Flat Rock Playhouse will be performing The Fantasticks April 17 through May 11th at Playhouse Downtown. This musical tells the story of two neighboring fathers who trick their children, Luisa and Matt, into falling in love by pretending to feud.
The Fantasticks opened in 1960 at The Sullivan Street Theatre in New York City and has the distinction of being the longest running musical in the world.
The fathers hire traveling actors to stage a mock abduction, so that Matt can heroically seem to save Luisa, ending the supposed feud. When the children discover the deception, they reject the arranged love match and separate. Each then gains disillusioning experiences of the real world, seen in parallel fantasy sequences. They return to each other bruised, but enlightened and they renew their vows with more maturity.
The Fantasticks has charmed audiences at the Sullivan Street Playhouse in New York City’s Greenwich Village, The Jerry Orbach Theatre in Times Square (and soon The Playhouse Downtown) ever since Dwight Eisenhower was President.
For additional information and to purchase tickets, please visit Flat Rock Playhouse’s website.