Phantom
at Santa Margarita Catholic

Reviewed on April 12, 2019

Adrianna Ciscone
Tesoro
Submitted for publication to OC Register

SMCHS "Phantom" is heartbreaking and stunning
written by Adrianna Ciscone, a senior at Tesoro High School

An opera house, a phantom and an innocent girl all are seen in Santa Margarita Catholic High School's "Phantom". This haunting show depicts the story of a girl who wants to be in the opera and is taken under the wing of the infamous Phantom of the Opera and all the chaos that follows.

The strong and memorable Phantom is played by Brendan Reeves who is the chilling man that lives under the opera house. Powerful and unwavering, Reeves never falters on his determined character as he sings "Phantom Fugue Part 1" trying to teach his protégé how to sing more efficiently. Another, more heartbreaking, side of his is brought out in "My True Love" as he shows his true emotions and flails on the floor, crying and screaming.

Katie Flores portrays the youthful Christine. Flores demonstrates her innocence by her kind smile as she is content with just working at the opera house. She gently and pleasantly sings "Melodie de Paris" running around the town and smiling ear to ear, just excited to be there.

Contrasting to the innocent Flores is Ella Lao, as Carlotta. Lao is mischievous and a diva as she tries to sabotage the opera. She confirms how polished she thinks she is in the song "This Place is Mine" prancing around the room, boasting about how flawless her talents are.

The ensemble are the glue that holds this stunning show together. They are always engaged and ready for the next event to occur. They dance together in every number in perfect harmony, never missing a cue or move. This is effortlessly shown in the song "Titania" as they are performing on a stage, looking professional and poised.

This beautiful and electrifying show would not be complete without the remarkable stage crew. Daniel Reyes and Deck Crew expertly keep this is show moving quickly and efficiently. Every scene change is smooth and calculated to ensure no dead time will occur. The crew are dressed in costume as to not pull out of the moment and distract from the story at hand.

Overall, Santa Margarita Catholic High School's "Phantom" is extraordinarily executed with a professional cast, engaged ensemble and capable tech, creating a show filled with sorrow and passion.

Carson C De Baca
St. Margaret's Episcopal
Submitted for publication to OC Facebook

"Phantom" at Santa Margarita Captivates and Thrills
written by Carson C De Baca, a junior at St. Margaret's Episcopal School

A man, face masked, stalks the woman he admires as the world above him moves on, draped in music and soaked in the dreams of a singer looking for her path. Such is SM's production of the timeless story of a discarded orphan and his interactions with the opera house he resides in while attempting to have the woman he holds dearest.

The Phantom (Brendan Reeves) thrills audiences with his exaggerated movements and deep, icy stares. With only half his face visible, Reeves succeeds in conveying crisp emotion through deep, at times threatening stares and rich vocalizations. His voice rolls through songs and strikes every note perfectly, reaching the full extent of his range in "The Story of Erik Ballet". With sharp, defined movements that add to his disturbing air, Reeves brings the Phantom to life beyond the stage.

Katie Flores brings Christine to life with poise and excellence, performing both her singing and acting with exceptional quality. From her high notes in "Melodie de Paris" to her low notes when alone with the Phantom, Flores handles difficult operatic sections with comfort and grace, never falling out of step with either the music or the ensemble. Not only is her voice exceptional, but Flores' onstage movements and acting are eloquent and fluid, adding an air of sophistication to her character through subtle gestures. In this way, Flores allows the audience to lose themselves in both the success and tragedy of her character.

Ella Lao as Carlotta is simply wonderful. Whether within the spotlight or off to the side of a scene, Lao's presence is always felt. As a villain, her strengths are plentiful; from her upright and engaged diva-like posture to her powerful vocals in "This Place is Mine", Lao commands her scenes with talent and authority while maintaining strong diction. Both her voice and temperament throughout the production maintain elements of rigidity and fluidity as Lao navigates difficult scenes and songs with an amazing ability to alter her expressions depending on the scene, composed at times and passionate at others.

The set is extremely versatile, with the quick and thematically dressed running crew using several larger props to establish scenes, with additional smaller props used that added to the authenticity of the production.

In all, SM's production combines beautiful operatic pieces and flexible acting with an enthralling story and clean aesthetics.

Sophie Lombardo
Dana Hills (SOCSA)
Submitted for publication to OC Facebook

Santa Margarita´s ¨Phantom¨ is Like a Dream
written by Sophie Lombardo, a senior at Dana Hills (SOCSA)

The classic story of ¨Phantom of the Opera¨ is given a new perspective in Santa Margarita´s ¨Phantom¨. The Phantom´s backstory is revealed, and his relationship with Christine grows deeper with a heart wrenching story of how the Phantom became who he is.

Brendan Reeves as the Phantom and Katie Flores as Christine beautifully match each other's passion. Flores portrays a trusting and ambitious young girl through her airy and flawless vocals, bright eyes, and an unwavering smile. Reeves meets this energy, but with dark and selfish motives. However, his vulnerable moments, sprawled on the ground and gasping with grief, show his depth.

Gerard Carriere, brought to life by Brandon Schillig, has an incredible journey as a character. His soft facials and gentle tone of voice characterize him as a loving man, but as the Phantom causes more and more problems, Schillig grows stronger in his ability to stand up to protect others while remaining understanding to the Phantom, his son.

The new owners of the Opera, Cholet and Carlotta (presented by Matthew Elniski and Ella Lao), are a pair that is easy to hate. Their over the top prestige is evident through their snooty facials, head held high, and dismissive air to anyone who they perceive as less than them. Lao stands out in ¨This Place is Mine¨ with her flooring vocals that fill the theatre and her command of the stage space through an ease of movement.

Emma Smith and Declan Edwards dance together in harmony in a stunning musical rendition of the Phantom's past. They leap across the stage and gracefully show the passion of the characters who fall in love with undeniable chemistry.

The ensemble of the Opera company creates a uniquely realistic environment of learned professionals at an Opera House who act superior to the new girl, Christine. They each employ exaggerated facials and movements to demonstrate their opinion of the happenings of each scene. Not only the ballerinas, but every individual ensemble member dance and sing adeptly to support the notion of professional opera performers. Their skill was demonstrated effectively in the Act One finale, the company's elegant performance of Titania.

Santa Margarita masters what it means to love someone, and to go to any length to show them that, despite any setbacks that life may throw in the way in their production of ¨Phantom¨.