‘Fantasticks’ depicts ‘universal family’ family,’ time-honored tradition
By Daily Bruin Staff
April 13, 1995 9:00 p.m.
‘Fantasticks’ depicts ‘universal family’ family,’ time-honored
tradition
Little Theater plays longest-run musical
By Jeana Blackman
It’s the longest running musical in history.
It’s been seen by millions of people from all over the
world.
It’s "The Fantasticks" and it has found its way to UCLA’s main
stage as the fourth show of the 1994-95 season. And director Pat
Harter, an associate professor in the School of Theater, Film and
Television, has the task of bringing this time-honored tradition to
the stage once again.
Thirty-five years ago, "The Fantasticks" was a smash with its
simple staging and universal theme. The younger audiences
identified with the themes of love and adventure while the older
audiences found they understood what it meant to be out in the
sometimes cruel world and come back home. This play spoke to
all.
And all of this was accomplished with a black box, eight actors
and a piano. Who would’ve thought that these modest beginnings
would lead to such a long standing musical?
Yet one thing is clear  this director intends to stay true
to the very simplicity that made this show such a sensation in
1960.
"The whole idea of "Fantasticks" is very simple," Harter says
watching the musical director warm up the actors on the piano.
In keeping with the simplicity of the original script by Tom
Jones and Harvey Schmidt, there is the stage, a few boxes, a few
curtains and the piano. But Harter sticks close to tradition in the
staging as well.
"(This production) embodies the openness and simplicity of
staging you would find in a conventional production," Harter says.
And she’s going back to this tradition because of the show’s
continued success.
Harter looked for the reasons why "The Fantasticks" had such a
long run in the first place so that those elements would be in her
production. One of these is the simplicity of the theme and action,
which is why it’s such a central aspect of her direction. But she
also believes that the universality of the subject is a major
reason for its continued success.
"It’s the universal family," Harter says, "and how they deal
with their hopes and dreams versus reality." Much of this is
paralleled with the idea of adventure as getting to experience the
world, but that the path of experience is not always easy.
But Harter is also the first to admit that the show’s
likeability goes way beyond this intellectualization. It comes down
to the opinion that "there’s a certain charm to (‘The Fantasticks’)
that still holds," Harter says, "it has real heart".
Yet the reality of the production, like the reality of the
world, requires a bit more than just winging it with a simple set
and a universal message. Musically, the show is very complex and
even with a good music director, Harter still ran up against
problems, especially someone who could play the leading man, El
Gallo.
"El Gallo’s a hard voice and there simply wasn’t anyone
available who could sing the role," Harter says. Part of the reason
for that was for the first time in a long time UCLA did three
musical productions that overlapped each other  thereby
limiting the possible casting pool.
As a result, Harter went outside and hired Daniel Eli Friedman,
a UCLA theater alumnus who is now a professional actor. Harter and
Friedman had worked together when Friedman was a student and was
excited to come back and do a part he never thought he’d play.
"It’s a stretch for me because the part’s a baritone and I’m a
tenor," Friedman says. But more than just a chance to challenge
himself, while giving something back to his alma mater, he saw the
production as an opportunity to simply be involved with a great
show.
"It’s got all the elements," Friedman says, "It’s a wonderfully
written heartwarming message." But just because there’s such an
emphasis on the time-honored tradition and the original story,
doesn’t mean that the audiences won’t have anything new to look
at.
The only major departure from the first concept is the addition
of some wires that run the length of the stage and are not only
walked on, almost like a tightrope, but are used for El Gallo to
slide into scene.
"I wanted to emphasize the circus nature of commedia dell’arte,"
Harter says. But again in keeping with tradition, all of the
mechanics are visible to the audience. But this convention is meant
to meld together with the old to create a production as memorable
and fun as the first.
"I just hope the audience will come and enjoy it for it’s
simplicity and charm," Harter says.
THEATER: "The Fantasticks" by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt.
Directed by Pat Harter. UCLA’s Little Theater, Macgowan Hall.
Performances: April 14-16, April 19-22 at 8 p.m. with a matinee on
Sunday, April 16, at 2 p.m. TIX: $6 students w/ ID, $9 UCLA staff,
$12 general. For more info call (310) 825-2101.
