Unmasking a top class performance
The Phantom of the Opera, by the Mullingar Student Players, Mullingar Arts Centre
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Caolan Cleary, Sean Kelly, Hazel O’Hehir, Emily Shaw, Eoin O’Grady, Tadgh Kelly, members of the cast for The Phantom of the Opera.Image 2 of 3
Sean McDonnell (The Phantom) and Meghan Bates (Christine Daaé).Image 3 of 3
Sean McDonnell (The Phantom) and Meghan Bates (Christine Daaé).The figures involved in The Phantom of the Opera by the Mullingar Student Players at Mullingar Arts Centre reflect the complicated nature of the production. The cast is more than 30 strong, there are more than 200 costumes, and it will take a crew of 17 to make the change in the mirror scene.
The simple numbers do not tell the whole story of the work that has gone in to the show, though; and audiences at the arts centre between Tuesday April 22 and Saturday April 26 (8pm) have that to look forward to.
Sean McDonnell plays the title role of The Phantom and the role of Christine is played by Meghan Bates supported by an ensemble and supporting cast featuring, Aoileann Mulvihill as Carlotta Giudicelli; Hazel O’Hehir as Meg Giry; Anna Casey as Madame Andre; Emily Shaw Madame Giry; Tadhg Kelly as Vicomte Raoul de Chagny; Sean Kelly as Richard Firmin; Caolan Cleary as Monsieur Gilles André; Eoin O’Grady as Ubaldo Piangi.
Musical director Angela Lynch regards Meghan Bates as "one of the best voices ever in Mullingar", according to arts centre director Sean Lynch, and Sean McDonnell has "created quite a name for himself in the last 12 months – he was at Valjean in last year’s production of Les Mis, to great critical acclaim, he was in Sweeney Todd, he was the lead in West Side Story in St Finian’s, and he was Caractacus Potts in the production here of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and he was in Streetcar Named Desire as well, so he’s an up and coming talent".
The Phantom of the Opera is an amateur youth group production by arrangement with The Really Useful Group Limited. The Mullingar Student Players also performed it in 2016, and it’s the full show, not an abridged version, so it has everything, from ‘Think of Me’ and ‘Angel of Music’ to ‘Music of the Night’, ‘All I Ask of You’, ‘Masquerade’ and the title song. Music is by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Charles Hart, and additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe.
The musical tells the story of a masked figure who lives in the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it. He falls in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine, and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her talents and by employing all of the devious methods at his command.
• Tickets (€17/€15) are on sale now from Mullingar Arts Centre: mullingarartscentre.ie; 04493 47777; Tuesday April 22 to Saturday April 26 at 8pm.