In the last few years many shows have been ‘reimagined’ with a fairly high rate of success. OKLAHOMA got turned into a barn social with a colorblind cast and won praise and the Tony. The musical that ended the team of Stephen Sondheim and Harold Prince, MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, was a major flop when it first opened and now, under refocused direction, has become the hottest ticket in town. Even the hit Sondheim/Prince show COMPANY has gone under the knife and emerged with an entire gender shift as Bobby, a 35-year-old bachelor became Bobbie, still 35 but now a single woman living in Manhattan. So, it is not surprising that the longest running Off-Broadway musical in history (17,162 performances) has emerged like a butterfly from its cocoon as THE FANTASTICKS: A LOVE STORY REIMAGINED. As originally written by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt, THE FANTASTICKS was about a young girl, the boy next door and their fathers secretly plotting to get them to fall in love. This time the two starry-eyed lovers are both boys and their fathers are now their mothers scheming to get them together. Tom Jones, the original lyricist and book writer needed only to make some minor changes in lyrics and script to make the gender switch work and work it definitely does.
What made the show so popular was its beautiful score and a story with which everyone from teenager to adult could identify. The original girl, Luisa, is now Lewis (Jack Mastrianni), a wide-eyed, romantic 16-year-old, and Matt (Eric Phelps), who is 19 and lives next door. Their mothers (Lisa Vroman and Sade Ayodele, respectively) think it would be great if their kids fell in love. To that end, they hire the mysterious El Gallo (Eric Kunze), who, with the help of an old Shakespearean actor (Wayne Bryan) and his sidekick (Erik Scott Romney) stage an elaborate abduction in which Matt is allowed to vanquish the would-be abductors and save Lewis from a dire fate. And so he does as Act I ends seemingly happily ever after.
But in Act II, under the harsh light of day, nothing appears as perfect as it did before. Matt realizing that he was duped takes off for parts unknown in a rage of anger only to discover the world can be harsh and cold. Lewis, under the guidance of El Gallo, is taught how to ‘reframe’ any reality he finds ugly into one he can live with… if not totally love. In the end they both realize that what they had was something good and, to the exuberant joy of their mothers, return home to settle down and face the future together. Throughout it all is The Mute (Amber Lux Archer) who, with graceful choreography, delivers each cast member the props, set pieces etc. as they are needed.
The entire production is, in a word, exquisite. As Lewis, Mastrianni delivers a beautifully sung and touching portrait of a young gay man dealing with the fantasies and realities of life and love for the first time. Phelps’ Matt is the perfect balance to Lewis’ case of romanticism. Three years older than Lewis, he is Lewis’ knight in shining armor. Their voices perfectly blend in the beautiful duets they share. As El Gallo, Kunze is every bit the mysterious, seductive bandit who takes what is close to your heart. His sex appeal and strong voice make him the ideal choice for the part. His rendition of “Try To Remember” brought tears to my eyes. Vroman and Ayodele play off each other very well as the scheming mothers who try to manipulate their kids’ love lives. Their two comedic numbers have a fun vaudevillian feel to them As Henry and Mortimer, Bryan and Romney steal the scenes they are in with truly hilarious performances and deserve the exit applause they received. Lastly, as the Mute, Amber Lux Archer says a million words via her expressive face and graceful dance moves as she travels around the set silently commenting on the action or supplying props as need for a scene.
Jimmy Cuomo’s abstract set is an understatement in simplicity and function and beautifully lit by Moira Wilke. Musical Director, Chip Prince, proves he is a master at the keyboard as his fingers fly over the keys, making his piano sound like several playing all at the same time. He is joined by Christian Chalifour on the harp, bringing added beauty to the score.
Ultimate kudos go to Craig Wells for his sensitive, moving and perfectly paced direction. There was not a moment wasted or misused in sweeping the audience away on this magic carpet of a story. Bravo.
THE FANTASTICKS: A LOVE STORY REIMAGINED is playing now through November 19, 2023 at CVRep in Cathedral City. For tickets or more information, go to their website www.cvrep.org