A couple of weeks ago, on November 10th, Ms. Gomez’s French 3 classes delightedly joined the MLHS French Club for a sensational evening in New York. As a group, they enjoyed exploring the city, dining at a traditional French restaurant, and–as the main event–an evening viewing of The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. Whisked away on their mystic transport, a bus to the city reserved just for them, the students prepared for a night of wonder.
Soon after arriving in New York City, Ms. Gomez led the French crew to La Bonne Soupe, a cozy, traditional French restaurant, and a favorite of Ms. Gomez’s. Complete with rustic walls and candlelit tables, the restaurant crafted a stunning atmosphere for immersing oneself into French cuisine. Dining on French onion soup, garden salads, and croque madames (a type of French sandwich dish), students experienced a delightful taste of French tradition–something many had yet to experience before. To top it off, La Bonne Soupe waiters and waitresses returned promptly with trays of French dessert: delicious crème brûlée. The students thoroughly enjoyed the surprise.
After spending the next hour roaming the heart of the city, and safely returning from the depths of the Starbucks line, the students soon found themselves upon Majestic Theater, where the thrilling story of the Phantom of the Opera has been conveyed to millions of captivated viewers from around the globe. Arriving in front of the theater, the French crew gawked at the indescribable length of the line that stood before them. It would take hours to reach the show, they thought, unsure that they would even get to their seats before the lights went up. Nevertheless, they spread themselves out into the massive queue, eagerly awaiting their first step into the Majestic. As the brisk New York November wind strengthened its blow over the city, the students felt the frigid late autumn air bite their faces; even Ms. Gomez, rushing about and ensuring the security of student tickets, began to feel the unignorable chill. Still they persevered for what may have been hours, and eventually, the French crew was rewarded for their patience. The warm lights of Majestic Theater flooded through the front doors before them as a snappy crew of theater staff checked their tickets.
The students soon discovered that the theater could not have been named more accurately. The interior was nothing short of majestic: its entrance halls painted beautiful muted tones of white and gold, adorned with intricate embellishments along every piece of trim in sight, every wall lined with Phantom of the Opera merchandise; the beautifully crafted atmosphere almost prepared the students for the spectacular performance they were about to witness. The starstruck students, making their way up the red velvet lined staircase in awe, traversed seemingly endless flights of stairs until finally reaching the house entryway. The beauty that graced each and every one of their awestruck eyes as they took their first step into the house cannot be put into words. As they ambled to their seats, still captivated by the theater’s gorgeous presence surrounding them, they noticed the incredible set spread below them on stage. Its wondrous billowed curtains contrasted the dark, intricate set that stood on stage.
Rave Reviews — — —
Nick Bordoni called the story “…unique…with great music and a very impressive set design!”
“The set was wonderfully built and really added to the magic of the show!” adds Vincent Li, another student of Ms. Gomez.
Vivian Adams went as far as saying “it was my favorite Broadway show…!”
Myra Almeida wholeheartedly agreed, stating, “it was a spectacular show with spectacular music! You can tell how much work they put in to make the production flawless…”, adding, “The Phantom of the Opera was a musical I’ll never forget!”
As the last note was sung and the house lights went up, the MLHS French students realized that their experience at The Phantom of the Opera had been nothing short of utterly magnificent (Starbucks was cool too).
A very big thank you from all who attended goes out to Ms. Gomez for organizing, planning, and ensuring the best experience for everyone involved!
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