The fiftieth season of Summer Theatre comes to a close with a fan-favorite musical

To finish the celebration of the fiftieth season, an ESU Summer Theatre classic returns to the stage for the fourth time.
“The Fantasticks,” with the book and lyrics by Tom Jones and music by Harvey Schmidt, is a tale of young lovers who become disillusioned, only to discover a more mature and meaningful love.
The musical was first performed off Broadway in 1960. After forty-two years and 17,162 performances, “The Fantasticks” entered history as the world's longest running show still in its original theater, the world's longest running musical and the longest running show in American theater history. In addition to an Obie Award and the 1992 Special Tony Award for “The Fantasticks,” Jones and Schmidt are the recipients of the prestigious ASCAP-Richard Rogers Award for 1993. On February 1, 1999, they were inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame at the Gershwin Theatre.
“The Fantasticks” has played in every state, in more than 11,103 productions in over 2,000 cities and towns in the United States. There have been more than 700 productions in sixty-seven nations from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. “The Fantasticks” has been performed at the White House, the Ford Theatre, Yellowstone National Park and the Shawnee Mission in Kansas. ESU Summer Theatre has brought the musical to our stage in 1966, 1973 and 1991.
“ ‘The Fantasticks’ is an entrancing and delightful musical romantic storybook tale which revolves around a boy and a girl who are neighbors and in love with love as much as each other,” said director Theresa Mitchell.
The musical tells a tale of Matt, played by Gabe Templin, and Louisa, played by Courtney Slater, being tricked by their fathers to fall in love. With the idea that their forbidding their children to see each other will lead to their love for one another, the fathers build a wall to separate their kids. Matt and Louisa romantically unite under the moonlight; however, when the light of day creates a harsh reality for the couple, they must step away from each other to see themselves.
“The Fantasticks” opens Wednesday, July 21, at 8 p.m. in the Karl C. Bruder Theater of King Hall. Performances run through Saturday at 8 p.m. each night.

Tickets are $8 for the general public; $7 for senior citizens (60 and over) and $5 for students and youth. Reservations are available through the King Hall Box Office at (620) 342-5374. Box office hours are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and one hour before each performance.

Last Updated July 2, 2007>