Arts & Entertainment

World's Longest-Running Musical at the Baldwin Theatre

Second Stage presents "The Fantasticks."

It’s touted as the world’s longest-running musical for a reason – The Fantasticks is a love story with a universal appeal for all generations. The Fantasticks runsDecember 6th – 22th on the 2nd Stage at the Baldwin Theatre, 415 S. Lafayette in downtown Royal Oak.  Call 248.541.6430 for tickets.

The Fantasticks is the perfect blend of humor and romance set to song. The simple story is about young lovers, a boy, Matt, (Bill Brunner of Royal Oak), and a girl, Luisa, (Cassie Najor of Birmingham) who also happen to be next-door neighbors. Their fathers (Jack Tillotson of Royal Oak and John Nowaczyk of Ferndale) approve of the relationship and cleverly devise a plan of reverse-psychology to help bring their children together. They build a wall between the two yards which they hope holds an allure of forbidden love to their children. 

The narrator, El Gallo (Patrick Kilbourn of Berkley) is hired by the fathers to kidnap Luisa which then allows Matt to “save” her. The audience follows the lovers from their beginning infatuation then through a difficult but necessary separation only to finally find their way back to each other.

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The Fantasticks has long been one of my favorite shows,” says director Jody Florkowski of Ferndale. “It is simple in premise, but at the same time, intricate in its message. It is romantic in the literary sense. The lovers are in love with each other, but also with the idea of being in love.  The playwright approaches the text poetically, and the rich prose draws the playgoer in.  Additionally, the playwright allows the players to address the audience, making them companions and confidants to the characters on stage.  It is the simplicity of the story and the complexity of the characters that make this book something special,” says Florkowski.

Audience should not assume that the world’s longest-running musical might be stale. Florkowski is confident in the show’s appeal to all generations. “Like any time-honored piece produced today, audiences should expect to see and hear the characters and songs they love, yet with a current approach. The show is masterfully written in a way that always will seem wonderfully fresh and delightfully nostalgic,” says Florkowski. He continues, “Our audiences will see a re-imagined set design, slightly updated text which was made possible by the show's recent off-Broadway revival, including an update to a particularly controversial number.” Florkowski is referring to the “rape” song which has been revised to “abduction.”

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The Fantasticks original off-Broadway production premiered at Sullivan Street Playhouse in Greenwich Village on May 3, 1960. The musical, with book and lyrics by Tom Jones and music by Harvey Schmidt, is loosely based on the play “Les Romanesques” by Edmond Rostand. The show ran for a total of 42 continuous years and 17,162 performances. It won the 1991 Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre. Some notable actors who have appeared in the off-Broadway and touring productions include Liza Minnelli, Elliott Gould, Glenn Close, Kristin Chenoweth and Eileen Fulton. Many classic songs come from the show including “Try to Remember,” “Soon It’s Gonna Rain,” and “Never Say No.”

Advance tickets for performances are $18 each. Tickets may be purchased online at www.stagecrafters.org (online handling fees apply) or by phone at 248-541-6430 using Visa or MasterCard. All seats are reserved.  If shows have not sold out, tickets can be purchased at the box office one hour prior to the performance for an additional $2.00 per ticket. December 12th is “Half-Price Student Night” for those students with a valid ID. Due to the intimacy of the theatre, there is no late seating. The Baldwin Theatre is located at 415 S. Lafayette, Royal Oak.

Show times

  • Friday, Dec. 6, 8 p.m.
  • Saturday, Dec. 7, 8 p.m.
  • Sunday, Dec. 8, 2 p.m.
  • Thursday, Dec. 12, 8 p.m.   
  • Friday, Dec. 13, 8 p.m.
  • Saturday, Dec. 14, 8 p.m.
  • Sunday, Dec. 15, 2 p.m.
  • Thursday, Dec. 19, 8 p.m.
  • Friday, Dec. 20, 8 p.m.
  • Saturday, Dec. 21, 8 p.m.
  • Sunday, Dec. 22, 2 p.m.


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