2003: Muhlenberg Summer Theatre Stages "The Fantasticks"

Muhlenberg Summer Theatre Stages "The Fantasticks"

Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre’s 23rd season is underway. “The Fantasticks” is on stage in the Baker Theatre, Trexler Pavilion for Theatre and Dance, through August 10. Tickets are available through the Box Office, 484-664-3333.

Thursday, July 24, 2003 11:02 AM

Humorous, sentimental, heartbreaking, “The Fantasticks” has been playing on stages for more than 40 years, charming audiences in more than 2000 cities in the U.S. and in 67 nations around the world. The musical is a passionate fable of love staged in a deceptively simple commedia dell’arte style. The intimate tale of a boy, a girl, two scheming and quarreling fathers and the natural passages of love is set on an elegant circular platform. As time passes, the elaborate plot that the fathers devise to bring their son and daughter together takes its own unpredictable course. Friendships are strained and playful romantic innocence is lost, but the musical harvest when they are reunited is loving, hopeful and wise. The melodious score includes such standards as "Try to Remember," "Soon it's Gonna Rain," "They Were You," and "I Can See It."

Directing and choreographing is Shawn Churchman, who has performed as an actor and singer in 70 musicals, operas and plays in regional theatres. A member of one of the first companies of “Forever Plaid,” he has directed/choreographed “Plaid,” “The Fantasticks,” “The Mystery of Irma Ep,” “The Music Man,” Grease,” “Dames at Sea,” and “Little Shop of Horrors.” He has also co-created new musical works for the theatre with several arrangers and composers, including “Always,” “Irving Berlin,” “Along the Way,” and “The Happy Prince,” and a new play, “Smoke and Mirrors.”

Musically directing is Jeremy Slavin, co-founder of the Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre and faculty member in the music department of Muhlenberg College. Guest artist David Ensler is set designer; Dennis Parichy is lighting designer. Costumes are designed by Susan Nestor. Rebecca Lindsey ’05 is stage manager.

The company includes Guest Equity Actor Kirk Mouser as El Gallo. Mouser serves as the Associate Managing Director of Luna Stage in Montclair, NJ and Executive Producer of Luna’s successful Music and Comedy series Phases. As an actor/singer, he recently performed the revival of Leonard Bernstein’s “Descant in Mass” at Carnegie Hall. Stephen Hatzai ’65 (Hucklebee) has been involved in theatre as an actor, director, technician and educator for over forty years, developing the award-winning theatre program at Allen High School in Allentown, Pa. He appeared in last year’s Muhlenberg Summer Theatre production of “Damn Yankees” and has been seen in numerous local and regional productions. Neil Hever ’82 (Bellomy) was most recently seen on the Muhlenberg stage in the 2000 production of “The Music Man. Hever is the program director for WDIY, Lehigh Valley Public Radio.

Jeffrey Simno ’01 (Matt) returns to the Muhlenberg stage from BMI Lehiman Engle Musical Theatre Writing Workshop in New York City, where he is a librettist for new musicals. Leah Elizabeth Goldstein ’05 (Luisa) has performed in the Muhlenberg Summer Musical Theatre productions of “Damn Yankees” and “Schoolhouse Rock, Live!” and in the Muhlenberg Theatre Association productions of “Private Eyes” (for which she received an Irene Ryan Nomination), “Picasso at the Lapin Agile,” and “New Voices 2001: Power or Glory.” The company also includes Emily Abruzzi ’01, Lance J. Bankerd ’05 and Alan Kutner.

For more information, visit www.summerbroadway.org.