The Fantasticks

[Adam Chris]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 4:50pm

Hello. I was hoping someone would be willing to take a little time to tell me what The Fantasticks is all about.
Clearly this show has been around for a while but I'm not sure what people think about it. I saw a DVD of it available at my local Borders Bookstore and was tempted to buy it but decided against it until I heard what others thought.
Thanks to anyone who can help.

Thanks,
AdamChris

I know there is another thread on The Fantastics, but my question is mostly about plot.
Updated On: 8/9/06 at 04:50 PM

[NativeNewYorker]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 4:56pm

It's basically about two fathers who live next door to each other and are good friends. One has a son and one has a daughter. They want their children to get together, but they know if they tell them that, then they'll want nothing to do with each other...so they build a wall (literally) between them so that they'll become more alluring to each other. It works and the two fall in love.

All that happens in Act I.

Act II, things fall apart.

It's very, very sweet and fanciful and, at times, incredibly silly...but it's a beautiful show with some wonderful music.

[NativeNewYorker]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 4:57pm

Also, the movie is pretty bad, so I think you should check it out live and watch the movie after. Community theatres are constantly doing it if you can't get to 50th street!

[jasonf]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 5:02pm

Get the OCR -- it's one of THE best there is.

The music is amazing.

We spent two whole classes in my theater structure class in college talking about the metaphors/allusions/themes/structure of the show. It's steeped in mythology and history - yet extremely accessible, probably because it touches so much on a collective consciousness.

[jasonf]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 5:02pm

But I don't really like it or anything :)

[NativeNewYorker]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 5:03pm

"But I don't really like it or anything :) "

Eh, me neither :)

[NativeNewYorker]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 5:04pm

Hey, JasonF, where do you live in NJ? The Spring Lake Community theatre is doing The Fantasticks in October...I try to see at least one of their productions every year, I love that theatre!