A Lesson From the Longest-Running Musical in the World
The Fantasticks, has a small cast, few props and simple staging. The premise is equally spare: Two neighboring fathers who want their children to fall in love build a wall between their properties and pretend to feud. Everything follows from that. In spite of the lack of special effects and grand scenes, it is the longest-running musical in history. When it premiered in 1960 Dwight Eisenhower was President; the New York off-Broadway original production closed in 2002. Touring companies and regional theaters have performed it from that point to the present. The Fantasticks celebrated its fifty-fifth anniversary in a revival in an off-Broadway theater. The music is wonderful. The direction and acting don’t get swallowed whole by spectacle. But in addition to that, there is something that resonates with every fiber of our being about trying to communicate and running into obstacles.
Despite words, facial expressions, tone of voice and physical movement, I cannot convey to you exactly what mean when I say, “I love you.” I don’t do any better when I speak of a less emotional topic such as, “The mail hasn’t come yet.” Sometimes I say one thing and mean something else entirely. And you sometimes say nothing at all, but you intend your silence to express your meaning.
So you are there on your side of the wall with your unique history, point of view and desires. I am here on my side of the wall with my completely different history, experiences and expectations. What should we each throw over the wall to the other person? There is a double-your-money-back guarantee that if we throw rocks over we get rocks back. Hurtful language, misdirected anger and insults result in receiving similar missiles in response. Throwing flowers does not have an ironclad guarantee that blossoms will be immediately returned, but if we want daises and daffodils our best bet is to toss sunflowers and begonias.
Are there other things we can learn from unexpected sources?
Warren,
ReplyDeleteI do agree that there is much to learn from artistic work that endures and analyzing the reasons why they do so.
I really love this blog. You have made me want to search out this play! Thanks so much.
ReplyDeleteI saw the Fantasticks off-Broadway in the early 70s. My favorite character was the wall, and the thing I recall was how such a spare set allowed each member of the audience to fill in individual details from their experience. Such a vast difference from (say) 19th century novels with their overly-long passages of description.
ReplyDelete~ Jim
Opportunities to learn are all around us, if we will open our minds & hearts (and not be too afraid of getting rocks back when we toss flowers.)
ReplyDeleteI've never seen this play, but I often go to summer stock productions, and I will keep an eye out for it.
I saw this play when I was in high school, and loved it then. Now I'm a grandmother, and I still love it. The story and the music are a perfect marriage.
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