Did you see ‘Aida’ at the Paramount?

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Tony Award-winning musical took the stage at Rutland’s Paramount Theatre — just as its director, 18-year-old Jacob Patorti, is getting ready for college.

Elton John and Tim Rice’s musical version of the Verdi opera “Aida” ran through the weekend at the Paramount.

The production was presented by Inn One Theatrics and served as its director’s “farewell to high school.”

“It’s a very typical love story with some “Romeo and Juliet” themes and a big Broadway twist at the end,” said Patorti, who started Inn One Theatrics in 2005.

Patorti, who graduated from Mill River High School barely a month ago, is set to attend Marymount Manhattan University in New York City in pursuit of a degree in directing.

He has directed numerous productions on the Paramount stage — “Aida” being his 10th — since he was 15. His other directorial efforts include “Cats” and “Grease.”

“My mom says I’m officially too old for them to keep writing these prodigy stories,” he said, also crediting his grandmother with stirring his interest in theater at a young age.

Patorti said that even though Rutland city may not be the most theater-friendly place in Vermont, he hopes people will skip the movie theaters and walk over to the Paramount.

“Live theater is exciting because you can’t control it,” he said. “Someone could choke or blow it at any second.”

“It’s so much more magical when you see everything unfold live right in front of you,” he said.

Patorti has nothing but praise for one of the production’s cast members.