[lottielou22]

I have never actually SEEN this show, but I found a script for it that my mom had in my garage attic, and I read it, and I love it. So I went online and listened to the music, and I love it. So now I have a weird kind of obsession with it.

So, have you been in this show? Who did you play? Do you know anything intersesting about it? Have you seen an awesome production of it? Pretty much, if you have anything to say about The Fantasticks, please do so! =]

[Patch]

I played Matt in a regional professional production almost ten years ago. I knew nothing about the show going into it but it was a great experience! The score was challenging but amazing and we did the show in the traditional way to doing such a minimalist peice was cool.

[Barberous]

I had a similar experience to the OP: read the script and loved it. It's one of my favourite librettos, if not THE favourite. So much so that hearing the score was something of a come-down.

Amazon's price for the script has come down by half, recently I think:
http://www.amazon.com/Fantasticks-Complete-Illustrated-Official-Scrapbook/dp/1557831416/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255773416&sr=8-1

This article has some interesting things to say about the show, if you're into a bit of overanalysis.
http://www.newlinetheatre.com/fantastickschapter.html

The film version is rather dodgy, though I still enjoy it.

[Beagle On Stage]

It's in my top five favorite shows. Back in the day, I was Matt in a very nice community theatre production. It was originally intended to be a three-way star vehicle for myself, Gallo, and Luisa, but the woman we had planned on felt too old and backed out. Replacing her became a desperate enterprises search, and we ended up having to cast a fourteen year old playing her first major role. I remember that the weight-pulling dynamic was really interesting because of that.

The production meant a lot to my director as in her youth, she had been the stage manager for one of the college productions taking place in the first year that it was available for amateur performance. A lot of the props we used, such as the rose, the rhinestone necklace, etc., were keepsakes of hers from that production that she had stored for decades.

I made history by being the first actor in our relatively conservative company to appear topless - during the overture I danced half-dressed, put out a cig, and got that powder blue oxford shirt and beige sweater handed to me out of the prop box by the mute.

I have high standards for quality theatre anyway, but the only recorded production I acknowledge as worthy is the original with Jerry Orbach and Rita Gardner. The more recent ones feature a lot of glitz, apparent microphone use, and Luisas who can't sing the coloratura passages as written. It's a shame that a real power show is done so poorly at the professional level so often.

I consider Luisa the most demanding role available in the musical theatre canon for women under thirty, and believe the role should be viewed as the ultimate prize plum of any developing actress.

I can talk about this show, especially my treasured experiences in it, until the cows come home.

[SomeoneLikeYou]

[Yakko]

The Fantasticks was the first off Broadway show I ever saw and when I first saw it I had no clue what was going on in the first act because I had no idea what I was watching....Getting to the second act everything made more sense.


I ended up being in one of the worst productions existing. I played Mortimer in the production. Everyone in the cast sucked, we had drums, and did I already said we sucked? Even the movie version(Which is in my top ten list of the worst movies ever made) was better then the production it's self.

But really though when done right the Fantasticks is the greatest theater experience ever, other wise it just falls flat on it's ass.

[Beagle On Stage]