The musical The Fantasticks, with music by Harvey Schmidt and book and lyrics by Tom Jones is dubbed the longest running musical in the world. It opened on May 3, 1960, and played 17,162 performances in New York City before closing on January 13, 2002. Currently, a new revival is part of the theater scene in New York. But theater goers only have to travel to Joplin where it a is being directed by Jade Nicholas at the Joplin Little Theatre, running nightly from March 25-28 with a final matinee performance on Sunday, March 29, 2015.
The musical with its hit song, "Try to Remember" that opens and concludes the two acts is more than just a song and dance routine. It is presented using a varied collection of theatrical techniques, including the use of flashing lights and fluttering colored banners in a depiction of carnival-like experience that leads to burning disillusion.
While ostensibly a simple tale of a boy, Matt (Kendric Carlock); a girl, Luisa (Bethany Newsom) and two fathers, the boy's father Mr. Hucklebee (Ricardo Field) and the girl's father Bellomy (Greg Swartz)--who eventually connive to romantically link their children together--the production requires an audience with a good sense of imagination as the narrator, El Gallo (Ross Bruns), creates a world of moonlight and magic--the innocence of young lovers that is later disrupted by the pain of experience during a bright revealing sunlight. Also important are the actors who are mutes that portray a wall (Ethan Settle/Sabra Teel) and its symbolism of isolation and discovery. And we can't forget the characters that bring comic relief to enduring life's struggles and mistakes. Henry (Skylar Walton), the old actor and Mortimer (Kyle Jacobs), an actor pretending to be an American Indian get embroiled in the staged kidnapping that the fathers spare no expense in organizing in order to supposedly bring their children together. Ah, the absurdity of life.
Besides the wall that also is used to separate the yards of the two fathers and their philosophies of life and gardening (don't over water or do), other symbols include but are not limited to a necklace, Luisa's favorite gift that she sacrifices to gain experience; the mask, the barrier to pain that Luisa wears; the tree, or life portrayed by El Gallo ; the kiss, maturing from an innocent peck to one more sensual; and snow, innocence, purity and a rebirth.
For those of the right generation the 70s music that is played before the performance and during intermission might evoke a sense of nostalgia, bringing back memories of a younger time, a time before the stresses of life might have become more overwhelming. As for those of an older generation, they might be seen with cellphone in hand using an app to "Try to Remember" the titles of the songs and the names of their performers.
The Joplin Little Theatre is located at 3009 W. First St. (west of Schifferdecker Road), Joplin. Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for students/seniors and $6 for children under 12. Phone the box office at (417) 623-3638.
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