Michael Nostrand News

Tonight the theater community will kick off The Fantasticks 50th anniversary year with an early curtain of the show (7PM) and a post-performance cocktail reception at The Snapple Center with performances by Daphne Rubin-Vega (Rent, Anna in the Tropics, Jack Goes Boating), Rita Gardner (original 1960 production of The Fantasticks, The Cradle Will Rock, The Wedding Singer), Orfeh (Legally Blonde, Footloose), Aaron Lazar (The Light in the Piazza, A Tale of Two Cities, Les Miserables), GrooveLily (Striking 12) and Jill Paice (Curtains, The Woman in White). In addition, The Office of New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg will offer a special proclamation declaring Fantasticks Day in New York City.

The Fantasticks, the world's longest-running musical, will kick off its 50th Anniversary Year with a two-day celebration featuring a reunion of 50 years' worth of cast members and performances by some of the theater industry's biggest names.

The Fantasticks, the world's longest-running musical, will kick off its 50th Anniversary Year with a two-day celebration featuring a reunion of 50 years' worth of cast members and performances by some of the theater industry's biggest names.

Bradley Dean, Jonathan Schwartz, Ramona Mallory and Douglas Ullman, Jr. will join the Off Broadway cast of The Fantasticks as El Gallo, Matt, Luisa and The Mute, respectively, beginning Monday, March 30, 2009.

Bradley Dean, Jonathan Schwartz, Ramona Mallory and Douglas Ullman, Jr. will join the Off Broadway cast of The Fantasticks as El Gallo, Matt, Luisa and The Mute, respectively, beginning Monday, March 30, 2009.

The Fantasticks, 'the most child-friendly show currently playing in the theater district' (Terry Teachout, Arts Journal), invites kids to see the show for free at select weekend performances throughout February. Children age 16 and under will receive a free ticket and a free Fantasticks CD sampler with each paying adult for performances on Saturdays at 2 PM and Sundays at 3 PM and 7:15 PM. The Fantasticks plays at The Snapple Theater Center, 210 West 50th Street at Broadway. To take advantage of the offer, call the box office at (212) 921-7862 or Ticketmaster.com at (212) 307-4100 and use the code KIDS09. Tickets must be purchased by Monday, February 23.

The Fantasticks, the longest-running musical in the world, will present a free lunchtime concert at Borders Columbus Circle on Wednesday, January 28, 2009. The concert, which begins at Noon, will feature cast members Scott Willis (Broadway's Crazy for You and 42nd Street), Betsy Morgan (Broadway's The Little Mermaid) and recent Amazing Race winner Nick Spangler singing selections from the show. Following the concert, the performers will conduct a book and CD signing. Borders is located within The Shops at Columbus Circle at 10 Columbus Circle. The concert will take place on the 2nd floor. For more information call (212) 823-9775. The Fantasticks is a captivating and simple romantic comedy about a boy and girl who fall in and out of love at the hands of their meddling fathers. The audience uses its imagination to follow the narrator, El Gallo, as he creates a world of moonlight and magic until the boy and girl find their way back to one other. The score, which includes the hit songs 'Try To Remember,' 'They Were You' and 'Soon It's Gonna Rain,' is as timeless as the story itself. Having played a record-breaking 17,162 performances in its original run at the Sullivan Street Playhouse in Greenwich Village, The Fantasticks is now playing in the heart of Times Square at The Snapple Theater Center, located at 210 West 50th Street at Broadway.

Betsy Morgan, who recently performed the role of Ariel in Broadway's The Little Mermaid, will joins the cast of the Off Broadway revival of The Fantasticks as Luisa tonight Monday, December 22, 2008. She replaces Margaret Anne Florence, who played her final performance on Wednesday, December 17.

When a writer has done the number of celebrity interviews that I have, he realizes that there are a handful of celebrities he would never want to meet again. Most, however, are genuinely nice people and enjoyable to work with. There are others who become friends-true and genuine friends. Such is the relationship that has developed between me and Nick Spangler who is currently starring as Matt in the lovely revival of The Fantasticks which is enjoying a healthy run Off Broadway.

Betsy Morgan, who recently performed the role of Ariel in Broadway's The Little Mermaid, will join the cast of the Off Broadway revival of The Fantasticks as Luisa on Monday, December 22, 2008. She replaces Margaret Anne Florence, who will play her final performance on Wednesday, December 17.

Nick Spangler, who appears as Matt in the Off Broadway revival of The Fantasticks, has won the 13th season of The Amazing Race.

Nick Spangler, currently appearing as Matt in the Off Broadway revival of The Fantasticks, will compete in the season finale of The Amazing Race airing tonight Sunday, December 7, 2008. After nine weeks of competition that has brought him to such diverse destinations as Cambodia, Bolivia, India and Kazakhstan, Spangler will be awarded the series' million dollar prize if he is first to cross the finish line in Portland, Oregon during tonights's episode, which airs at 8PM ET on CBS.

Nick Spangler, currently appearing as Matt in the Off Broadway revival of The Fantasticks, will compete in the season finale of The Amazing Race airing this Sunday, December 7, 2008. After nine weeks of competition that has brought him to such diverse destinations as Cambodia, Bolivia, India and Kazakhstan, Spangler will be awarded the series' million dollar prize if he is first to cross the finish line in Portland, Oregon during Sunday's episode, which airs at 8PM ET on CBS.

On Sunday, December 7, 2008 The Fantasticks will present Grandparents Day, a daylong celebration of the show?s enduring legacy during which children will be admitted free with each paying grandparent. In addition, all children and grandparents will be invited to a private meet-and-greet after the show with members of the cast of the longest running musical in the world. The offer is valid for both the 3PM and 7:15PM performances.

Nick Spangler, currently appearing as Matt in the Off Broadway revival of The Fantasticks, set a new record on The Amazing Race last night when he and his sister, Starr, ate a dish of Kazakhstanian sheep's buttocks and won their fourth challenge in a row - a first in the 13-season history of the Emmy Award-winning reality competition.

Tony Award winner and Emmy Award winner Tyne Daly stopped by to catch a matinee performance of The Fantasticks, after the show she went backstage to greet the cast. BroadwayWorld's cameras caught the fun as the cast met the acting icon.

Nick Spangler currently starring as Matt in the Off Broadway revival of The Fantasticks, will be a contestant on the latest edition of The Amazing Race. Spangler will compete against the other 'Amazing Racers' with his sister and teammate, Starr Spangler, a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. Starting at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the 13th season of the Emmy-winning reality competition will follow the teams as they travel over 30,000 miles in 23 days to countries such as Brazil, Bolivia, Russia, India and Kazakhstan.

Nick Spangler, currently starring as Matt in the Off Broadway revival of The Fantasticks, will be a contestant on the latest edition of The Amazing Race.

Nick Spangler, currently starring as Matt in the Off Broadway revival of The Fantasticks, will be a contestant on the latest edition of The Amazing Race.

Nick Spangler currently starring as Matt in the Off Broadway revival of The Fantasticks, will be a contestant on the latest edition of The Amazing Race. Spangler will compete against the other 'Amazing Racers' with his sister and teammate, Starr Spangler, a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. Starting at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the 13th season of the Emmy-winning reality competition will follow the teams as they travel over 30,000 miles in 23 days to countries such as Brazil, Bolivia, Russia, India and Kazakhstan.