Margo Moreland, Louie San Luis, and Jeni Hacker in Island City Stage's "The Fantasticks." (Photo by Matthew Tippins for Island City Stage)
Love is love.
That universal truth isn’t always accepted, as the LGBTQ community, who have had their love ridiculed and politicized, can attest. So, its no wonder that little bouts of clapping broke out at the opening night of “The Fantasticks” at Island City Stage, when Margot Moreland as Mildred and Jeni Hacker, playing Bessie, explain the source of their joy by saying that their sons are in love, why wouldn’t they be happy? But the line has extra resonance because not only are the two mothers ecstatic that their sons are in love, the fact is, they devised a plan meant to bring the boys together.
“The Fantasticks” is the longest-running musical in history — its initial off-Broadway run lasted 42 years. Premiering in 1960 and written by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt, the original plot centered on two fathers who erect a wall between their properties and pretend to feud in order to create a romance between their children, Matt and Luisa. After all, the lure of the forbidden is strong.
Margot Moreland, Kevin Hincapie, Jonny Lee Jr., and Jeni Hacker watch Jesse Luttrell. (Photo by Matthew Tippins for Island City Stage)
In the version at Island City Stage, the play has a gender reversal. Instead of the two dads there are two moms, and they have sons named Matt and Lewis. This rewrite was done by Jones, who changed some lyrics and key dialogue, subtlety driving home the point that love is love.
The rest of the plot is the same as the original version. After Matt (Kevin Hincapie) and Lewis (Jonny Lee Jr.) fall in love, the moms must find a way to end their fake feud. They hire a bandit, who also acts as the narrator of the show, El Gallo (Jesse Luttrell) to abduct Lewis so Matt can heroically rescue him, thereby bringing the two families together. Things go awry in the second act, as the young lovers question their feelings for one another and indulge in a desire to venture outside their environs.
Kevin Hincapie and Jonny Lee Jr. on opposite sides of the wall that separates them but encourages their love. (Photo by Matthew Tippins for Island City Stage)
Lutrell plays El Gallo with rakish charm and swagger, and performs the opening song, the lovely, lilting, “Try to Remember,” with grace, as if lost in a memory. Michael Gioia is hilarious and endearing as Henry, one of the actors El Gallo enlists for his abduction plot, and Rayner Gabriel, as Henry’s sidekick, Mortimer, appropriately chews the scenery. Louie San Luis is wonderful as a mute who assists in the portrayal of the wall and as El Gallo’s assistant.
Margot Moreland and Jeni Hacker play moms who are happy that their sons, Kevin Hincapie and Jonny Lee Jr., have fallen in love. (Photo by Matthew Tippins for Island City Stage)
As the young lovers, both Hincapie and Lee display an earnest and jubilant chemistry toward one another. Their interactions are charming, and they embody the blush of idealistic first love.
Moreland and Hacker are two of the most popular and dependable performers in South Florida, and it’s a joy to see them together in so many scenes. Their voices soar in their songs and they bring comic brilliance to their roles.
The behind-the-scenes talent is equally formidable. Nicole Perry’s choreography is effective, especially given the small stage. The scenic and lighting design, by Ardean Landhuis, combines elements of the world of the play with the backstage of a theater. David Hart’s sound design is crisp and clear. W. Emil White’s costume design helps define each character, and El Gallo’s costume is dazzling. But why Hacker is dressed in blue and white gingham like an adult Dorothy skipping down the yellow brick road is puzzling.
It would be too easy to say “The Fantasticks” is fantastic, although it is. This updated version of a timeless musical is a delightful celebration of love with an extremely talented cast and designers. No matter how many times you’ve seen “The Fantasticks,” experiencing the Island City Stage production is like seeing the show through fresh eyes.
Michael Gioia and Rayner Gabriel portray actors in "The Fantasticks".(Photo by Matthew Tippins for Island City Stage)
IF YOU GO
- WHAT: “The Fantasticks” at Island City Stage
- WHEN: 7 p.m., Thursday, 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 5 p.m. Sunday. Through Sunday, Nov. 17
- WHERE: Island City Stage, 2304 Dixie Highway, Wilton Manors
- TICKETS: $43 and $55 plus a $4 processing fee
- INFORMATION: (954) 928-9800 or islandcitystage.org.
