Phobias take center stage
By John Ciampa/ Staff Writer
Thursday, September 28, 2006

Gail Phaneuf's head is filled with monsters.

    They are the same inner-demons that constitute many of our own worst enemies, threatening us with fear and doubt, failure and mortality.

    But instead of keeping them bottled up and hidden from the rest of the world, she decided to do the opposite - turn them into a cast of characters for the world to see.

    That's the blueprint, anyway, for "Monsters!" a musical written by Phaneuf playing through Sept. 30 at the Boston Center for the Arts.

    A 1981 graduate of Chelmsford High School who went on to earn a pair of engineering degrees before starting a computer business, Phaneuf began writing "Monsters!" three years ago as a way of channeling her deepest fears into a means of expression that others could identify with.

    The story revolves around a central character named "Samantha" who's having an acute bout of soul-searching on her 40th birthday.

    She wants to change the direction of her life quickly, but feels consumed by the obligations of the day: a visit from her mother, arranging plans with her friends and dealing with a spate of uninvited guests who know some of her darkest secrets.

    The metaphor of characters coming through her front door is no accident, nor is the resemblance "Samantha" shares with Phaneuf.

    A 40-something herself, Phaneuf's own path has taken several interesting turns. Although she's harbored a love for music and theater since she was child, she honed her technical skills to become a computer engineer.

    She formed a start-up called the Computer Doctor in 1992, providing consulting and network support to businesses in the Boston area. But as her company grew, the right side of her brain kept calling. Not one to shy away from the voices in her head, she enrolled in Emerson College's graduate theater program. It was around this time that "Monsters!" took shape.

    The first draft for "Monsters!" became a finalist in the Rod Parker Playwriting competition held annually at Emerson. Readings at the school's Greene Theater and in New York would follow.

    Along the way, Phaneuf took input from viewers, expanded the show's musical palette, and hooked up with director Joe Antoun of Boston's Centastage and choreographer Christine MacInally. Phaneuf co-wrote the play with composer Ernie Lijoi.

    As the story developed, she found that "Samantha's" character was multi-dimensional and somewhat universal, reflective not only of her own experiences, but of others as well.

    "I wanted to find what stops us in our own lives through this character," she said. "My monster has been many things, but there's a great amount of fun involved in talking about what that means. This is a play that's basically about having a conversation with yourself."

    The play opened to a full house on Sept. 14, but more than attendance, it's been the reaction of audiences that's really surprised Phaneuf.

    "It's something I never expected, especially the reaction of men," she said. "To the average Joe, this play is just fun, but it's also appealing for those theater types that may be looking for something deeper."

    Showtimes and dates for "Monsters!" are as follows: Tonight at 7:30 p.m., tomorrow at 8 p.m., Saturday at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. All performances are at the Boston Center for the Arts, located at 539 Tremont St. in Boston.

    Individual tickets are $32, with discounts available to groups and students, and are available by calling 617-933-8600 or by visiting the following Web pages: www.bostontheatrescene.com and www.bcaonline.org.

    John Ciampa can be reached at jciampa@cnc.com.