The Phantom of the Opera

The Phantom of the Opera at KeyBank State Theatre

A love triangle, a masked figure and music that fills the whole room. The Phantom of the Opera arrives at KeyBank State Theatre on Wednesday, May 5.

A theatre filled with strings, voices and suspense turns a story you know into something physical. You feel the music before you hear it. "The Music of the Night," "All I Ask of You" and the title song are not just famous on paper. They change when voices, orchestra and scenery are pressing forward together. Hearing these numbers live gives the romance, suspense and grandeur a physical edge you do not get anywhere else. The touring production features new scenic design, choreography and staging, but the engine remains the same: the Phantom's dangerous devotion to Christine Daaé and the tension that grows when Raoul enters the picture.

The Paris Opera becomes a place where beauty, obsession and secrecy collide in real time. That is the kind of atmosphere a screen can only suggest. Playhouse Square's KeyBank State Theatre has the scale to make a major production feel even bigger. Midweek theater is a smart way to break up the routine. It lands in the final stretch of the run. Dress up a little and make an occasion of it. Get The Phantom of the Opera tickets for Wednesday, May 5.