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The Fantastiks

Presented by Germantown Community Theatre at Germantown Community Theatre

April 1-April 17, 2011

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Book and Lyrics by Tom Jones, Music by Harvey Schmidt Filled with whimsy and magic, this must-see musical tells the tale of two young lovebirds from neighboring families who steal glances and keep their romance a secret from their feuding fathers. Little do the kids know that their dads are actually good friends who’ve hatched a plan—with the help of a mystical band of a traveling players—to get the pair down the aisle. Honored with a Tony Award, The Fantasticks appears in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s longest-running musical.

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  • Venue Info

    Germantown Community Theatre

    3037 Forest Hill Irene Rd.
    Germantown, TN 38138

    Full map and directions

  • Admission Info

    Tickets:

    $23.00: Adult $15.00: Senior/Student** $10.00: Kids 12 and under **Students must present valid student ID

    Info Phone: (901)937-3023

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  • Dates & Times

    Dates:
    April 1-April 17, 2011

    Times:
    

    Show times: Thursdays 7:30 pm, Fridays and Saturdays 8 pm and Sundays 2:30 pm

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    • Event Name: The Fantastiks
      "The Fantasticks Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow"
      Comment posted by: George Conroy - ArtsMemphis Rants & Raver from Memphis, TN, Apr 08, 2011
      

      Yesterday Eons ago when I was probably in the ninth grade, I first enjoyed the classic musical “The Fantasticks” at Front Street Theater. The theatre was then a small venue in the basement of... Expand

      Yesterday Eons ago when I was probably in the ninth grade, I first enjoyed the classic musical “The Fantasticks” at Front Street Theater. The theatre was then a small venue in the basement of downtown Memphis’ Hotel King Cotton. Teenage protégés Jeanne Sheffield and Gene Wilkins, Thespians who’d matriculated from the stage of White Station High School where they first created the roles of Matt and Luisa. I wonder where those talented “kids” are now…. Today This week Germantown Community Theatre began an innovative staging of that timeless musical whose original off-Broadway run lasted 42 years. The romantic tale of a young couple and their meddling parents features the beloved songs "Try to Remember" and "Soon It's Gonna Rain." Eisenhower was President when The Fantasticks first came to life, but at GCT young Matt (Justin Willingham) and Luisa (Emily Chateau) are in perpetual awakening. As the show begins, a tall wall through the backyard separates the fresh-faced heroes, and they are ordered by their parents not to breach the divide. So Matt and Luisa are left with only their imaginations. But when did that ever trump the powers of young love? Matt and Louisa exchange glimpses and mementos over the top of the wall until, finally, their fathers Hucklebee and Bellamy (Bob Koch and Spencer Miller – a wonderfully zippy duo, more about Spencer later) come out with the truth: Luisa and Matt’s union is, in fact, what the parents always wanted after all. The miracle of The Fantasticks is its lightheaded plot and simplistic characters who shine and exemplify art-on-a-shoestring; the actors perform on a minimalist set created by Andy Saunders, who also directed the production. It’s a platform, a bed sheet, and not a whole lot more. It’s a micromusical played with a wink and a grin. Tom Jones’s comic libretto and Harvey Schmidt’s light, bubbly score – played at the Germantown Community Theatre by an orchestra of two to great effect, via keyboards tickled by Kenny Long and Angelo Rapan. Matt’s character seems to be a pretty studious fellow, while Luisa, is a starry-eyed dreamer “I’d like to be the kind of girl designed to be kissed on the eyes.”The production’s mysterious host El Gallo (Kent Fleishman) spins the story straight out of the dusty air with a flick of his wrist and a few famous melodies (“Try To Remember”). His scampering assistant, the Mute (Philip Sandager) is always at hand to set an illusion in motion and to propel a scene forward with acrobatic flair (case in point: he plays the wall). Sandager is marvelously precise in the silent role, and it’s under his care, mainly, that magic begins to erupt at choice moments. Folded paper transforms into all manner of props. Flames and snow rise and fall from fingertips. These fun ploys capture, in microcosm, this musical’s unique achievement: instant entertainment born from simple imagination and the sheer will to wring comedy and light drama out of seemingly nothing. Even given the performers’ enthusiasm this Fantasticks doesn’t always ring as true as it might. Fleishman, although charming, doesn’t tap the magnetism required of the smoldering El Gallo (who soon gets drawn in as Matt’s romantic competitor). The Abduction Ballet played at half-speed when it might have crackled with more choreographed action. Justin Willingham and Emily Chateua make a cute couple but as the show progresses we don’t observe their hearts beating as one so much as their minds working through the mechanics of intertwining melodies. They’re both great singers, but it’s Emily Chateau who not only steels the show, she completely commands it and almost singularly carries it with her subtle acting talent and magnificent, beautifully trained voice of amazing range. Memphis is fortunate that Ms. Chateau has chosen to make her theatrical homes in Memphis and northern Mississippi. Enjoy her performance now in The Fantasticks and you’ll later say, “I knew her when!” Audience members will recognize Justin Willingham as the radio voice of WKNO and it’s delightful to enjoy his musical theatre talents as well. Veteran actress Jo Lynne Palmer was originally playing the role of "Henry," the old actor. Ms.Palmer suffered a stroke on Saturday. She is in recovering in stable condition at Saint Francis Hospital, but sadly will not be returning to assume her role. Fortunately, she did have her opening night performance on a role she has always wanted to play. Assistant director Spencer Miller took over for her and did an amazing job in the part , learning the lines and blocking in under 3 hours. Kudos to him for stepping in so seamlessly and delivering so remarkable a performance! Tomorrow During intermission I chatted with two young girls in the audience about the show, and both told me they were enjoying it. They’re the next link in what has become a very long chain of shared musical theatre experience. As the decades pass, sons and daughters will continue to come back to see The Fantasticks again as fathers and mothers. Collapse

