NORWICH – Mark Sands, Norwich High School musical director announced that this year’s spring production will be Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Phantom of the Opera.” Now the all time longest running Broadway musical, it will be the most challenging production that Sands and his staff have ever attempted to stage.

When asked why the Phantom, Sands said, “As usual, after the success of Les Miserables last year, I was asked about how we were going to top it? And for the first time ever, I was stumped. Thinking about all the shows that we could possibly do, I couldn’t think of one that would even come close to Les Mis. Then in June as I was surfing the three major theatrical rental agencies, there it was. Available September 2010 for college and high school productions, Phantom of the Opera.”

“Having seen Phantom of the Opera four times, it is one of my favorite shows. I knew from the first time I saw it in Toronto twelve years ago that someday we would attempt to stage it at Norwich High School. What makes it the most challenging show we’ve ever attempted is that it is definitely not your average song and dance production. It has some operatic style singing, ballet, elaborate costumes and sets, the Phantom’s make up, wigs, a working gondola, and several magic tricks including making the Phantom disappear at the end,” Sands said.