The Fantasticks
Dames At Sea
The Man With A Load Of Mischief
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change
I Do, I Do
Jacques Brel Is Alive And Well And Living In Paris
The Last Five Years
Celebration


Edited by edh915 - 11/28/11 at 10:43am

The Taffetas is only 4 gals.  It doesn't measure up to Forever Plaid, but if the gals sing well (and you've got a good director) then the song list will bring in a lot of the older theatre crowd ... which in most cases does well at the box office.

Grand Night For Singing has 3 f / 2 m and the music is wonderful.  There is no speaking but the show really has a nice flow to it.

My Way is a tribute to Frank Sinatra with two guys and two gals.

Dames at Sea was mentioned earlier ... very fun show.

A recent "Fantasticks" that I saw had lyrics pertaining to a "raid", rather than a "rape".  It was my understanding that the song had been re-written by the original authors in order to be more politically correct.  So I don't think that particular number would be an issue.

It's a magical show about young love and lost innocence; but if it's played too arch or coy by the actors or the director, it's turns downright irritating.  It's one of my favorites, but it can be a minefield in all but the most competent of hands.  I highly recommend it, but don't let it get too "cute".  You'll wreck it.  And Mr. McCall is absolutely correct.  Keep it simple, simple, simple.  That's part of its charm.

By the way - you'll have great built-in advertising.  "The Fantasticks" is the longest running off-Broadway show in history.  The original production ran for 42 continuous years (17,162 performances).


Edited by edh915 - 11/27/11 at 5:19pm

Perhaps we should explain the whole "rape" situation.  Within the context of the show, it isn't harsh and ugly, like a true rape would obviously be.  You see, the story concerns two fathers, next door neighbors, who have always cherished the thought that their two children - one boy and one girl - will grow up, get married, and live happily ever after.  In order to achieve that goal, they build a wall between the two houses and forbid the kids to see each other - because once you tell a child "no" it's almost certain that they'll disobey you.

As the play opens, the time is ripe for the next stage of the romance.  The fathers hire an adventurer, El Gallo, to kidnap the girl so the boy can rescue her and then a happy ending won't be far behind.  In discussing the abduction, El Gallo refers to it as a rape ("The proper word is rape, short and business like").  He then goes into an upbeat song about the different abduction/rapes the fathers can get depending on how much they're willing to pay.

"You can get the rape ecstatic,
You can get the rape polite.
You can get the rape with Indians,
A very charming sight.
You can get the rape on horseback.
They all say it's distingue.
So you see the sort of rape depends on what you pay.
It depends on what you pay.
- - -
The Gothic rape,
I play Valkyrie on a bass bassoon.
The drunken rape,
It's done completely in a cheap saloon.
- - -
The rape Venetian
Needs a blue lagooon.
The rape with moonlight
Or without a moon.
- - -
The military rape,
It's done with drummers and a band!"

(My apologies.  I don't remember all of the lyrics.)

The abduction is successful.  The boy rescues the girl and they all live happily ever after.

What makes the show remarkable is: this all happens by the end of the first act.  The brilliance of "The Fantasticks" is that it carries the couple beyond "happily ever after."  There are life lessons to be learned.  All is not sunshine and roses.  And a little bit of sadness hides behind most of the happiness in the world.  The couple splits up.  They each encounter sorrow and pain.  Then they find their way back to each other - where they may not be safe from sorrow, but where they will be able to comfort each other if sorrow comes to either of them.

Four songs from the show became moderate hits in the 1960's.  Ed Ames recorded "Try to Remember", and Barbra Streisand recorded three songs" "Soon It's Gonna Rain", "Much More", and "I Can See It".

Check out YouTube.  You'll see some clips from the show (both good and bad, so you'll be able to see what to avoid).  And if you don't do it this time, I hope you do it "some time" because it is a life-changing show when it's done well.


Edited by edh915 - 11/28/11 at 11:55am

All of your comments hold true about the possible offense of the term "rape" except for one crucial note.  If you look at a definition of the word an older meaning of the word "rape" means "abduction" which is exactly what the scene and song is about. As an analogy, to make my point clearer how about the word "gay." It once meant to be "happy" and now has a different more dominant meaning. The Gay 90's has nothing to do with sexual orientation and the song "It Depends On What You Pay" and The Rape Ballet have nothing to do with a sexual attack. The majority of audiences should understand that especialy due to the comic approach and the words of El Gallo.  

Edited by Oberon - 11/29/11 at 11:47am