A New Twist on Classic Musical: "The Fantasticks" Comes to Arena Stage
Director Amanda Dehnert re-imagines this classic American musical in an abandoned amusement park with a grand set and magical illusions
11.04.2009 – (Washington, D.C.) Arena Stage presents an innovative take on the world’s longest-running musical, "The Fantasticks" by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt. Director Amanda Dehnert (Oregon Shakespeare Festival‘s “All’s Well That Ends Well” and Stratford Shakespeare Festival’s “Cabaret”) and famed set designer Eugene Lee (Tony Award for Broadway’s “Wicked,” “Candide,” “Sweeney Todd”) take a spin on this timeless love story by staging it in Rocky Point, an abandoned amusement park in Rhode Island. This whimsical twist on the classic musical is full of buoyant humor, charming music and incredible magic that will thrill audiences of all ages. “The Fantasticks” runs November 20, 2009 – January 10, 2010 at Arena Stage at the Lincoln Theatre. The press opening performance is Friday, November 27, 2009.
Sebastian La Cause (Broadway’s “Chicago” and “She Loves Me” at Arena Stage) returns to Arena as the infamous El Gallo and is joined by Addi McDaniel (Off-Broadway’s “The Fantasticks”), Timothy Ware (national tour of “Mamma Mia!”), Michael Stone Forrest (Helen Hayes nominee for “Sweeney Todd” at Signature Theatre), Jerome Lucas Harmann (Off-Broadway’s “Rio” and “Ton Beau Capitaine”), Nate Dendy (Off-Broadway’s “Underground Bound” and “Poof!”) and Jesse Terrill (“She Loves Me” and “Born Yesterday” at Arena Stage). Also returning to Arena Stage is Terrence Currier (Broadway’s “Damn Yankees”), a member of the Arena Stage company from 1972 to 1992, who has appeared in more than 80 Arena productions. The cast and four-piece ensemble will be led by Musical Director George Fulginiti-Shakar (Arena’s “Cabaret” and “Damn Yankees”).
“I have always loved ‘The Fantasticks’,” said Arena Stage Artistic Director Molly Smith. “Amanda is revitalizing the American Theater form by taking classic productions and opening them up to new possibilities. She is an artist that I have been following for years and, under her direction, Arena Stage will explore this story in a fresh and compelling way.”
“The Fantasticks” is a fanciful take on the traditional boy-meets-girl story. After their fathers forbid their love and build a wall to separate the two, Matt and Luisa are led by El Gallo from the wistfulness of “when life was slow and oh so mellow” to the reality that “without a hurt the heart is hollow.” Popular songs, such as “Try to Remember” and “Soon It’s Gonna Rain,” fill the score. Loosely based on the play “The Romancers” (“Les Romanesques”) by Edmond Rostand, the story is centered around youthful love and learning to face the realities the world presents.
“’The Fantasticks’ is profoundly about how to be human,” said Dehnert. “The show comes from a place of innocence. It teaches us how to live with both the happiness and the hurt that life can introduce, while at the same time it dares us to face both and find our way in the world.”
This production will feature new elements of magic, from small sleight-of-hand tricks to large astonishing magical feats. Illusion designer Jim Steinmeyer, who has designed illusions for Barnum and Bailey Circus, David Copperfield and Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” on Broadway, will add his brand of magic and illusion. These elements, paired with Lee’s grand set design, are a new approach to this show, which is traditionally presented as a small-scale production.
“Magic is the art of making the impossible seem possible, similar to the story of ‘The Fantasticks’, where what you see is not always what’s really there,” continues Dehnert. “By setting the show in the abandoned amusement park, the audience can recall the happiness that these places once contained and tap into a place that was once simple. “The Fantasticks” returns the audience to this forgotten place to see the magic again, and be aware of past innocence and search for adventure.”
Originally premiering as a one-act musical in 1959 at Barnard College, “The Fantasticks” began its famous Off-Broadway run May 3, 1960 at the Sullivan Street Playhouse, where it played until January 13, 2002, a record-breaking 42 years. In 1992, “The Fantasticks” received a Tony Award Honor for Excellence in Theater.
