We are blessed to have some wonderful theater in our back yard (so to speak) with "Hello Dolly" at the Theater at the Center in Munster.

The costumes and the singing and dancing brought the opening-night crowd to their feet. The husband and wife, award-winning team of Paula Scrofano and John Reeger, as well as the rest of the cast, are just incredible.

On opening night John Mybeck, the theater's administrative officer and his wife, Mary Lou, were there to enjoy the show. Also on hand were several members of the production "Phantom," being performed through Nov. 11 at Porchlight Music Theatre in Chicago, including Jeff Citation winner Peter Oyloers, who is the Phantom.

"Phantom" opened a week before with a very special guest on opening night - the man who wrote the music and lyrics - Maury Yeston, ("Nine," "Grand Hotel," "Titanic") who co-authored the play with writer Arthur Kopit ("Indians," "Wings," "Nine.")

The evolution of "Phantom" is an interesting story. Yeston and Kopit had just finished the musical "Nine" (winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1982) when they were approached by actor/director/choreographer Geoffrey Holder to write an American musical based on the Gaston Leroux 1910 novel "The Phantom of the Opera." Holder had obtained the rights from the Leroux estate, making "Phantom" the first and only Phantom of the Opera musical to do so.

Yeston and Kopit had plans to take the musical to Broadway when a real threat emerged. Variety announced that a musical production of "The Phantom of the Opera" by Andrew Lloyd Webber was also headed to Broadway.

The race was on to bring the phantom's story as a musical to the stage. Lloyd Webber had instant fame with his rendition in Britain. In the meantime, the $3,000,000 that Yeston, Kopit and Holder raised for their own Broadway production evaporated as investors pulled out. Eventually, their project was put aside.

Shortly after that, Kopit saw the Lloyd Webber version of "The Phantom of the Opera" in New York and realized that the approach he and Yeston had taken was so fundamentally different it could still work on the musical stage.

Yeston still refers to "Phantom" as "the most popular hit never to star on Broadway."

"Phantom" will run through Nov. 11 at Theatre Building Chicago, 1225 W Belmont. For tickets, call the box office at (773) 327-5252 or visit www.theatrebuildingchicago.org.

Encore presentation

The Northwest Indiana Symphony Society is preparing for its annual Encore Gala, set for Oct. 26 at the Radisson Hotel at Star Plaza in Merrillville.

This annual event is the symphony's major fundraising activity of the year. Proceeds go to strengthen existing symphony programs and to help develop innovative new ones to provide enjoyment and education opportunities in the community.

This year's event is chaired by Chris Morrow, Northwest Indiana Symphony Board president, who's with First National Bank. Honorary co-chairmen are Mark Maassel of NIPSCO and Christine Maassel of Edgewater Cottage.

A gala committee representing a cross-section of the community has been formed to plan the event that was attended by more than 300 people last year.

This year's Encore Gala Committee members are:Charlie Blum, Northwest Indiana Symphony Board and Star Plaza Theatre; Deede Blum, community volunteer; Shelby Curry, Horseshoe Casino; Lake County Sheriff Roy Dominguez; Sally DuBois, Northwest Indiana Symphony Chorus; Pat Giannini, Indiana University Northwest; Tula Gogolak, Northwest Indiana Symphony development director; Gary Jones, Calumet College of St. Joseph; Marilyn Jones, community volunteer; Diane Jostes, Cedar Lake Chamber of Commerce; Denise Kirkland, Northwest Indiana Symphony interim executive director; Mary Anne LaHayne, LaHayne Funeral Home; Rick Mazer, Horseshoe Casino; Heather McCarthy, GEMINUS; Jennifer McDermott, Ted Muta Advertising & Design; Cynthia Meyers-Fitzsimmons, Women's Association of the Northwest Indiana Symphony; Bill Nangle, The Times; Rita Nangle, community volunteer; Bill Neff, Valparaiso University student; Melissa Neff, Northwest Indiana Symphony Board and Mechanical Concepts; Dave Stephenson, Horizon

Bank; Patti VanTil, Lake County sheriff's office; and Jackie Wickland, South Shore Arts Gift Shop.

Gala sponsorships are available now, including table sponsorships with the opportunity to dine with a musician. Also needed are live and silent auction items. For sponsorship information or to donate an item, call Tula Gogolak at the Northwest Indiana Symphony office at (219) 836-0525.

For more information about the Northwest Indiana Symphony, visit www.NISOrchestra.org.