THE FANTASTICKS Closes South Coast Rep's 2012-13 Season, Now thru 6/9

A charming love story, magical illusions and memorable music will bring South Coast Repertory's 2012-13 season to a close with the world's longest-running musical, The Fantasticks by Tom Jones, book and lyrics, and Harvey Schmidt, music. Performances on the Segerstrom Stage run tonight, May 10-June 9.

Director Amanda Dehnert, known for re-imagining the classics throughout the American theatre, sets this time-honored musical in an abandoned amusement park and adds a multitude of fantastical illusions and magic-designed by world-renowned illusionist Jim Steinmeyer-while keeping the story's original charm.

"Amanda's production of The Fantasticks plays up the magical quality of the musical, including the magic of love," said SCR's Artistic Director Marc Masterson. "She has taken something that we've known, seen and heard for years and polished it in a way that helps us see The Fantasticks with fresh eyes. In fact, it's fantastic."

The Fantasticks originally appeared as a one-act musical at Barnard College in 1959. The fully developed two-act version began its off-Broadway run in May 1960 at the Sullivan Street Playhouse, where it ran for a record-breaking 42 years until January 2002. The Fantasticks is the only off-Broadway show to receive a Tony Award honor for Excellence in Theater.

The SCR cast includes Anthony Carillo, Nate Dendy, Richard Doyle, Hal Landon Jr., Addi McDaniel, Gregory North, Perry Ojeda and Scott Waara.

The design and creative team includes Dennis Castellano, musical direction; Eugene Lee, scenic design; Jessica Ford, costume design; Lap Chi Chu, lighting design; Cricket S. Myers, sound design; ShaRon Jenkins, choreography; Jim Steinmeyer, illusion designer,; Joshua Marchesi, production manager; and Jennifer Ellen Butler, stage manager. ShaRon Jenkins.

Tickets start at $23. Discounts are available for full-time students, patrons 25 years of age and under, fulltime educators, seniors and groups of 10 or more. Tickets may be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or by visiting the box office at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa. Performances run May 10 through June 9. Ticket prices start at $23.

Performance Dates, Times:

· Previews:

o Friday, May 10, at 8 p.m.

o Saturday, May 11, at 8 p.m.

o Sunday, May 12, at 7:30 p.m.

o Tuesday and Wednesday, May 14-15, at 7:30 p.m.

o Thursday, May 16, at 8 p.m.

Note: Friday, May17, is an invitation-only performance

· Regular performances:

Note: There are no Monday performances.

o Evening Performances:

o Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, May 19, 21-22; May 26, 28-29; and June 2, 4-5, at 7:30 p.m. Note: There is no evening performance on Sunday, June 9.

o Thursdays-Saturdays, May 18; May 23-25; May 30-June 1; and June 6-8, at 8 p.m.

o Matinees: Saturdays-Sundays, May 18-19; May 25-26; June 1-2; and June 8-9, at 2:30 p.m.

· ASL-interpreted: Saturday, June 8, at 2:30 p.m.

Special Events:

· Post-Show Discussions: Wednesday, May 22, and Tuesday, May 28. Discuss the play with cast members of the The Fantasticks during free post-show discussions led by South Coast Repertory's literary team. Segerstrom Stage.

· Inside the Season: Saturday, June 8, from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Led by members of SCR's literary staff, this lively two-hour session features in-depth interviews with cast members and artists from SCR's production staff, revealing secrets and offering insights into SCR's production of The Fantasticks. The event includes a guided tour of the set. Segerstrom Stage. Tickets are $12 and may be purchased in advance or at the door.

Location: South Coast Repertory is located at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, at the Bristol Street/Avenue of the Arts exit off the San Diego (405) Freeway in the Folino Theatre Center, part of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Parking is available on Park Center Drive, off Anton Blvd.

Upcoming Productions: Theatre for Young Audiences series finale production of The Night Fairy adapted by John Glore from Laura Amy Schlitz's book (May 24-June 9). More information is available online: www.scr.org.

Tony Award-winning South Coast Repertory, founded in 1964 by David Emmes and Martin Benson and now under the leadership of Artistic Director Marc Masterson and Managing Director Paula Tomei, is widely recognized as one of the leading professional theatres in the United States. SCR is committed to theatre that illuminates the compelling personal and social issues of our time, not only on its stages but through its wide array of education and outreach programs. While its productions represent a balance of classic and modern theatre, SCR is renowned for its extensive new-play development program, which includes the nation's largest commissioning program for emerging and established writers and composers. Each year, it showcases some of country's best new plays in the Pacific Playwrights Festival, which attracts theatre professionals from across the country. Of SCR's more than 460 productions, one-quarter have been world premieres, whose subsequent stagings achieved enormous success throughout America and around the world. Two SCR-developed works have won Pulitzer Prizes, and another eight were named Pulitzer finalists. In addition, SCR works have won several Obie Awards and scores of major new-play awards. Located in Costa Mesa, California, SCR's Folino Theatre Center is home to the 507-seat Segerstrom Stage, the 336-seat Julianne Argyros Stage and the 94-seat Nicholas Studio. Today, SCR produces 13 shows and eight public readings each season. More information is available at www.scr.org.