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Show 10 Th Magna TimeWet Valley New, April 4, 2002 Lifestyle Phantom haunts Desert Star Winders Words of her day." ...On Business By DEBBI OLSON Editor The Phantom of the Opera has never been more full of fun and hijinx as the current production now playing at the Desert Star Theater. While the musical comedy melodrama takes in a montage of film and stage productions of the Phantom storyline. Desert Star adds its own unique twists while still staying with the familiar story and characters. In one of its finest productions, the Desert Star players capture the humor of the phantom story as well as the mystique of the character, played deviously by Jack Drayton, who is out to win the heart of his protege Christine Daae, played by Kerstin Anderson. Although the cast makes too frequent fun of Christine's last name, the show has its genius in making the audience, laugh, boo and cheer at the right times and in the right places. Anderson is at her best in the role of Christine, as she declares that "an angel has helped me find my voice," as she talks at the grave of her father. And her voice is one of the highlights of the show. Joined by Raoul, the man who declares his love for Christine, the two embark on a humorous rewritten duet of "Music of the Night" The star of the Paris Opera House, Signor Sorelli, played by Spencer Ashby, and Madame Carlotta, played by Arika Schockmel, are especially comedic in the story as they fight for top billing on Queen Mum, a Classed, the cast members doing a salute to Prom Night, which also gets the audience involved as they do an stage. unfortunate that Carlotta, (Schockmel) has such little stage time since her scenes are filled with comedy, from first "Ha" to last, and her sequence of "Ha's" done with Sehockmel's brilliant conijedic timing, is hilarious every time she comes on stage with it. Rounding out the cast is director Scott Holman in a duel role of the stage hand and the Persian, which is sometimes awkward for the audience to know what his role really is in the show, and is never clearly identified. Holly Braithwait plays the opera house manager. Monsieur Poligny with a Charlie Chaplin finesse, who is certain that the Phantom ghost does not exist. The role, is one Braithwait's better outings in a Desert Star production. Throughout the show the cast mixes well together and has a chemistry that makes for a smooth, well done and polished productions. The show' concludes wuth It is gb gested by the audience. The Prom night olio includes memorable songs from the past that will make anyone remember their high school days from "It's Raining on Prom Night," sung by Schockmel to a full cast medley of "Why do Fools Fall in Love" Desert Stars Phantom of the Opera continues through with show s at 7 May p.m. Mondays and Thursdays and 7 and 9:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. There is also a 3 p.m. Saturday matinee. Tickets at The Desert Star Theater is locat1 I PEEL FUNERAL HOME Dignified Personal Service Since 1953 8525 West 2700 South Magna, Utah 84044 Phone 250-262- 4 Fax 250-406- 3 1 F. Dee Peel Providing $6-$1- 2. Lisa S. Peel Brint D. Peel Forethought Pre-Ne- Arrangements ed Counselor Rick Zern Pre-Ne- ed ed at 4861 S. State St. in Murray. For reservations call 266-760- 0. m if! dhrtf i' ntfr- Bitt MIKE WINDER, is serving as president of the Utah British Isles Association, an organization of Utahns who a desire to share their community the culture and heritage of the United Kingdom and Ireland. improv reenactment of prom and the night 2002-styl- e rework the scene to a prom night in the past that is sug- Ilf - On Easter weekend die world mourned the loss of Britain's "Queen Mum," the Queen Mother Elizabeth, who died Saturday in Buckingham Palace at the venerable age of 101. Although 45 percent of Utahns have British ancestry (more than any other state in the union), few here probably realize what a remarkable woman the Queen Mother was. Elizabeth Bowes-Lyo- n was bom into a very different world on August 4, 1900. Queen Victoria was still on the throne. She was pretty, shy and very natural. A biographer describes her as "the Lady Diana Spencer Jack Drayton as the Phantom sings to Christine, played by Kerstin Anderson, at the Desert Star. late 90s. Shortly before her 100th birthday, the Queen Mother visited Westminster Abbey to see how plans for her funeral were getting on. When she was shown the candles that will be placed on the altar around her coffin, she shook her head. '1 don't like those at all," she said, "do you mind if I bring some of my own?" I had the opportunity to see the Queen Mother at London's Trooping the Color, just a month before her centenary. Even at her remarkable age she waved vigorously to the adoring crowds and received the loudest cheers of any of the royals. What she brought to the British monarchy and the world stage in general will be missed. She showed remarkable courage during World War II. When offered to move somewhere safer - even Canada -she Insisted on remaining at Buckingham Palace during the airraids. She got a revolver and practiced hitting targets in the palace courtyard. She did so much to keep up morale that Hitler called her "the most dangerous woman in Europe." Somehow, despite the image troubles the royal family has faced in recent years, the Queen Mother remained beyond reproach. Her ability to maintain a certain mystique yet . remain relevant to ordinary people made her oik of the most popular royals. She loved to entertain in lavish styles, yet her favorite food was scrambled eggs. 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