Interview: Sophie Pollono and Rhett Hemingway of THE FANTASTICKS

There are many reasons why original 1960 off-Broadway production of The Fantasticks with book and lyrics by Tom Jones and music by Harvey Schmidt ran 17,162 performances over 42 years, making it the world's longest-running musical. This tale of young love, growing pains, and the bittersweet beauty of life, with its most well-known song, "Try to Remember,” speaks to everyone wanting to go back to a simpler time when things were much more romantic and totally carefree – and even though it’s impossible to go back in time, we all still wish we could. 

Rhett Hemingway, Sophie Pollono

Opening on July 18, directed by Elina de Santos at Ruskin Group Theatre in Santa Monica, I decided to speak with the production’s leads Luisa and Matt, Sophie Pollono and Rhett Hemingway, about their journey to join the cast, their past experience with the musical, and their feelings about taking the story from the dreamy moonlight into the harsh reality of the Sun.

Thanks for speaking with me today, Sophie and Rhett. First, I want to find out more about your theatre history in Los Angeles. Sophie, I know you are an active member at Rogue Machine and Pacific Resident Theatre, but are you a Los Angeles native? And if not, what made you decide to move here?

Sophie: Rogue Machine raised me, I was born and raised in Los Angeles and my parents are founding members. I spent my childhood painting sets and working concessions, and I did so many wacky wonderful shows with PRT (most that went way over my head at the time). LA theater is where I began, and since I have been studying at Carnegie Mellon school of drama across the country this feels like a homecoming.

Same question for you Rhett about being a native or why you moved here.

Rhett: I was born and raised in Burbank California and grew up watching the Show Choir and Musicals that would be put up at my local John Burroughs High School. This kicked off my fascination with music, and theatre from a young age. My Mom and Dad always took me along with them to any shows they could see and exposed me to the arts from a very young age. They encouraged me to pursue any career that drew me, eventually supporting me and my collegiate pursuit for a BFA in Musical Theatre at the University of Michigan. 

Sophie Pollono, Raven Scott

Had the two of you met before being partnered in this production of The Fantasticks? If so, when and where?

Sophie: Yeah, we know each other a bit. We’ve been dating for almost 4 years. We met in high school as part of the spotlight music program and became close friends. We eventually began to date and performed together a bunch in high school. Getting to be on stage together again is so rare and so special. I love singing and acting with the person I love every night… in one of the most romantic shows there is. In a lot of ways, Matt and Luisa’s journey mirrors our own. 

Rhett: Sophie has always been a remarkably special performer and woman, and I’ve known that from the moment I met her. We started to date during our school’s production of Into the Woods, playing Cinderella, and Cinderella’s Prince, while also portraying the evil romantic duo of Sander Cohen and Dr Tenenbaum in our John Burroughs Show Choir “Powerhouse’s” adaptation of the video game Bioshock, so performance has always been big for us. However being at separate Musical Theatre Programs has made that challenging for the past three years making us cherish this process at the Ruskin all the more. 

Michael Redfield, John Wuchte, Raven Scott

What do you remember about seeing The Fantasticks for the first time?

Sophie: To be totally honest, I have never had the privilege of seeing the show on stage. The original soundtrack is something I have always loved, and this is one of Rhett’s favorite shows so I would say he truly is the person who introduced me to it. I love Sondheim, and this show is a clear amalgamation and inspiration of all the golden age musical movies I grew up watching and the complete absurdity of high concept musical theater, both dramatically and musically. It’s a gold mine for a singer, with both Jones and Schmidt’s writing being revolutionary. I will say, as an actor it’s been nice that I haven’t seen the show elsewhere because I don’t have anything to compare myself to and impede from whatever my most authentic Luisa is.

Rhett: Fantasticks has been a huge show for me my entire life. My dad always talked so highly of the show and the various productions Off-Broadway he had been lucky enough to see and cultivated my appreciation for the score and characters for as long as I’ve known Musical Theatre. When I was a young kid I loved theatre, but around my pre-teen years I started backing off and reconsidering whether or not it was a true passion of mine. In one weekend in 2016 I saw two of my favorite shows of all time, which re-ignited my love for the art, and convinced me to pursue it as a career with two new dream roles. Those shows were “A Gentlemen’s Guide to Love and Murder” at the Ahmanson, and “The Fantasticks” at The Pasadena Playhouse.

Have either of you been in a production of it before this one?

Sophie: Sophie: nope! I wish!

Rhett: No! I’m thrilled to be in it for the first time with such a wonderful cast and crew.

Rhett Hemingway, Sophie Pollono

Have you worked with Elina de Santos before? On what show and where?

Sophie: This is my first time collaborating with Elina as an artist. However, as a child I spent many hours coloring in the audience during rehearsals, watching her direct actors at Rogue. I specifically remember her production at Rogue Machine of “Dirty Filthy Love Story” by Rob Mersola. The stage was covered in trash because it took place in the home of a hoarder. It was amazing to watch my mom, Jennifer Pollono, and her friend and fellow actor Josh Bitton have the time of their lives acting out such complex characters, and these are the moments that encouraged and taught me to be the actress I am now. 

