For Jacquelynne Fontaine and her mom, ‘Phantom’ and pageant memories swirl together

Please don’t throw a monkey in a music box at me. I know I swore up and down I was through with “Phantom of the Opera” posts, but then Jacquelynne Fontaine – who plays a wonderful Carlotta in the national tour currently at the Saroyan Theatre – sent me some gosh-darn sweet photos of her and her family, and I couldn’t resist.

Back story: Fontaine won the title of Miss California in 2006 on the stage of, you guessed it, the Saroyan. So it was a sweet homecoming for her to return with a principal role in “Phantom.”

But there’s more: Fontaine’s mother, Donna, was Miss Fresno County 1964! They’re pictured in the above photo during the 2006 Miss California Fresno parade.

Here’s the sweet part: Donna will be in the audience Friday night to watch her daughter perform. It’s a special weekend for Jacquelynne, who has been in the show for nearly three years. Sunday evening’s performance is her last. She’s moving on. She has a proud mama and papa who, needless to say, have become huge “Phantom” fans.

MORE ‘PHANTOM’ COVERAGE

As ‘Phantom’ heads toward end of Fresno run, another chance to celebrate biggest theatrical event of the year

For a first-time ‘Phantom’-goer, all he asks of you is to be kind to his new obsession

Review: In a chaotic world, a darker ‘Phantom of the Opera’ brings spectacle and tradition to the Saroyan

Preview: Chandelier and all, newly revamped ‘Phantom’ (finally) swings into Fresno

This story was originally published October 14, 2016 at 3:12 PM with the headline "For Jacquelynne Fontaine and her mom, ‘Phantom’ and pageant memories swirl together."