musical “seeks to impress an audiencenwith financial rather than creative powers,”nand “achievement . . . lies . . .nin the idea of extravagance itself,” whatncould be a more fitting epitaph for ournera?nThe excess of Phantom begins andnends with its staging. Like LloydnWebber’s last few arrivals, it is a vulgarncircus — the latest reminder of whatnmoney and marketing can purchase asnsuccess. In addition to being told before,nits story gets swallowed up by thentechnical wizardry — the theatrical ingenuitynbehind Phantom is so dazzlingnthat no hyperbole can do it justice.nAnd herein lies Phantom’s ambivalence.nAs it accomplishes its calculations,nthe staging proves enough tonjustify all the excitement — even thenmost discerning spectators must marvelnat this unique presentation of whatncan now be realized in the theater.nThe mock opera sequences within thenmusical have uncannily recaptured thenspirit of what appears to be the looknand the tone of 19th-century opera. Innits sweeping majesty, the “Masquerade”nnumber that opens Act II seemsnto invoke Ziegfeld for an audience thatncan never know what that bygonenepoch was really like.nPhantom opens with an auction ofnthe contents .of the Paris Opera HoUsen(the Majestic Theater itself), whichnwill momentarily be transformed backninto its heyday. Five massive layers ofnvelvet and brocaded drapes rearrangenthemselves, opera boxes swing intonposition from the wings, the dilapidatednchandelier recovers its glimmer as itnmiraculously rises up from the stagenand ascends into place over the firstndozen rows of the Majestic auditoriumnto recreate the Paris Opera House innall of its beaux arts splendor. Thenfabulous flashback mode, designed bynMaria Bjornson, is heralded by a suddennburst of Lloyd Webber’s mostngarish organ chords, triggered in turnnby the auctioneer’s comment, “Somenof you may recall the Phantom of thenopera — a mystery never explained.”nUnfortunately, two and a half hoursnlater, the mystery still remains.nThe phantom of the title in the endnsomewhat inexplicably relinquishes hisnhold on his beloved Christine — thenbeauty to his beast (at least she’s supposednto be a beauty, even thoughnFrank Rich created quite a scandal innLondon papers by commenting thatnSarah Brightman — Webber’s wife,nwho portrays Christine — resemblesnnothing so much as a “chipmunk”).nEarlier in the “plot,” Christine was anmere chorus girl before the Phantomnterrorized the opera management intonfeaturing her as the lead soprano performingnhis own composition. OncenChristine is released from the Phantom’snspell, she is free to walk off intonthe Paris moonlight with her othernsuitor, Raoul, a childhood playmate.nBut these characters, as well as thensupporting cast which peoples thenstage rather than inhabits the story, arenall caricatures at best (although MichaelnCrawford as the Phantom andnJudy Kaye as the displaced opera sopranonboth deliver worthwhile performances).nBy the end, it takes all wenhave got to follow the narrative, letnalone give it any credence. The Phantom’snultimate disappearance, leavingnonly his mask behind on his throne, isnmore enigmatic and pretentiously symbolicnthan fulfilling. Without even recoveringnfrom all the flashbacks. Phantomncloses abruptly, perhaps suggestingna Phantom Two (to surpass then$17,500,000 worth of tickets sold beforenthis extravaganza even opened).nAs goes Ihe Americann[ianiily,$ogoe$onrnafion.nLong battered, neglected, maligned, andndivided, the American Family’s regenerationnas a powerful center for values, achievement,nand fulfillment is an unmistakable signal: angood idea whose time has come. Again.nThat’s why a new publication is chroniclingnevents, floodlighting the issues, debunkingnthe bureaucrats and social experimenters,nand talking common sense.nThis publication is called The Family innAmerica.nEach month, its editors grapple withnfundamental issues affecting your family’snfuture.nThe Family in America will:n• joust with the bureaucrats and martinetsnwho muddle public policy affecting thenAmerican Family;n• expose governmental tinkering andndouble-speak on family issues;n• probe the underlying statistics and trendsnrunning in favor of your family – andnagainst it;n• reveal the works and exceptional researchnof today’s best and brightest scholars,nwriters, educators.nIf you think it’s important to be informednabout the forces that may affect the healthnand well-being of your family now and in thenyears ahead, the choice is a simple one.nTike pen in hand, and subscribe now.nFor fast ordering call toll freen(800) 892-0753 ILn(800) 435-0715 Outside ILnThe Family in America ABSOLUTELY “YES!” Count me In!n• Yes! Please enter my subscription to 7776 Family in America at $14.97 for 12 monthly issues. I saven$6.03 off the basic rate of $21. • Payment enclosed • Bill me laternNamenAddress City State ZipnCanadian and foreign orders add $6 per year, payable in U.S. funds only Please allow 4-6 weeks for your first copy tonarrive. Mail coupon to; P.O. Box 416, Mt. Morris, IL 61054 TF388nnnJUNE 19881 53n