The Fantasticks
On This Page: Commentary | DVD | Cast Recordings | Sheet Music | Links
The Writing of The Fantasticks
Commentary and writing tips by Noel Katz
First-time musical writers Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt created something truly special in The Fantasticks. Here is a show that embraces and celebrates the limitations of tiny, low-budget theatre. The cast is small. The stage is small. The accompaniment is just a harp and a piano. The set is a sheet. A mime holds up a stick to indicate a wall.
We're asked to use our imaginations; the first word of the musical is "Try" as a sexy narrator evokes a place in our memories, out of nothing. While most musical theatre writing requires a great deal of specificity, The Fantasticks plays on archetypes: the boy is Everyboy; the girl is Everygirl, and there's nothing to tell us where the play is set, except a garden grows there. It's as if the love story presented is Anystory, or all our stories.
The girl has an "I want" song, "Much More," that's a prototype of the genre. She tells us exactly what she desires in a soaring tune with poetic terms. Composer Schmidt marries contemporary cool jazz with vaguely classical-sounding themes in exciting ways; no other score sounds quite like it. The love duet, "Soon It's Gonna Rain," is extremely sensual, but not at all sexual. The only character with any sort of carnality is the narrator. Using a narrator is tricky; often they seem static, or too obviously the author's voice. This narrator insinuates himself into the action, becoming an important character, leading the heroine astray.
He also points out, in one of his many poetic phrases, that "their moon was cardboard," which, we all know, it is. It's a key line, as it reminds us that we've been co-conspirators involved in creating this charming and moving show: our imaginations are an essential part of the presentation.
Shop for DVD, CDs, Sheet Music
Your purchases through these links support this independent website. Thank you!
DVD
The Fantasticks (DVD) from Amazon.com 2000 Film version featuring Joel Grey, Barnard Hughes, Jean Louisa Kelly, and Joseph McIntyre. Special features include: Commentary by: director Michael Ritchie, Deleted songs: "Try to Remember," "Plant a Radish," "It Depends on What You Pay (The Rape Song)", Full-length songs: "Never Say No," "Metaphor," "The Abduction Song," "Soon It's Gonna Rain", Eleven deleted scenes plus an alternate ending, Jump to a Song" feature
Cast Recordings
The
Fantasticks (Original 1960 Off-Off Broadway Cast) Featuring Jerry
Orbach. Songs include: Overture, Try To Remember, Much More, Metaphor, Never
Say No, It Depends On What You Pay, You Wonder How These Things Begin, Soon
It's Gonna Rain, The Rape Ballet/Happy Ending, This Plum Is Too Ripe, I Can
See It, Plant A Radish, Round And Round, There Is A Curious Paradox, They
Were You, and Try To Remember (Reprise)
MORE:
Harvey Schmidt plays Jones and Schmidt: Buy it or hear clips at CDBaby.com: Harvey Schmidt
Sheet Music
Highlights from The Fantasticks from Sheetmusic.com Including: Plant a Radish, Never Say No, Soon It's Gonna Rain, They Were You, Much More, I Can See It, and Try to Remember. Instant digital download sheet music.
The Fantasticks (Complete Vocal Score) from Sheetmusic.com
Links
An interview with writers Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt: Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt
Add Your Comments
If you are involved with writing musicals, and would like to add comments that we could post here, please email them to comments@musicalwriters.com with the word "Comments" in the subject line of your email.
To send suggestions, comments, or questions write to webmaster@musicalwriters.com with the word "QUESTION" or "COMMENT" in the subject line.