Rhett: I hadn’t met Elina until this year, but it has been a thrill to work with her on this fundamental and special show.

Kiel Kennedy, Danny Bernardo, Michael D. Cohen, Sophie Pollono

Why do you think the story has appealed to so many people for such a long time?

Sophie: Because the story is timeless! It’s a dark time and we are asking people to take a second from their busy lives and look at the world through the eyes of their younger self. Due to the show’s immersive relationship with the audience, we celebrate the ephemerality of live theater in a space together. This reminds the audience that vulnerability and love is a strength and not something we have to lose as we become adults. 

Rhett: It never fails to blow my mind that this work which feels so personal, rebellious, and youthful, was written in such a different era from now. However the ideas, themes, and even specific verbal responses kids will use against their parents have remained exactly the same today. And it goes without saying these are some wonderful songs.

How would you describe your character to someone who has never seen the play?

Sophie: A cockatoo who wants to be a swan, Audrey Hepburn on speed.

Rhett: A scientist with the heart of a poet. Who every young boy is when they want to be a hero.

Rhett Hemingway, Kiel Kennedy, Danny Bernardo, Michael D. Cohen, Raven Scott, and Sophie Pollono

If you could change one thing about Luisa and Matt, what would that be?

Sophie: I would tell Luisa she doesn’t need a bandit to feel better, and that maybe she should take her wonderful melodrama to the city and be an actress!

Rhett: I would make sure Matt knows the importance of love is not about yourself but is about caring for and loving your partner. It would have saved him a lot of hardship!

Director Elina de Santos has expressed her desire to update the production for 21st Century audiences. In what ways has she done that for the play, its themes, or more specially, your character?

Sophie: Elina and I have worked really hard to give Luisa as much agency in this production as possible. I also, as an actor try to never play her for cheap laughs, I want her to be a very grounded person first.

Rhett: I believe this is a show that exists in any and all time periods and stays modern no matter where you take it. Here in 2025, I believe we try to approach it with reality towards these situations as dearly as we can.

Raven Scott, Michael D Cohen

What aspects of the story and/or characters feel the most familiar with your own life.

Sophie: Quite a bit of it. I feel like as a child I was a Luisa. A bit lonely, romanticizing every flower and tree, and yearning for a glamorous dream world, she has big plans but just isn’t exactly sure how to achieve them yet. The way Matt grounds her is something I feel Rhett did for me.

Rhett: I feel as though Matt’s inclination towards love and romanticism without truly understanding the weight of it from a young age is something I can relate to, and something that caused issues for myself as a kid like it did to him. Finding a woman who cares for me unselfishly and in a true, insightful way, and loving her back as selflessly is something Matt and myself have both had pretty great luck with.

Of all the other characters in the play, which would you prefer to portray other than Luisa and Matt? Why?

Sophie: I’d want to play the mute! What a fun challenge, a true clown!

Rhett: I feel like it would be plenty of fun to take on the role of Henry one day!

What do you hope audiences walk away talking about after seeing the Ruskin Group production?

Sophie: I hope they walk away feeling humanity. It’s a dark time, and this show is about trying to be a good person in a cruel unforgiving world. I want people to feel compelled to wear their heart on their sleeve, I want a couple to hold hands and say “I love you” as they walk out.

Rhett: I would want an audience to walk away and understand themselves and either who they were in their youth a little more, or with a better idea of what the future may have in store for them depending on what age they are at when walking into the production.

Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself or the production?

Sophie: This show’s team is a family affair. It is a village of people who have all created a community over the years and now we just get to be weirdos and play together. I think that heart and soul shows. Also, The Fantasticks in a 53-seat theater is something unmissable, the audience is as much a part of the show as we are.

Rhett: I just want to thank the entire crew for their tireless hard work. It has been such a wonderful working community to be a part of these past few weeks, and I can’t wait to see how we evolve as the show goes on!

Thanks so much!

The Fantasticks opens at 8pm on Friday, July 18 and runs at 8pm on Fridays, Saturdays; 2pm Sundays through August 24, 2025 at Ruskin Group Theatre located at 3000 Airport Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90405. Tickets are $45 (student/senior discounts $30 and groups 10+ $33) and can be purchased in advance at www.ruskingrouptheatre.com or by calling (310) 397-3244. Free onsite parking available. 

The full cast includes: 
Michael D. Cohen as Bellomy 
Danny Bernardo as Narrator/El Gallo 
Rhett Hemingway as Matt - the boy 
Kiel Kennedy as Hucklebee 
Sophie Pollono as Luisa - the girl 
Michael Redfield as Mortimer 
Raven Scott as Mute 
John Wuchte as Henry 

Photos by Andy DePung