For high-resolution images and further information, please e-mail press@arenastage.org or visit "The Fantasticks" online press room here: www.arenastage.org/about/press-room/
"The Fantasticks" Cast:
Sebastian LaCause as El Gallo
Addi McDaniel as Luisa
Timothy Ware as Matt
Michael Stone Forrest as Hucklebee
Jerome Lucas Harmann as Bellomy
Terrence Currier as Henry
Nate Dendy as The Mute
Jesse Terrill as Mortimer/The Handyman
Understudies: Thomas Adrian Simpson and Michael Vitaly Sazonov
“The Fantasticks” Creative Team:
Book & Lyrics: Tom Jones
Music: Harvey Schmidt
Director: Amanda Dehnert
Choreographer: Sharon Jenkins
Musical Director: George Fulginiti-Shakar
Assistant to the musical director: Jenny Cartney
Set Designer: Eugene Lee
Costume Designer: Jessica Ford
Lighting Designer: Nancy Schertler
Sound Designer: Tim Thompson
Assistant Sound Designer: Ryan Gastelum
Dramaturg: Janine Sobeck
Fight Director: Craig Handel
Illusion Designer: Jim Steinmeyer
Illusion Assistant: Jeff Grow
Stage Manager: Martha Knight
Assistant Stage Manager: Kurt Hall
Acting Apprentice: Jeanine Hossler
Stage Management Senior Fellow: Alexandria Wood
Stage Management Fellow: Marne Anderson
Directing Fellow: Flordelino Lagundino
Lighting Fellow: Catherine Girardi
Musical Contractor: Rita Eggert
Line Producer: Ronee Penoi
Rehearsal Pianist: Jenny Cartney
The Arena Stage musical theater season is sponsored by Jaylee Mead.
“The Fantasticks” is sponsored by Shugoll Research.
“The Fantasticks” Special Events, Ticket Information & Performance Calendar:
The Salon – Monday, January 4, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.
In the spirit of artistic and literary salons of the past, The Salon features artistic leaders from Arena Stage in a series of lively, in-depth conversations with the playwrights, actors, directors, designers, dramaturgs and audiences that make Arena Stage unique. The Salon is free to Arena Stage subscribers and donors ($75+) and only $3 for the general public. Reservations must be made through the Arena Stage Sales Office at (202) 488-3300.
Southwest Night – Monday, December 21, 2009 at 7:30 p.m.
An invitation is extended to our Southwest D.C. neighbors to buy $20 tickets, plus applicable fees, for one designated Friday evening performance of each production. Proof of Southwest D.C. residency—or continued employment–for each audience member of each party must be presented at the time of purchase. Tickets are limited to four per person and are based on availability. To purchase tickets, call (202) 488-3300 or stop by the Arena Stage Sales Office.
TICKETS: Tickets for “The Fantasticks” range from $25 to $74 plus applicable fees. Discount tickets are available for patrons purchasing tickets for multiple shows, students and groups. A limited number of $10 tickets for patrons ages 30 and under go on sale beginning each Monday for performances that week. (All patrons must present valid ID.) HOTTIX, a limited number of half-price, day-of-performance tickets, are available 90 to 30 minutes before curtain prior to every performance. Tickets may be purchased online at www.arenastage.org, by phone at (202) 488-3300 or at the Arena Stage Sales Office at 1800 S. Bell Street, Arlington, VA 22202.
www.arenastage.org.
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Sebastian La Cause as El Gallo (above) and Timothy Ware as Matt and Addi McDaniel as Luisa in the Arena Stage production of The Fantasticks November 20, 2009 - January 10, 2010. (photo by Scott Suchman)
(l-r) Timothy Ware as Matt, Addi McDaniel as Luisa and Sebastian La Cause as El Gallo in the Arena Stage production of The Fantasticks November 20, 2009 - January 10, 2010. (photo by Scott Suchman)
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