young lady who reminds him of his own deceased mother, a woman who could love him in spite of his deformity.

Theatergoers should be aware that this is not the Andrew Lloyd Webber version of “Phantom of the Opera,” hence the name change to just “Phantom.”

“Yeston focuses on the Phantom as a man, not a monster,” As B&B’s publicist, JoEllen Miller puts it. “Webber uses specual effects; Yeston’s version affects the hear with a moving love story.”

Linda Phillips agreed.

“He, he is great!” she stammered during intermission. She was referring to Lawson’s performance. Coincidentally, his mother sat next to us during the show. He came to see her before the First Act, but we didn’t know it was he at the time and so Linda didn’t get to meet him.

We both agreed Severeid was also great as the leading lady, “Christine.” (One wonders if “Phantom of the Opera” is where Stephen King got his idea for the haunted car who loved his main character in the novel, but I digress.)

We always love performances by Suzanne Stark and Ty Stover. They offer a little comedy relief as new opera house owners La Carlotta and Alain Cholet.

The cast was as nearly perfect as anyone could hope.

The show features the most elegant sets and costumes we have seen at Beef & Boards. While the winter show is often a musical, I don’t think even “Cats” could compare to “Phantom.”

Some have asked about the food. The menu varies, sometimes with the production. It seemed good old wholesome farm food was the fare during “State Fair.” During “Phantom,” look for the theater’s signature roast beef (rare and wll-done), sesame chicken – baked with a flavorful coating), noodle alfredo with a mild sauce (Linda liked this dish, I passed because I am not an alfredo person), blazing red fish (the coating is mildly spicy), mixed vegetables, diced potatoes, braised red cabbage – we both really enjoyed this) and a salad bar with lettuce salad and all the fixings plus chocolate and butterscotch pudding.

If “Phantom” doesn’t receive a standing ovation in a packed house every performance, the audience … and the public … weren’t paying attention.