'HSM's Lucas Grabeel joins 'The Fantasticks'

[ALIASd]

Posted: Tue., Mar. 31, 2009, 1:29pm PT

Cast set for 'The Fantasticks'

McCormack, Grabeel, Groener to star

McCormack

By Gordon Cox
Variety

Eric McCormack, Lucas Grabeel and Harry Groener topline the Reprise Theater Company's staging of "The Fantasticks" in May.

McCormack ("Trust Me") plays narrator El Gallo in the show, with Grabeel ("High School Musical") portraying young lover Matt opposite Alison Woods as paramour Luisa. Groener ("Cats," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer") plays Luisa's father.

Reprise a.d. Jason Alexander helms the production of the 1960 tuner, set to run May 5-17 at UCLA's Freud Playhouse.

Cast set for 'The Fantasticks' - Entertainment News, Legit News, Media - Variety

[ALIASd]

Reprise artistic director Jason Alexander will direct the limited concert staging that will star Emmy-winning "Will & Grace" actor McCormack as El Gallo, Tony nominee Groener (Crazy for You, An American in Paris) as Bellomy and young "High School Musical" actor Grabeel as Matt.

The cast of The Fantasticks will also feature Alison Woods as Luisa, Eileen T'Kaye as Hucklebee, Barry Dennen (Jesus Christ Superstar) as Henry, Hap Lawrence as Mortimer and Kim Mikesell as the Mute.

Running, May 5-17 at the Freud Playhouse at UCLA, The Fantasticks will have choreography by Lee Martino and musical direction by Darryl Archibald. The production will have scenic design by Bradley Kaye, costume design by Kate Bergh, lighting design by Driscoll Otto and sound design by Philip G. Allen.

The Fantasticks is the world's longest-running musical, having played a record-breaking run of more than 17,000 performances in Greenwich Village. The Fantasticks originally opened at the Sullivan Street Playhouse in May 1960 and closed Jan. 13, 2002. The original company included Rita Gardner and the late Jerry Orbach. Harvey Schmidt wrote the music, and Tom Jones penned the book and lyrics. Word Baker directed the original Off-Broadway company. A revival of the musical currently plays Off-Broadway's Jerry Orbach Theater.

The Fantasticks, according to Reprise, "is a captivating and simple love story about a boy, a girl, two fathers and a wall. The audience uses its imagination to follow El Gallo as he creates a world of moonlight and magic, and then pain and disillusionment, until the boy and girl find their way back to one other." Songs from the popular musical include "Try to Remember," "They Were You," "Much More," "Soon It's Gonna Rain" and "I Can See It."

For tickets, phone (310) 825-2101, or visit Reprise.

Playbill News: McCormack, Grabeel, Woods, Groener and T'Kaye Are The Fantasticks for L.A.'s Reprise