A magnificent stretch of Broadway at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center will begin its second leg Wednesday as The Phantom of the Opera makes a triumphant return.
It’s a great time for those theater lovers in our neck of the woods.
Appleton and the PAC became the envy of the theater-going Midwest in fall as Hamilton made its Wisconsin premiere. Now, the must-see phenomenon of a previous generation of musical theater arrives now five years after its most recent Appleton staging.
For regular theater-goers, it’ll provide an enjoyable night of revisiting a favorite.
It’s an excellent entry point for those who don’t consider themselves theater people.
The show’s powerful music and elaborate costuming, staging and effects are bound to suspend the disbelief of anyone paying attention.
The tour arrived in Appleton from Minneapolis, where the show closed on Sunday.
So what are they saying?
Basil Considine, in her review for the Twin Cities Arts Reader, had praise for the top-notch cast and notable changes that make a new experience from the long-performed show.
“This production has a few dashes of shading that show an awareness of our times and mores, while still sweeping you into a world where the boundaries between magical realism and the surreal blur,” she wrote. “The resulting hurricane is not to be missed.”
Mary Aalgard in her review of the Minneapolis tour stop also had praise for the cast and in particular lead actor Derrick Davis.
“What a treat to hear his mesmerizing voice again and see him bring this tortured character to life,” she wrote.
Considine also had an interview with Davis on becoming the phantom. Check that out here.
The Phantom of the Opera will run at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center through Dec. 15.
