Phantom of the Country Opera

10.26.2009

Author: Nicole Soucy, Senior Writer

LONGMEADOW, Mass.—Bay Path College Performing Arts Department presents Phantom of the Country Opera. A preview performance of Phantom of the Country Opera will be held Friday, November 6, at 8 p.m. with tickets at $14 for the general public and $10 for seniors. Tickets are $15 for additional performances held on November 7, 13 and 14 at 8 p.m. and November 8 and 15 at 2 p.m. All performances will be held in Mills Theatre on the Longmeadow Campus, 588 Longmeadow St. in Longmeadow. To purchase tickets, call the Bay Path College Box Office at 413.565.1307. The box office opens October 28.

A hilarious, farcical, country-western parody of the classic tale of horror, Phantom of the Country Opera is the story of operatic sensation Christina Joseph. Christina leaves a promising career at La Scala and returns to her roots in Nashville, Tennessee, singing backup at the Country Palace. There she finds an enemy in an aging country-western diva and a mentor in a mysterious janitor determined to make her country music's newest star. The Chicago Sun-Times review of the musical called it “…a show that wears its heart and its sense of humor on its sleeve….” Phantom of the Country Opera features music by Michael Duff, lyrics by Cheryl Coons, and book by Sean Grennan and Kathy Santen.

The cast features actors from Bay Path’s Performing Arts Department and area theatre companies. Phantom of the Country Opera is directed and choreographed by Li Ciaglo, with additional staging by Broadway actor and choreographer Kevin Duda, and musical direction by Scott Bailey.

For more information about Bay Path College Performing Arts, call 413.565.1361.