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    • Event Name: The Fantastiks
      "The Fantasticks Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow"
      Comment posted by: George Conroy - ArtsMemphis Rants & Raver from Memphis, TN, Apr 08, 2011
      

      Yesterday Eons ago when I was probably in the ninth grade, I first enjoyed the classic musical “The Fantasticks” at Front Street Theater. The theatre was then a small venue in the basement of... Expand

      Yesterday Eons ago when I was probably in the ninth grade, I first enjoyed the classic musical “The Fantasticks” at Front Street Theater. The theatre was then a small venue in the basement of downtown Memphis’ Hotel King Cotton. Teenage protégés Jeanne Sheffield and Gene Wilkins, Thespians who’d matriculated from the stage of White Station High School where they first created the roles of Matt and Luisa. I wonder where those talented “kids” are now…. Today This week Germantown Community Theatre began an innovative staging of that timeless musical whose original off-Broadway run lasted 42 years. The romantic tale of a young couple and their meddling parents features the beloved songs "Try to Remember" and "Soon It's Gonna Rain." Eisenhower was President when The Fantasticks first came to life, but at GCT young Matt (Justin Willingham) and Luisa (Emily Chateau) are in perpetual awakening. As the show begins, a tall wall through the backyard separates the fresh-faced heroes, and they are ordered by their parents not to breach the divide. So Matt and Luisa are left with only their imaginations. But when did that ever trump the powers of young love? Matt and Louisa exchange glimpses and mementos over the top of the wall until, finally, their fathers Hucklebee and Bellamy (Bob Koch and Spencer Miller – a wonderfully zippy duo, more about Spencer later) come out with the truth: Luisa and Matt’s union is, in fact, what the parents always wanted after all. The miracle of The Fantasticks is its lightheaded plot and simplistic characters who shine and exemplify art-on-a-shoestring; the actors perform on a minimalist set created by Andy Saunders, who also directed the production. It’s a platform, a bed sheet, and not a whole lot more. It’s a micromusical played with a wink and a grin. Tom Jones’s comic libretto and Harvey Schmidt’s light, bubbly score – played at the Germantown Community Theatre by an orchestra of two to great effect, via keyboards tickled by Kenny Long and Angelo Rapan. Matt’s character seems to be a pretty studious fellow, while Luisa, is a starry-eyed dreamer “I’d like to be the kind of girl designed to be kissed on the eyes.”The production’s mysterious host El Gallo (Kent Fleishman) spins the story straight out of the dusty air with a flick of his wrist and a few famous melodies (“Try To Remember”). His scampering assistant, the Mute (Philip Sandager) is always at hand to set an illusion in motion and to propel a scene forward with acrobatic flair (case in point: he plays the wall). Sandager is marvelously precise in the silent role, and it’s under his care, mainly, that magic begins to erupt at choice moments. Folded paper transforms into all manner of props. Flames and snow rise and fall from fingertips. These fun ploys capture, in microcosm, this musical’s unique achievement: instant entertainment born from simple imagination and the sheer will to wring comedy and light drama out of seemingly nothing. Even given the performers’ enthusiasm this Fantasticks doesn’t always ring as true as it might. Fleishman, although charming, doesn’t tap the magnetism required of the smoldering El Gallo (who soon gets drawn in as Matt’s romantic competitor). The Abduction Ballet played at half-speed when it might have crackled with more choreographed action. Justin Willingham and Emily Chateua make a cute couple but as the show progresses we don’t observe their hearts beating as one so much as their minds working through the mechanics of intertwining melodies. They’re both great singers, but it’s Emily Chateau who not only steels the show, she completely commands it and almost singularly carries it with her subtle acting talent and magnificent, beautifully trained voice of amazing range. Memphis is fortunate that Ms. Chateau has chosen to make her theatrical homes in Memphis and northern Mississippi. Enjoy her performance now in The Fantasticks and you’ll later say, “I knew her when!” Audience members will recognize Justin Willingham as the radio voice of WKNO and it’s delightful to enjoy his musical theatre talents as well. Veteran actress Jo Lynne Palmer was originally playing the role of "Henry," the old actor. Ms.Palmer suffered a stroke on Saturday. She is in recovering in stable condition at Saint Francis Hospital, but sadly will not be returning to assume her role. Fortunately, she did have her opening night performance on a role she has always wanted to play. Assistant director Spencer Miller took over for her and did an amazing job in the part , learning the lines and blocking in under 3 hours. Kudos to him for stepping in so seamlessly and delivering so remarkable a performance! Tomorrow During intermission I chatted with two young girls in the audience about the show, and both told me they were enjoying it. They’re the next link in what has become a very long chain of shared musical theatre experience. As the decades pass, sons and daughters will continue to come back to see The Fantasticks again as fathers and mothers. Collapse

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    • McDonald Murmann Women's Clinic - 7705 Poplar Avenue, Suite 110, Germantown, TN 38138
      Phone: (901)-752-4500