The Phantom of the Opera with Live Theatre Organ Accompaniment

We are going to do it… this October, Bernie Anderson accompanies ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ starring Lon Chaney. With Bernie at the Wurlitzer, the historic Colonial Theatre’s walls will truly come alive.

About the organist, Bernie Anderson: For over 20 years, Bernie Anderson has performed as a silent film organist/composer and concert artist. Mr. Anderson has a BA in music composition from Montclair State University in New Jersey and an MFA from New York University, Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. Bernie was a student of silent film composer Lee Erwin and famed Radio City Music Hall Organist, Ashley Miller.  Mr. Anderson has played at Radio City Music Hall, American Film Institute Silver Theatre in Maryland, Library of Congress in Culpepper VA, Babson College, Vassar College, Capitolfest (14 years) in Rome, NY, Oklahoma Historical Society, Brooklyn Library, New York Public Library, Museum of the Moving Image (Queens, NY) Madison Square Garden (Rangers Hockey) and is a resident accompanist at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. Mr. Anderson has also worked as a music and orchestration assistant on numerous Broadway Shows such as Seussical: The Musical, Big The Musical, Fosse, The Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular and in music preparation for High Society (Broadway), My Favorite Broadway (Carnegie Hall) and Saturday Night (Detroit). Bernie has also orchestrated a new musical “The Girl in the Frame” for Goodspeed Opera House in CT. and “I See London, I See France…” for the New York Musical Theatre Festival. Bernie has written two new musicals: ”Washington Buzz” (NYU) and “Slapstick” (based on the life of Fred Karno). He also attended the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop and has contributed songs, co-written with Broadway composer, William Finn, for the New Yorker Magazine 75th anniversary festival in NYC. He is the recipient of the 2000  ASCAP Frederick Loewe Award.

This program benefits the Theatre Organ Society of the Delaware Valley (TOSDV) Theatre Organ Restoration Fund. For additional information visit TOSDV.org; email tosdvinfo@verizon.net; or call 215-780-0831.

There is plenty of parking near the theatre, and it’s free on Sundays!

TICKETS

Adults: $12
Children: $7

ABOUT THE FILM

The Phantom of the Opera is a 1925 American silent musical horror film adaptation of Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel Le Fantôme de l’Opéra, directed by Rupert Julian and starring Lon Chaney in the title role of the deformed Phantom who haunts the Paris Opera House, causing murder and mayhem in an attempt to make the woman he loves a star. The film remains most famous for Chaney’s ghastly, self-devised make-up, which was kept a studio secret until the film’s premiere.