Dec. 9: Places, Please! "Phantom" Opens Today

Manhattan is something like 60 miles away from Three Village, but from Thursday to Saturday this week, you can get a taste of Broadway right here in town.

1. Ward Melville High School's theater and music departments have teamed up for what's being touted as the first fully staged, authorized production of The Phantom of the Opera. Showtime is 8 p.m. each night. For tickets, call 631-730-4357. Tickets are $20 or $15 for seniors, students and children. And check back later on Three Village Patch for a special behind-the-scenes look at the production.

2. You've got other nearby options for theatrical fun. Head east for A Christmas Carol, which is playing at Theater Three in Port Jefferson through Dec. 26, or head west for Annie, which is playing at the Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts through Jan. 30.

3. A group of elite athletes from Ward Melville will announce college commitments Thursday. Watch for coverage coming up on Three Village Patch.

4. Catch a jazz concert at 8 p.m. at the Staller Center at Stony Brook University, featuring the university's resident big band, SBU Blowage.

5. Wait till twilight falls. Now, grab your camera. Step outside your front door, and snap a few pictures of the holiday decorations with which you've so painstakingly adorned your home. Final step: e-mail them to christines@patch.com to enter Patch's holiday lights contest. In case you missed Wednesday's announcement, details are .