The Fantasticks opens November 16 after Broadway previews begin

By Daniel Okafor

Broadway.com reports that The Fantasticks is now in previews (performances before the official opening) at Broadway’s Hayes Theater, with opening night set for November 16. The first-look gallery presents a production directed and choreographed by Tony winner Christopher Gattelli. Tom Jones wrote the revised book (the script) and lyrics, while Harvey Schmidt composed the music.

Broadway.com calls the show a “reimagined Broadway production.” Its plot summary follows “two boys, their two mothers and a mischievous plan to make the young men fall in love.” The item opens with a smaller joke, “How’s this for fantastic?” The joke earns its keep. The useful facts arrive without ceremony.

Which actors fill the central roles?

Broadway.com names eight actors in its production photographs. A lead image presents the cast, followed by five captioned photographs. The first caption identifies Maxim Chlumecky as Matt and Nathan Levy as Lewis. Joan Marcus photographed the image. The remaining captions identify:

• Ruthie Ann Miles as Bessie Mae Bellomy and Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer as Mildred Hucklebee.
• Zane Phillips as El Gallo.
• Ahmad Simmons as The Mute, Kevin Del Aguila as Mortimer and David Patrick Kelly as Henry.
• Ahmad Simmons as The Mute again.

The five captioned photographs function like a compact cast sheet. They place the two young men together, pair the two mothers, isolate Phillips, group Simmons with Del Aguila and Kelly, then return to Simmons alone. Broadway.com identifies Miles as a Tony winner and credits Joan Marcus for each caption.

The cast list gives the gallery its range. Broadway.com’s premise and captions identify Matt and Lewis as the two young men at the story’s center. Miles plays Bessie Mae Bellomy, while Rodriguez Kritzer plays Mildred Hucklebee. Phillips, Simmons, Del Aguila and Kelly complete the announced cast of eight.

Broadway.com leaves the wider relationships of those four roles unspecified. The restraint is sensible; this is not a character guide.

How are the creative credits framed?

Broadway.com assigns Christopher Gattelli both stage direction and choreography, while crediting Tom Jones with the revised book and lyrics and Harvey Schmidt with the music. Gattelli’s dual credit joins stage direction with choreography, the planned movement for the stage. The gallery stays with those three credits.

It does not name designers, explain the revisions or describe the choreography. That is a narrow announcement, but a clear one. The named creative team and music remain the article’s load-bearing facts.

What can audiences expect on opening night?

Broadway.com says previews are under way at Hayes Theater and the official opening follows on November 16. The publication offers no ticket prices, review quotations or performance results. Broadway.com links instead to a full photo gallery and a ticket calendar. The evidence is visual: five captioned cast images by Joan Marcus.

Broadway.com’s published material gives audiences the creative team, premise, principal cast and first photographic look, while leaving ticket prices, critical response and the substance of the revisions for later.

On November 16, the production will move from previews into an official opening-night performance. The names are set; the judgment will have to wait.