The story of young love and a heart wrenching distance is explored as the Arts Barn Theater presents a Rockville Musical Theater Production of The Fantasticks, with music by Harvey Schmidt, and book and lyrics by Tom Jones. The show runs April 1 through 17, 2011, with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. This show may not hold the attention of pre teens and younger.
The Fantasticks tells the story of two meddling fathers who push their children into falling in love, but soon they grow restless of the situation and stray from one another. Will separation provide a deeper appreciation for the love they once shared—or create a permanent gulf between them? Hucklebee and Bellamy are a pair of small town fathers who are scheming to bring their children Matt and Luisa together in a romance. As a carnival arrives to bring some excitement to the sleepy village, the fathers persuade a mysterious interloper named El Gallo to stage a mock abduction of Luisa, which will hopefully prompt Matt to come to her rescue. However, while El Gallo's plan succeeds, he also awakens his innocent charges to the darker and more disappointing side of love.
The Associated Press calls it “Heartfelt... hypnotic... charming... reminds you why The Fantasticks has touched so many people over so many years.”
