Saturday, Sep. 29, 2012

LB choir gives its regards to Broadway, to audience delight

The Los Banos High multipurpose room served as midtown-Manhattan's Broadway theater on Wednesday for a performance of musical theater.

About 50 members of the Los Banos High choir performed "Give My Regards to Broadway" in front of friends, family and alumni.

Singers performed "Do Re Mi" and "Oklahoma" by Rodgers & Hammerstein, as well as several showtunes from Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1986 version of "Phantom of the Opera."

"One of the best things to have happened to (theatric) music and opera was 'Phantom of the Opera,' " director Tom Faria said, adding it was an updated version of a classic tale. "Not to mention, it was undoubtedly influenced by George Lucas' characters in 'Star Wars.' "

The performances included a handful of solos and solis -- or multiple soloists. The "Phantom" theme song included the maniacal screams of the Phantom as he shouts, "Sing to me!"

That performance received a raucous ovation.

"We're just getting the year started," Faria said.

Other composers featured in the performances were Lerner & Loewe ("My Fair Lady") and Claude-Michel Schönberg ("Les Misérables").

The choirs will perform again in late November in the annual holiday concert at St. Joseph's Church.

Enterprise reporter Thaddeus Miller can be reached at (209) 388-6562 or by email at tmiller@losbanosenterprise.com.