PEGGY REVELL
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Hatters will get a trip to the Paris Opera House next week, as Medicine Hat High School's production of "The Phantom of the Opera" hits the stage.
"It's a beautiful love story," said MHHS drama teacher Chris Stockton about French writer Gaston Leroux's tale of a disfigured musical genius who "haunts" the Paris Opera House and falls in love with one of the chorus singers.
It was transformed into a world-famous musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber in 1986, and the licence was just released to colleges and high schools.
"So we thought, let's just do it," said Stockton, about the local production that will run from Feb. 14-18 at MMHS's Karen Cunningham Performing Arts Theatre.
"It's the story of just someone who wants to love so badly and falls in love so hard and then has to deal with where society impacts him on that," said Stockton, adding that everyone can relate to feeling as though they're not good enough.
"And as brilliant as he is, and as wonderful a person as he is, and how brilliantly he trains voices, he's still an outcast," he said. "I think it's a beautiful story of how we can look beyond those things and how what's always on the surface doesn't always translate to what's inside."
The show is also a technically difficult one to take on, he said.
"It's not an easy show to sing by any stretch of the imagination; there's some very complex singing bits," he said. "Andrew Lloyd Webber is a really wonderful composer, but he's done some really tricky things in this show, so vocally it's a stretch for the students."
But while it's a challenge for students, it's one they're enjoying.
"It's a lot of fun, I'm really enjoying it," said Grade 11 student Laura Cheverie, who is the stage manager for the production.
The set has probably been one of the biggest challenges for them, she said, but "it looks so good."
"It's a lot of work for the cast, but I think they've got it."
"I love the music throughout the whole thing," she added. "The music is just amazing. It's such a powerful musical. I love how they have all these huge songs and we have some really good singers."
For this show, the school has brought in both a costume and set designer, Stockton noted.
"So the students have really had an opportunity to work with professionals, which is kind of cool," he said.
"They've built the sets, they've built the costumes, they've rigged the lights, they're running the whole show too," he said, saying the best part of it all is seeing the students talents showcased after all their hard work.
Tickets cost $20 for adults, $15 for students and seniors, and are available at either the north or south offices at Medicine Hat High School, as well as at the door.
The doors open at 7 p.m., with the show starting at 7:30
Fog and strobe lighting will be used during the performance.