Fantasticks!!!

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Fantasticks!!!

Posted: 6/12/09 at 8:35pm

A major production of the musical, 'The Fantasticks' is to open in the West End in October this year.
Two interesting big names have signed and the rest of the company (not that there's that many in the show!) will be completed by the end of July.

The show has had limited success in the UK to date.
It has never been staged in the West End itself and the only notable London production was staged at the KIngs Head Theatre in Islington.
That production starred Jonathan Morris and created enough interest for the production to be hugely expanded into a full movie version.
That is now available on DVD.
Fantasticks!!!

'The Fantasticks' has been running Off Broadway for almost 50 years now and is always performed in cities across America.

Updated On: 6/13/09 at 08:35 PM

re: Fantastiks!!!

Posted: 6/12/09 at 8:59pm

Those of us who love THE FANTASTICKS do all we can to wipe the memory of that horrific film from our minds.

Actually, the original off-Broadway production of the show, which played for many decades at the Sullivan St Playhouse in Greenwich Village, closed in 2002 (after 17,162 performances!). It has since re-opened at a theater in the Times Square area and hopefully will have a long life there. Recently that theater was renamed the Jerry Ohrbach Theatre in honor of the actor who created the role of El Gallo way back in 1960.

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re: Fantastiks!!!

Posted: 6/12/09 at 9:10pm

17,162 performances in its original US production (it lasted 42 years). In London, in 1961, it managed 42 performances (1 month).

The Snapple Theater, Times Square, home to the current production, has the least amount of leg-room I have ever suffered in a theatre! When I saw it the book and lyric writer, Tom Jones (no, not him!), played The Old Actor (Henry). He looked about ninety years old and stole the show. Robert R Oliver, who played The Man Who Dies (Mortimer) threw himself into the part so much he actually died during his contract - there's dedication to a role for you!

The show features two songs that everyone will have heard at some time, "Try To Remember" and "Soon It's Gonna Rain".

re: Fantastiks!!!

Posted: 6/13/09 at 4:51am

Excellent! We haven't had a good rape in the West End in ages.

re: Fantastiks!!!

Posted: 6/13/09 at 5:21am

Ooo interesting.

Do you know which theatre its gonna be on at?

re: Fantastiks!!!

Posted: 6/13/09 at 3:40pm

Saw the Regents Park production,many years ago. Magical.Lets hope it's true

re: Fantastiks!!!

Posted: 6/13/09 at 4:16pm

mama please tell me these 'big names' are of a musical theatre big name and not some reality tv celebrity or soapstar???

are you revealing?

If they are well casted i will be happy and excited. if they're s**t people, i will not be excited!
x

"Lateness is a choice" - Sir Trevor Nunn

re: Fantastiks!!!

Posted: 6/13/09 at 6:30pm

I HEART Fantasticks! A beautifully crafted simple masterpiece that was expanded way beyond its means for that atrocious movie.

I directed my school's production of this in Year 11 ... hiring the harpist was the biggest part of the budget :)

Updated On: 6/13/09 at 06:30 PM

re: Fantastiks!!!

Posted: 6/13/09 at 7:23pm

mama, is this an existing production coming into town or starting from scratch?

#10

re: Fantastiks!!!

Posted: 6/13/09 at 7:34pm

Its from scratch.
Looking at a smallish house.

The Jonathan Morris production didn't transfer years back as he was pretty big in TV at the time.

Wish I could get excited about this!

Wildcat, have you considered seeing Jim Baileys show 2mrw night?

#11

re: Fantastiks!!!

Posted: 6/13/09 at 7:43pm

This is good news for you guys across the pond. I just hope that they don't go and make it too big. Hell, I remember reading a story about a regional production that used a kick line during Plant A Radish. Now, that is going a bit over the top if you ask me.

I have heard stories that the NY production isn't doing to hot at the moment. One of the actors who played Matt for a long period of time was on The Amazing Race and won. I would have thought that they would have printed up ads saying tat the winner of this realty show was in The Fantasticks but they didn't even do that.

"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear" Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll

#12

re: Fantastiks!!!

Posted: 6/13/09 at 8:15pm

I saw Jonathan Morris at the Orchard Theatre in Cinderella with Anita Dobson many years ago, sure you guys wanted to know that.

Why don't they just stage the simple original production that everyone loves, never seen it though, so be quiet interested in seeing this when it comes into town!

Never understood how it could make money in such a small house, off Broadway, surprised it never transferred to a smallish house.

#13

re: Fantastiks!!!

Posted: 6/13/09 at 8:54pm

mama, I saw Jim Bailey many years ago and even have his album so I'm definitely a fan. But I have tickets for THE KING & I and that will be enough excitement for one day.

#14

re: Fantastiks!!!

