Arts | ‘Ghost the Musical’ in town this summer

The Broadway musical ‘Ghost,’ based on the 1990 hit movie starring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore, will take center stage at Macau’s Cultural Center (CCM) this summer with a run of eight shows kicking off on August 4. CCM announced that tickets will go on sale this Sunday.
The movie-turned-musical made its world debut at the Manchester Opera House in March 2011 and was later performed in the West End over the 2011 summer. In 2012, the hit movie was rewritten for Broadway, opening at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in April 2012.
“The staged story doesn’t stray far from the 1990 film,” the LA Times reported at the time. The plot revolves around the main characters Molly and Sam. Molly is a love-struck artist, and her boyfriend Sam works as a banker.
Sam is shot and killed during a robbery. Waiting in a spiritual limbo, Sam and Molly are able to continue their affair thanks to the help of a psychic, Oda Mae Brown, played by famous actress Whoopi Goldberg in the film.
While Molly first mourns her loss, she fails to notice that Sam’s killer is lurking around her home. Sam then becomes a ghost to warn his lover as she is in danger.
“Blending cutting–edge technology and classic stage magic designed by the same illustrator of the films Harry Potter and Hugo, ‘Ghost the Musical’ displays plenty of bright, flashing lights to convey New York City’s atmosphere,” CCM said in a press release.
The script was written by Bruce Joel Rubin (also the screenwriter of the film) who also contributed to the lyrics along with composers Glen Ballard and Dave Stewart.
According to CCM, the show includes “an array of special effects complemented by a musical score that brings back ‘Unchained Melody,’ a romantic hit immortalized by the Righteous Brothers.
CCM added that the musical has sold over a million tickets worldwide and was voted the ninth best musical of all time, having toured the US, Europe and Asia.
The musical was nominated for five Olivier Awards including Best Musical as well as three Tony Awards.
The show will be staged from August 4 to 9 at 8 p.m, with matinee performances on Saturday and Sunday (August 8 and 9) at 3 p.m.
Ticket prices range from MOP180 and MOP480, with several discounts available, such as a 10 percent discount for CCM Friends or an earlybird discount of 20 percent, effective between April 26 and May 5.