Stage Fright

Ten years prior, the illustrious Broadway diva Kylie Swanson captivated audiences with her stunning performance in the musical The Haunting of the Opera, a homage to the iconic The Phantom of the Opera. Tragically, that fateful night ended in horror when Kylie was murdered backstage by a mysterious assailant donning the villain’s mask, the Opera Ghost. Fast forward several years, and Kylie’s children, Camilla and Buddy, have matured into teenagers. They are being raised by Roger McCall, Kylie’s former lover and the reluctant producer of a struggling musical theater summer camp.

As the camp gears up to stage a kabuki rendition of The Haunting of the Opera, Camilla is determined to secure a role and sneaks into the auditions, cleverly persuading Joel Hopton, a camper overseeing the auditions, to let her participate. Captivating the stage director Artie, she lands the coveted lead role of Sofia, igniting jealousy in her brother Buddy.

However, as the opening night approaches, an alarming situation unfolds. Artie reveals his true colors, demanding sexual favors from Camilla in exchange for her performance, effectively manipulating her emotions by comparing her to Liz Silver, a camper eager to seize the spotlight. Camilla finds herself caught in a web of coercion, trying to ward off Artie’s advances while inciting further feelings of bitterness in Joel—whom she has habitually overlooked.

On the eve of the performance, Artie lays down an ultimatum: either Camilla sleeps with him, or he relegates the opening night role to Liz. Initially, she considers succumbing to his demands but ultimately decides against it. As fate would have it, Artie meets a gruesome end at the hands of a masked Opera Ghost, an incident that Roger attempts to downplay, convincing everyone it was an accident to avoid jeopardizing potential attendance from the influential Broadway agent Victor Brady.

On opening night, Joel, aware of the lurking danger, attempts to warn Camilla of Artie’s fate, but she dismisses his concerns as the performance gets underway. Unfortunately, the show takes a dark turn when the Opera Ghost reappears, claiming more victims and momentarily thwarting Liz’s vengeance against Camilla. Amidst this chaos, Camilla searches for her missing co-star, only to unearth a rising body count.

In a twist of fate, Camilla intervenes just as the Opera Ghost targets Roger, only to discover the shocking truth: the culprit is Buddy himself. He confesses his heinous actions stem from a desire to protect Camilla from what he views as the corrupt acting world—especially after witnessing Roger’s jealousy lead to their mother’s tragic end. Unfortunately for Buddy, Roger manages to break free, resulting in a fatal confrontation that leaves him dead.

The horror culminates as Roger chases Camilla, eventually forcing her to fight back in a desperate struggle that leads to her using a buzz saw against him. She emerges onto the stage, leaving the audience under the impression that the bloodshed is a part of the finale.

The story then transitions to a Broadway revival of The Haunting of the Opera, with Camilla taking center stage. As she prepares behind the scenes, she is suddenly confronted by a terrifying apparition of the Opera Ghost lunging at her from a mirror—a chilling reminder of the darkness she has faced, blurring the line between reality and haunting memories.

Last Updated: November 02, 2024 at 11:45