Think circus. Think carnival. Think scheming fathers and reverse psychology. Think children and conflict and a little chaos and a little comedy, with lots of song.
When two well meaning fathers plot to bring their children together by building a wall to separate them, the results are truly fantastic. In the longest running musical in the world appropriately titled “The Fantasticks,” this simple tale of love and scheming, of day dreaming and harsh realities, of young innocence and cruel awakenings was originally told by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt in 1960. Since its humble beginnings Off-Broadway, it has played to audiences for over 20,000 performances there and all over the world for over fifty years. Now Music Theatre of Connecticut will be entertaining this magical musical until Sunday, May 4 with its own original offering in their intimate black box setting.
Come meet the boy Matt (Jacob Heimer), the girl Luisa (Carissa Massaro), the fathers (Lou Ursone and Jack Doyle), El Gallo, the narrator (Tony Lawson) and the comic actors.(John Flaherty and Jim Schilling) who aid the plot by faking an abduction of Luisa so Matt can conveniently rescue her, further win her love and reconcile the supposedly feuding fathers.
The road to true love certainly does not run smoothly, according to the road map the papas prepared, and life lessons are learned by everyone. Memorable songs like “Try to Remember,” “Soon It’s Gonna Rain,” “Plant a Radish” and “Round and Round” advance the story as Matt and Luisa discover the wonder of young love and the disillusionments that often accompany it. Kevin Connors directs this delightful tale where a wall, cleverly played by Shanna Ossi, uses a chest of tricks and props to aid and abet the action.
For tickets ($25-45, with $5 off for students and seniors) call the MTC, 246 P ost Road East, lower level,, Westport at 203-454-3883 or online at www.musictheatreofct.com. Performances are Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., with matinees Sunday at 2 p.m.
Join two parents in their age old quest to do the best for their offspring by plotting and scheming and manipulating and causing results that threaten to destroy all they’d hoped to create.
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