Phantom Opens Tonight at EHS

With just hours left before the opening performance, everyone involved with this production is filled with nervous excitement.

Jill Kuebler, the theater director, is confident. She knows the effort and hours these EHS students have invested. She also has no fears for opening night.

“We make sure we are as prepared as possible. The kids understand that it is live theater, so unexpected things are bound to happen during the run,” Kuebler calmly remarked.

Tuesday was the last chance for Emmaus High School’s cast and crew to work out the kinks for a flawless opening night in their production of “Phantom of the Opera." Up to this point, they have labored together to build a set, know their lines, and become familiar with their places on stage.

In addition to the actors and crew, a team of 13 dancers -- for which more than 40 students auditioned -- adds pizzazz to the show.

Katie Washer, an EHS physics teacher and the dance team coach, led this effort, ultimately deciding who would join the cast. Washer also choreographed most of the routines, which will be performed in “Phantom."

Samantha Fruhwirth, a senior at EHS and one of the “Phantom” dancers, said she’s discovered that there’s so much more to a musical than she ever imagined. Members of the cast, including the dancers, are required to create a fictitious biography for themselves.

“The dancers had to write a character development about the time period so we could draw emotions when we have to act in the musical,” Fruhwirth explained.

Her story: “My (fictitious) parents are from Germany but moved to Italy due to a job relocation. But my (fictitious) dad told me to move to France because I was a good dancer, so I lived in the Opera House.”

The goal is to motivate each cast member to truly feel as if they are their character. The lead actors have much more complex character developments.

For example, Kayleigh Jardine's first order of business after landing the part of Madame Giry was creating her created a 10-page biography.

“Carlotta’s” husband, 'Piangi,' played by Rob Lamb always walks around practicing his Italian accent, and I thought it was his actual accent. They get really into character which is really good,” Fruhwirth added.

Mary Lou Pattishall, a retired EHS French teacher and theater director Jill Keubler’s mother, offered her services by educating the cast on French accents and a bit of French history. These lessons have given them the ability to use correct French pronunciation as they perform their lines.

“From a dancer’s aspect, we get to sit backstage a good amount of time and watch the actors. This allows us to incorporate their emotions into the ballet,” Fruhwirth said.

In order for the dancers and actors to do their jobs successfully, they require the “music of the night," because, seriously, what would a musical be without the music?

The pit orchestra, the final piece of the theatrical puzzle, comprises 26 select EHS musicians, and makes its debut last in the production process.

Although pit members have been practicing numbers such as “Think of Me," “Music of the Night” and “Phantom of the Night” for many months behind the scenes, they only joined the cast and crew a week ago to coordinate all of their elements into the final masterpiece.

Musical director Rita Cortez and pit conductor Ryan Herrington work together to produce the haunting sounds for which Phantom is famous.

Katrina Koch, a junior at EHS, said the hardest part of performing in a production such as “Phantom” is keeping tempo with the cast. Many of the members of the pit said it was extremely hard work, but it's “cool” when they see it all come together.

Max Watkins, a senior EHS cellist, agreed.

“The major difference between this and a winter concert is that in normal orchestra playing, you follow one tempo, follow the director and play together. But here it’s more important to follow them (the cast) or follow the conductor who’s following them (the cast), so it’s an entirely different thing.”

One of the two pianists, junior Christi Martin, said many of the orchestra members came for the first time last week after after returning from the trip to Hawaii. Martin has been going back and forth between the rehearsals for the cast and orchestra to coordinate everything.

“It’s really awesome how we’ve come to this point. It’s really impressive how everyone can come together and make it work in just a week,” she said.

Cortez thinks the pit is the unsung hero.

“You only notice the pit when it’s bad, and when it’s good you don’t notice it’s there,” she said. "It’s the nature of musical theater that the pit isn’t recognized."

The Phantom pit consists entirely of students with the exception of one person Cortez brought in to play the trumpet. According to her, “Phantom” has a very difficult score.

Normally, Cortez would never use pre-recorded sound of any kind. However, this is one musical where certain sounds can’t be duplicated, particularly the unforgettable sound of the haunting pipe organ. Cortez explained that a “click-track” is required, which is “a series of audio cues used to synchronize sound recordings."  Suprisingly, it is also used in the Broadway performance.

She noted that in the real Broadway performance of “Phantom," the high C sung by Christine is also pre-recorded. In EHS’s version of Phantom, Christine actually will sing the unusually high note, quite a feat for a high school performer.

So, places everybody: this is no dress rehearsal!

The premier performance of “Phantom” begins at 7 p.m. tonight. Some tickets may be available at the door, however they will be very limited in availability.