BWW Reviews: Florida Rep Casts Magical Spell with FANTASTICKS

Call. Now. Get tickets to the Florida Rep production of "The Fantasticks." You, dear readers, will love the show. The opening night audience cooed in delight and sheer merriment at streamers and confetti and the banging of a drum. The smooth glissando of a harp evokes a garden, washed in lunar rays, the rapid tapping of piano keys the gallop of brigands.

"The Fantasticks" tells of silly fathers who plotted and built a wall between their gardens to make their children fall in love. El Gallo stages an abduction, allowing the boy to rescue the girl. The wall falls as moonlight romances bloom. Under the harsh glare of sunlight, the families bicker; the boy leaves. Only after the children experience the world can true happiness reign.Gorgeous. Evocative. Well-acted. Sung even better. Subtle where it needs to be, over the top in exactly the right spots. The dads, doing an old-school ragtime-ish shuffle. Innovative staging that transforms the ArtStage Studio Theatre into a three-quarter thrust space, with wide aisles for battles, dances and more. Jason Parrish wants the first half to feel like a moonlight fantasy, the second half a twisted nightmare with a wistful, romantic happy ending tacked on. I repeat, you're gonna love it. I'm just too much of a cynic to succumb to the show's magic. I think it appeals to anyone who is a true romantic at heart. Those of us who think with our head instead of our heart recognize the show for the fable it is. Don't step in my kumquats, don't water my magnolias. But if ever a production of "Fantasticks" was to seduce me with moonbeams and mutes and masks and glitter, it would be this one.For starters, Craig Bockhorn, an actor of immense talent and stature, crawls out of a box clad in rags. El Gallo calls for players, these are The Players. All look askance. Kabuki makeup. Flock of Seagulls hair. Miguel Cintron's Mortimer, the saddest sad Indian, at his side, banging a drum. So ridiculous the sight I chuckle just thinking about it two days later. Molly Coyne arrived at Florida Rep for an internship. She wound up as Luisa. A trilling soprano, rosy-apple cheeks and a pert manner see her twirl through Christoper T. Simpson's temple-inspired space. A girlish, flirty manner sees her toy with Jacob January's prep-school clad Matt. If their chemistry feels a tiny bit mechanical, their voices and performances more than make up for it.Coyne simply delights, making up for much of the show's slightly lagging pace (forgive it, it was written many decades ago) with a winsome manner and perky style. January brings a vivid passion and intensity to "I Can See It," turning Matt's second-half number into a powerful, heartfelt showstopper. Brendan Powers can sing! El Gallo brings the experience of life to the romantically inclined teens, while Powers brings style, panache and a smart red cravat the character takes much pleasure in fluffing. His skill as a dramatic actor allows Powers to glide into scenes and find the meaning of the least lines. Pretty. Passionate. Poignant. Perfect for lovers both young and old. It is simply "fantastic." Go for the timeless tunes, stay for the fresh performances, Molly Coyne's enchanting Luisa, Craig Bockhorn's jolly Henry and Jacob January's absolutely first-rate Matt. Chris Silk is the arts writer and theater critic for the Naples Daily News. To read the longer version of this review, go to: http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2013/mar/24/review-florida-rep-the-fantasticks-musical-tickets/

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