“Stunt casting” can sometimes cause skepticism, especially when television celebrities are cast in live theater as a publicity stunt to sell more tickets. Usually the result is a poorly cast show, with actors ill-suited for their roles.
However, Reprise Theatre Company’s production of “The Fantasticks,” starring Eric McCormack (“Will and Grace”) and Lucas Grabeel (the “High School Musical” franchise) prove that stunt casting can sometimes result in a surprisingly well-performed show.
The actors in “The Fantasticks” are, well, fantastic, though some of the artistic decisions were badly made.
“The Fantasticks” is about a boy and the girl who’s literally next door, who fall in love despite their quarrelsome parents.
The twist is that their parents are pretending to feud in hopes that the two will marry. To end the “feud,” they hire a man to stage an “abduction” of the girl so the boy can be the romantic hero.
Those who have seen the show before will appreciate the comedic bits in this production and will note the switch of the boy’s father into a mother.
Eileen T’Kaye does a good job at the role, initially written for a man. While this change works in general, the decision to have her kiss the girl’s father is nothing more than a cheap laugh, which is not supported whatsoever by the plot.
Another unusual decision was for the mute, who silently narrates, to be played by a woman. Although Kimberly Mikesell (the mute) is a beautiful dancer and displays strong comedic timing, the love interest added between the mute and the abductor, El Gallo, seems completely forced.
“The Fantasticks” is the world’s longest-running musical, so clearly the show did something right. Why try to fix something that isn’t broken?
Similarly, the set lacks the traditional minimalist feeling.
At one point, El Gallo says, “Try to see it not with your eyes … but with your ears.” Usually, this line serves as a metaphor for the show, which is traditionally done without a set or flashy lighting.
Instead, they added in magic tricks and a plethora of props and utilized lighting on white drapery to give the audience a stronger sense of scenery.
While original, the flashiness takes away some of the simple charm of the musical.
Despite these interesting artistic choices, the show is enjoyable because of the talented cast and the well-executed choreography.
Grabeel, who plays the boy, is astonishingly good at the role. His voice is as pleasant, if not better, than in “High School Musical” and his acting is believable as he embodies the role well. Grabeel is a joy to watch.
The girl, played by Alison Woods, dances and acts superbly. However, her voice is occasionally under pitch with a bright tone, which is probably her attempt to sound like a 16-year-old but has caused her to sound, particularly on high notes, like a teenager whose vocal training is incomplete.
The show’s standout is McCormack, who plays El Gallo. Who knew “Will” could sing? McCormack tackles the challenging role brilliantly, displaying a manly and seductive quality shocking to those who are used to him as gay Will.
With an unexpectedly rich baritone voice, he commands the audience’s attention, which is the sign of a truly talented stage actor.
With a voice that good, McCormack should do more musicals.
For those have never seen “The Fantasticks” before or want to support the proliferation of stunt casting, it is definitely a production worth seeing.
However, those who have seen this show before may leave a little disappointed.
““ Kristin Aoun
E-mail Aoun at kaoun@media.ucla.edu.