TheatreZone Season 6 Opens With Beloved Musical 'The Fantasticks!'

TheatreZone Season 6 Opens with Beloved Musical The Fantasticks

-Mark Danni directs New York's longest running musical celebrated for its breathtaking poetry and theatrical sophistication -

TheatreZone opens its sixth season as a professional equity theater in Naples performing the legendary and beloved musical 'The Fantasticks!,' Dec. 2-12, 2010 in the G&L Theatre.

According to artistic director Mark Danni, the heart of The Fantasticks is its breathtaking poetry and subtle theatrical sophistication. "The Fantasticks is pure and simple, and transcends cultural barriers," explains Danni. "The result is a timeless fable of love that manages to be nostalgic and universal at the same time," he adds.

'The Fantasticks!' premiered at Sullivan Street Playhouse, a small off-Broadway theater in NYC's Greenwich Village in 1960 and closed, 42 years later, on January 13, 2002 after a record-shattering 17,162 performances. It is the world's longest-running musical. Notable actors who appeared in the off-Broadway and touring production throughout its long run included Liza Minnelli, Elliott Gould, Glenn Close, Ricardo Montablan, Kristin Chenoweth, Bert Convy and F. Murray Abraham - playing out its sweet and timeless boy-meets-girl tale.

"The sparse set and semi-circular stage at the G&L Theatre creates an intimate and immediate effect," explains Danni. "The play is highly stylized and combines old-fashioned showmanship, classic musical theatre, and comedy," he adds. With its minimal costumes and small band, 'The Fantasticks!' is an intimate show that engages the audience's imagination and showcases a strong ensemble cast, he continues.

Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt wrote 'The Fantasticks' for a summer theatre production at Barnard College. The moving tale of young lovers who become disillusioned and torn apart by warring families, only to discover a more mature and meaningful love, is punctuated by a series of catchy, memorable songs, most notably the bittersweet song "Try To Remember."

The Fantasticks, sponsored by Moorings Park, opens December 2 and runs 10 performances until December 12, 2010.

TheatreZone's sixth season continues with a distinguished roster of musical plays including No, No Nanette (Jan. 6 - 16); Blood Brothers starring Broadway's Andrea McArdle (March 10 - 20); and Beehive - the 60's Musical! with American Idol's Paige Miles (May 5 - 15).

In 2005, non-profit TheatreZone was born on two concepts: an affinity and nostalgia for the stage, and for the intimacy of live audiences. Co-founders artistic director Mark Danni and his wife, actress/choreographer Karen Molnar shared a vision and a passion to bring equity professional actors, and produce talented and innovative productions of classic "lost treasures of Broadway" and original, commissioned new plays and musicals with an eye towards future Broadway, Off Broadway and regional productions.

Operating under the guidelines of the Actors' Equity Association (AEA) and small professional theatres contracts, TheatreZone is in residence and performs in the intimate 250-seat G&L Theatre housed on the magnificent campus of The Community School of Naples, one block north of Pine Ridge Road at 13275 Livingston Road.

Complete season tickets (four shows) range from $172 - $192 and individual seats cost $43 - $48 plus a $2 per ticket fee. A mini series (3 shows) and group rates are also available. For more information, to purchase tickets or make a donation, visit the TheatreZone Box Office or call -888-ZONE-FLA, 888-966-3352 or order online at: www.theatrezone-florida.com.

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