John Davidson in THE FANTASTICKS

[Dollypop]

Okay, the BWW attack dogs get ready:

Here's the link to my article on John Davidson
Davidson article

[Gaveston2]

No attack from this quarter, just surprise that he wants to do an 11-line/non-singing part off-Broadway. He's been touring successfully (just did a return engagement at the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies); maybe he just wants to come in off the road.

[Playbilly]

Leave John alone!

[CATSNYrevival]

Not blaming you, Dolly, but are they seriously pretending like this production of The Fantasticks has been running for 53 years?

[Dollypop]

That's what the PR says. I attended the 50th anniversary bash three years ago.

[Gaveston2]

Is this just stunt casting? I think Davidson still has a following among little old ladies. Do the producers think the blue hairs will follow him downtown?

(Just for the record, I grew up on Davidson LPs. Nothing I say here is an attempt to trash him.)

[Dollypop]

I din't know if it's "stunt casting". I do know that Davidson is really enjoying this little stint in the show and is sincere in his desire to return to it for a longer engagement.

[Jon]

It's not downtown. It's the Snapple Theatre in Times Square.

Henry is only an "eleven line non-singing role" if you call his rather substantial opening monolouge "one line".

[Playbilly]

Who would "stunt" with Davidson? Hardly a drawing name. Aaron Carter was more of a stunt.

[Dollypop]

I honestly think that Davidson is enjoying the transition from matinee idol to character actor. I'll let you know how effective it is when I take my granddaughter to the show next Saturday.

Incidentally, Davidson's next role is Don Quixote in MAN OF LA MANCHA--another character role. I think he'd be great in SHENANDOAH, too.

[uncageg]

I have never seen the show and want to. Davidson would get me in the theater. I had a major crush on him when I was a kid and I am not a little old lady.

[Dollypop]

Same here. I have all of his LP's and I brought them to the interview as sort of an ice breaker.

I remember seeing the Hallmark production of THE FANTASTICKS. The mute, Old Actor and the Indian were cut from that production. The two fathers staged the abduction under El Gallo's direction.

[CarlosAlberto]

dollypop, that was a very well thought out, informative interview.
i also had a crush on John Davidson when I was a kid.
i used to watch happiest millionaire all the time...i wanted to crawl up and hide in one of his dimples he was so gosh darn cute!

[Dollypop]

The dimples are still very evident. Underneath his mop of white hair is a very handsome older man.

Thanks for the kind words about the article.

[Gaveston2]

t's not downtown. It's the Snapple Theatre in Times Square.

Henry is only an "eleven line non-singing role" if you call his rather substantial opening monolouge "one line".

Thanks, Jon. Obviously, I haven't been in New York for awhile.

And it's been even longer since I saw THE FANTASTICKS. When did Henry get an opening monologue? He certainly didn't have one when I played the part in high school.

(BTW, Davidson always had a large fan base among older women who saw him as the Boy Next Door type. His remains the only night club show my mother has ever seen. Again, I wasn't putting him down.)

[peerrjb]

Very nice article. Thanks for posting it. FANTASTICKS really is one of those shows in which almost every musical-theatre-actor has performed, and it's fun to connect with an actor returning in a MUCH older role! I played the "Mute" once with Richard Chamberlain as "El Gallo", John Carradine as "Henry" (and when he announced "The players have arrived", you KNEW it was true!) and Barney Martin as one of the Fathers!! Now to think that Richard is old enough to play "Henry" (though I doubt he would do so) tickles me a lot!!!! Some shows are touchstones in a funny way, and they survive despite whatever people seem to do to them!!!

[Dollypop]

Believe it or not I saw a production of THE FANTASTICKS way back when at the old Plumstead Playhouse in Mineola (Long Island) in which Liza Minnelli played the girl and Elliot Gould was El Gallo!

[CarlosAlberto]

a friend has the poster from the Minnelli/Gould Fantasticks...i believe it played the westport country playhouse

[Dollypop]

Yes, that was the same production. It came to Long Island after Westport.

[Gaveston2]

^^^They used to have the poster up at the Sullivan Street Playhouse.

[CATSNYrevival]

^There's also a picture of it in the 30th anniversary book.

[Gaveston2]

Seriously, would someone be so kind as to explain the "opening monologue" that the Old Actor now has? When was that added to the show and what is the gist of what is said?

I'm very curious. I've never seen a production where Henry and Mortimer appear before the rape scene.

(When I did the show in high school, we performed in a lecture hall with no wings or trap doors. So to make our entrance a surprise, the Mortimer and I had to spend the first 45-minutes in a closed coffin-like box onstage. It was small enough that Mortimer had to lie on top of me for that entire time.

Then when the time came, El Gallo opened the box and we "appeared" as if by magic. And then we repeated the process for Act II. Good times!)

[Dollypop]

My recollections of the monologue are vague even though I've seen THE FANTASTICKS countless times. I'll make note of this when I see the show on Saturday--unless someone else comes to the rescue.

[Gypsy9]

I saw the original production of THE FANTASTICKS at the Sullivan Street Playhouse in the Village in the early 1960's, with the original lead, Jerry Orbach. It was magical.

Dollypop, I enjoyed reading your extensive interview of John Davidson. Re. his appearance in the short lived FOXY, his description of the forever down Bert Lahr is consistent with other accounts I have read. It is a shame that Lahr seemed so insecure since he was such a very funny man. Next to Margaret Hamilton, Bert Lahr was my favorite character in the WIZARD OF OZ. His "If I Were King of the Forest" is priceless. I wish I had seen FOXY so that I could have seen the gorgeous interior of the famed Ziegfeld Theatre on 6th Avenue. That is where the original SHOWBOAT played, produced by the master showman Florenz Ziegfeld.

[Jon]

Henry's monologue (from memory!)

HENRY: Sir, the players have arrived!

EL GALLO: Senor, the players are most welcome!

HENRY: Oh, but do not look at us as we are, sir. Remove ten pounds of road dust from these aged, wrinkled cheeks. See makeup caked in glowing powder pink! and a bead, like the whiskers of a bear. And hair! Imagine hair - in a box I've got all colors. So I beg of you, inagine hair!

And not these clothes, oh no, no no. Not rags like any beggar has. But, imagine me in a doublet. Mortimer, fetch the doublet! It's torn, I know. Forget it. It vanishes under light!

That's it - that's the whole trick! Try to see me under light. I recite! Go on, give me a cue - I'll know it!

EL GALLO: "Friends, Romans, Countrymen..."

HENRY: It's what?

EL GALLO: "Friends, Romans, Countrymen..."

HENRY: Oh yes of course...

"Friends... Romans... Countrymen...

(long pause)

...SCREW!...

....your courage to the sticking place....

...and be not sick and pale with grief...

...that thou, her handmaiden. are far more fair than she...

(long pause)

...is!"

[Wilmingtom]

I respect John's candid thoughts about STATE FAIR. He really was miscast, as were all of the principals except Scott Wise and Ben Wright. It wasn't until I saw a stock production that I could appreciate how well put together that show is. Briggs' book is extremely thoughtful and the extant R&H songs are integrated seamlessly. It all really works beautifully when it's well cast.