by Catherine Pears and Anna Raboin
Co-Editors-in-Chief
The success of Phantom of the Opera did not end with the curtain calls. An episode of Fabulous Cakes will be airing January 3rd on TLC, featuring a cake made by Westford’s Mary Jo Dowling for the Phantom cast.
Before the musical began on opening night, November 5th, Mike Towers announced that a cake would be presented to the cast, and that a TV film crew from Hollywood and Boston would be filming a third installment of the show Fabulous Cakes on TLC.
Dowling created a 100-pound cake to present for Phantom of the Opera and TLC.
The cake was magnificent. It consisted of a large stone building with the play’s title and candles at the center, a figure of Christine exiting the building, and the phantom’s cape, sword and mask sweeping around the front. Everything from the roses to the decorative “glass” beads was edible.
Caleb Cedrone was presented the edible mask and encouraged to eat it, but he was determined to take it home and save it as a memento. Cedrone, Jillian Frankel and Towers were all interviewed by TLC about their reactions.
The entire stage was crowded with both cast and audience members, and Dowling was surrounded by people clamoring to get a slice of her creation. There was enough cake for over 500 people.
Dowling first started her baking career 10 years ago after attending a basic decorating course at Roudenbush.
Dowling said, “I went to a convention where they taught all sorts of great things on cake decorating.”
According to Dowling, the cake took two and a half days to complete.
TLC found Dowling and contacted her through her website. Last Spring, Dowling was also featured on TLC’s Ultimate Cake Off.
Cast members were extremely impressed by the cake and excited to be involved with Fabulous Cakes.
“I’ve never tasted vanilla cake so good,” remarked Cedrone.
Frankel was reluctant to eat the cake. “I almost felt bad eating it because it was so beautiful,” she said. Nevertheless, she agreed that it was delicious.
Overall, both the cake and the production were huge successes. Be sure to look for Westford Academy’s episode airing on TLC in three weeks.
