BWW Reviews: THE FANTASTICKS at Boiler Room Theatre

Director Sondra Morton and musical director Jamey Green have crafted a sweetly winning revival of The Fantasticks that is, by turns, romantic, funny and moving - everything you want this timeless theatre classic to be - and featuring an exceptionally capable cast led by the gifted Ciaran McCarthy and Laura Thomas Sonn as the star-crossed lovers and the immensely talented Will Sevier as El Gallo.

McCarthy's boyishly appealing Matt, Sonn's winsomely beguiling Luisa and Sevier's beautifully sung El Gallo are, clearly, the lynchpins that guarantee audiences will respond favorably to the show, and they are given ample support from a gifted veteran cast assembled by Morton. Morton's direction is sure-handed and confident, with her obvious care and genuine affection for the piece apparent throughout the quickly moving production. Coupled with Green's exquisite musical direction and the accompaniment of his three-person band which ensures that the actors have the requisite musical underpinnings for their performances, The Fantasticks lends further credence to Boiler Room's ever-expanding reputation as a thoroughly professional theatrical venue in a city where musical theatre truly shines.

Now celebrating its 50^th year as an American stage classic, The Fantasticks features book and lyrics by Tom Jones and music by Harvey Schmidt, based on Les Romanesques by Edmond Rostand, and Morton's vision for the work displays clearly her reverence for the show's heritage. You won't necessarily find innovation in her staging, but what you will find is an extraordinarily sung and acted evening of theatre that succeeds despite the perceived creakiness, if you will, of the script. In fact, that perception will be challenged by the performances onstage and Morton's attention to detail.

McCarthy's performance displays his extraordinary range, particularly in light of his earlier performance as Judas in Boiler Room's Jesus Christ Superstar. His Matt is boyishly charming and innocently guileless and McCarthy's control of his voice allows him to add color and shading to all of his songs, particularly in "I Can See It" and his lovely duets with Sonn in "Soon It's Going to Rain" and "Metaphor." But for me, at least, the pair's "They Were You" is the highlight of the show's musical program; never have I heard it sung more hauntingly or with more meaning. If it doesn't have an emotional impact on you, coming as it does at the end of Matt's wayward journey, you probably have a heart of stone. The blonde and beautiful Sonn is ideally cast as Luisa, giving her character the right mix of girlish naivete and wonder at the world outside her own small environs. Her voice is crystal clear and her performance is made all the more compelling because of it...again, her duets with McCarthy are effectively presented. Sevier plays El Gallo with confidence, performing the show's best-known song - "Try to Remember" - an exquiste interpretation. He addresses his role coolly, giving a rather gentle and heartfelt portrayal of Luisa's fantasy man come to life.

Lane Wright, as Luisa's father Bellomy, and Dan Ziegler, as Matt's father Hucklebee, are good comic foils for each other and add some lively work to the more delicately balanced work of McCarthy and Sonn. Wright's never been better as the towering button-store owner and Ziegler is delightful as the sailor home from the sea. The pair's "Never Say No" is a comic romp, with special notice given to Lauri Gregoire (cast as The Mute) for her clever interactions with the two men.

The Act Two opening - "This Plum is Too Ripe" - allows Wright and Ziegler to show their prowess alongside their younger co-stars to great effect and to the obvious delight of the audience.

Completing the cast list are Phil Perry as Henry, the aging actor who very nearly destroys Anthony Popolo's scenery with his spirited chewing - this may be the perfect role to showcase Perry's abilities and to encapsulate his own theatrical career to date. Young John Davidson, as Mortimer, "The Man Who Dies," matches Perry's over-the-top performance with his own multi-layered portrayal.

- The Fantasticks. Book and lyrics by Tom Jones. Music by Harvey Schmidt. Directed by Sondra Morton. Musical direction by Jamey Green. Presented by Boiler Room Theatre, Franklin. Through April 17. For tickets, call the box office at (615) 794-7744, or visit the company's website at www.boilerroomtheatre.com

Laura Thomas Sonn, Ciaran McCarthy, Lane Wright and Dan Ziegler in The Fantasticks at Boiler Room Theatre

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