Posted: 6/15/09 at 12:23pm

Phantom of London, as far as I know, The Sullivan Street Theatre had about 100 or so seats and The Jerry Orbach Theatre isn't much bigger. I think that that was the reason why they chose the Snapple Theatre (later named the Jerry Orbach Theatre) for the revival of the show. They felt that the theatre was just around the same size as the original production and thus would be a perfect fit. They also thought that the location in Midtown was a perfect fit due to the fact that it is in the heart of the theatre district. To give you an example of this The Girshwin Theatre home to Wicked and The Circle In The Square home to The Norman Conquests is just up the block.

"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear" Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll

#15

re: Fantastiks!!!

Posted: 6/15/09 at 12:30pm

On top of Duane Reade

#16

re: Fantastiks!!!

Posted: 6/15/09 at 12:34pm

with v steep stairs...

#17

re: Fantastiks!!!

Posted: 6/15/09 at 12:39pm

Haha! Native New Yorkers us!

#18

re: Fantastiks!!!

Posted: 6/15/09 at 12:56pm

Yes, the stairs up to the Jerry Orbach theatre are VERY steep and long. But when I saw The Fantasticks there two years ago it was well worth the walk! It's a beautiful intimate space and a lovely staging of a lovely show. I was lucky enough to see Tom Jones himself playing the Old Actor and even luckier to see Nick Spangler as Matt - he was fantastic.

Really intrigued about the forthcoming London production - will certainly be going to see it!

And btw- the Jerry Orbach theater is one theater space that makes up the two theater Snapple Theater Center. The long-running murder mystery play Perfect Crime plays in the other space.

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Updated On: 6/15/09 at 12:56 PM

#19

re: Fantastiks!!!

Posted: 6/15/09 at 1:16pm

I saw 'Perfect Crimes' in The Duffy Theatre smack on Times Sq.
It has now been knocked down to build yet another new block for Times Sq.
That theatre was a right dump so I'm sure they must be very happy in the 'Snapple Centre'- bet they wish they could change the name tho!
'Perfect Crimes' by the way is great little play.

#20

re: Fantastiks!!!

Posted: 6/15/09 at 1:40pm

Duane Read opposite the Winter Garden?

#21

re: Fantastiks!!!

Posted: 6/15/09 at 1:48pm

Mama wrote: "'Perfect Crimes' by the way is great little play. "

I have been suspicious of Mama's taste and sanity for the past few months, and reading this (unless it was stated with tongue firmly in cheek) only confirms it. Perfect Crime is widely known to be a ghastly evening with half the audience walking out on a regular basis at the interval. It only keeps running because of its proximity to Times Square and its marketing team preying on the gullibility of tourists.

#22

re: Fantastiks!!!

Posted: 6/15/09 at 5:23pm

Perfect Crime is known for being VERY bad. From what I heard the owners of the Snapple Theatre would only let it play there so long as The Fantasticks was running for they knew that out of the two The Fantasticks was going to be more of a money maker then Perfect Crime.

I believe it was last year or the year before The Fantasticks closed not knowing if it was going to return to the same theatre to make way for a limited run of a play. There were rumors that when that play closed after its limited run The Fantasticks would return. That rumor turned out to be true and thus reopened. Had it not from what I understand, the producers of Perfect Crime were going to produce The Fantasticks as well just so that they could stay open.

And, by the by, for those of you that don't wish to walk up the steep stairs. There is an elavator just round the corner.

And yes Phantom. The Snapple Theatre Center is a three level centre ontop the Duane Reade diagonl from The Winter Garden.

"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear" Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll

#23

re: Fantastiks!!!

Posted: 6/15/09 at 7:02pm

Sorry, I forgot to say it was a pretty bad play, I saw it with 3 o4 friends and we sat there gobsmacked!
This was about 20 years ago now.
re: Fantastiks!!!

I think a lot of Americans see it as their 'The Mousetrap'! lol
You should see the guys around the TKTS booth on Times Sq trying to sell this one.

Updated On: 6/15/09 at 07:02 PM

#24

re: Fantastiks!!!

Posted: 6/15/09 at 7:08pm

I don't care what anyone says, The Snapple Theater still has the least amount of legroom of any theatre I have ever endured (even less than The Ambassadors, London circle). And my legs aren't even that long!

#25

re: Fantastiks!!!

Posted: 6/16/09 at 12:06am

MamasDoin'Fine,

I doubt that to be true with regards to The Perfect Crime. The major difference between that and Mousetrap is that while Mousetrap has been running forever it is still a good play. Can't say the same for Perfect Crime however. I wish I could.

Most people in NY who know anything about theatre will tell those who know nothing to stay away from that play due to it being so bad. I remember telling someone who was on the TKTS line who was being approached and was talking to someone who was trying to get them to see Perfect Crime about how they shouldn't go to that show due to it being bad. Instead they went to The Fantasticks like I suggested (only know this cus I saw them there and they thanked me for the suggestion and that they were having a great time) and at the TKTS line the person who was trying to sell tickets to Perfect Crime gave me a dirty look for pursuading them not to go see it.

"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear" Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll

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