Tri-Cities Opera Brings 2022 Inclusive Revision of THE FANTASTICKS to the Stage

Tri-Cities Opera will bring the revival of a beloved love story to the Tri-Cities Opera Center this February. Audiences are invited to join one of THREE upcoming performances of The Fantasticks. Tickets can now be purchased at the button below for two evening performances--Friday, February 9th and Saturday, February 10th-or a matinee performance on Sunday, February 11th.

The Fantasticks was originally created in 1960. The metaphorical story, loosely based on the 1894 play The Romancers (Les Romanesques), follows two neighboring parents who trick their children into falling in love by pretending to feud. The original production closed in 2002. In 2022, The Fantasticks returned as a LGBTQIA+ focused rewrite featuring two young gay men, Matt and Lewis. Despite the reimagination, the message remains unchanged in the classic love story. Matt and Lewis lead the audience through a narrative that focuses on the complexity of life and love. While both are full of obstacles, they show that it is possible for people to persevere and find their way. The rewritten version brings purposeful representation to the TCO stage.

The two-hour production has one intermission and is performed in English. The Fantasticks book and lyrics were written by Tom Jones, and features music composed by Harvey Schmidt.

About Tri-Cities Opera:

Tri-Cities Opera, established in 1949, has been an integral part of the arts and cultural fabric of the Southern Tier for 74 years. TCO blends tradition with innovation to enrich, enhance, educate, and engage our community through opera and the power of live musical storytelling. Tri-Cities Opera is collaborative, civic-minded, and values inclusivity - demonstrating its commitment to foster a vibrant community through investing in world-class artists and performers, stunning productions, and enriching education programs. TCO harnesses creativity and technology to introduce opera to new audiences while keeping longtime opera lovers engaged. Tri-Cities Opera is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. Productions are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature. General Operating support is provided to Tri-Cities Opera by grants from the Conrad and Virginia Klee Foundation, the United Cultural Fund of the Broome County Arts Council, and the Harriet Ford Dickenson Fund of the Community Foundation for South Central New York. For more information on tickets, upcoming events, and ways to support the arts, visit tricitiesopera.com.