The Phantom of the Soap Opera
at Lindenwold High School

Reviewed on October 25, 2014

Haley Szenczi
Bordentown Regional High School
Submitted for publication to Inquirer-1

Panic and pandemonium filled the theater during Lindenwold's hilarious production of "Phantom of the Soap Opera". The mystery of the unknown phantom came to life as they included the audience in their investigation to halt the hauntings of studio thirteen.

Written by Craig Sodaro in 1998, "Phantom of the Soap Opera" is a spoof on the magnificent musical "Phantom of the Opera". In this hilarious parody, the cast of the hit TV soap opera "As the Heart Burns" is haunted by a mysterious phantom, who creates chaos in studio thirteen to capture the leading lady.

As a whole, the entire cast did really well with embracing their television personas and acting overdramatic when they needed to, just like an actor on a soap opera should be. Although some lines were lost from not annunciating, the actors made up for it physically with their dramatic gestures.

Carrying the show was Sarah Astor, playing Addison Meriwether, the distressed, ulcer-filled director of "As the Heart Burns". As a true stand out in this production, she was fully committed to her role and acted with believability.

Supporting the cast along the way, Shannon Gaskill was not to be outshone. While portraying Lily Ponds, the director's scatterbrained sidekick, Gaskill held high energy throughout the performance, always trying to remember the director's real name. Another noteworthy performer was Oscar Antunez, who played Neville Starr, the local reporter. He always made the audience laugh by bringing comedic relief to the intense mystery.

The technical aspect of this show was fantastic. The lighting always set the mood, especially when the phantom took the stage, while the crew was quick and effective, always getting the job done. Their realistic set perfectly mocked one of a real TV studio, and they even got creative with their "Soap Opera Intro Video" that mimicked the opening title of a real television series.

Full of mystery, mayhem, and many laughs, Lindenwold's production of "Phantom of the Soap Opera" was a success.

Cynthia Reynolds
Bordentown Regional High School
Submitted for publication to Inquirer-2

A mysterious man in a mask. A damsel in distress. A Big Mac, large fries and a strawberry milkshake. Definitely things that do not seem to belong together. But all of them existed side by side in Lindenwold High School's production of Phantom of the Soap Opera!

Phantom of the Soap Opera, a two act play written by Craig Sodaro, is a spoof of the classic musical Phantom of the Opera. The play follows the same story line as the musical, but with a slap-stick-like twist. Sodaro's "phantom" is seeking vengeance and romance on the set of a comically crazy soap opera, As the Heart Burns. With a set of characters that are extremely theatrical both on and off camera, Phantom of the Soap Opera embodies the fun, drama and absurdity of a TV soap opera.


Gina Smith was humorously hammy in her portrayal of Regina Brooks. Smith shone in her soap opera scenes and timed her melodramatic gasps and gestures well. Kent Mosley was amusing as keystone cop-like detective Digby Wright. His interactions with the other actors as well as the audience, contributed to the overall performance.

The partnership of Sarah Astor as frazzled director Addison Meriwether and Shannon Gaskill as ditzy secretary Lily Ponds stole the show. The two had great comedic chemistry and worked very well together. Through body language and tone they both delivered memorable and humorous performances.

Another standout included Jesica Counts, as the demanding diva Daphne Davis. Chanteuse Counts committed to her over the top character and maintained her energy throughout the play. Also noteworthy was Kathy Taylor, as the sassy costumer Millicent Crump.

Occasionally difficult to understand lines would make the plot hard to follow, but the actors were able to work past this and put on a very funny show.

The performance was enhanced by some of the technical aspects of the production. Cory Works set the tone of the show like the opening credits of any TV soap, with his creative and cheesy Soap Opera Introduction Video. The LHS Stage Crew constructed a very detailed and professional looking set which rivaled any soap opera and added tremendously to the show.

The cast and crew of Lindenwold High School's production of Phantom of the Soap Opera delivered a spirited and witty performance, plot twist after plot twist. Tune in next week to see the drama continue on As the Heart Burns.