Fantasticks is just that

Far from Finley, and just in time for finals, musical opens

This weekend's hottest ticket is undoubtedly a one-way pass to Mudd. A close second, for those who want to have some fun before getting too serious about school, is The Fantasticks, which is showing in Little Theater for five performances. Many have remarked that they have fond memories of seeing the show with their parents during trips into Manhattan, and the show is likely to be a treat for them, and for any of those who appreciate an evening of musical theater.

The musical tells a tale of the trials and tribulations of young love. The music is generally lyrical and lovely, under the accomplished musical direction of junior Gregory Ristow. The two pianists (Ristow and sophomore Natasha Ullman) and harpist first-year Nuiko Wadden are the backbone of the show. The small space of the theater does not allow the luxury of an orchestra pit, so the musicians are seated behind a curtain upstage, but are visible and present in the action of the show. It was an effective way to use the space to the show's advantage.

Under the direction of senior Jeremy Ellison-Gladstone, the production was not always as thoughtful about its staging as it might have been. There were some wonderful moments-snowfall and rainfall were both nicely and simply depicted, a difficult trick in theater.

Whatever the limitations of Little Theater (and they are many), the company in general could have used the space more to their advantage. Those of us not lucky enough to get center seats felt like we were watching the show from the wings, while those sitting front and center probably felt like they were in the show.

But in general, the show was remarkably polished for an opening night performance. It was obvious that all of the technical details had been worked through by Ellison-Gladstone and his production staff. The lighting, designed by senior Zachary Williamson, was well done. The soft blues of moonlight, the harsh sun, a terrible fire-they were noticeable, not merely a background aspect of the show.

The eight member ensemble was almost all consistently strong. The show was stolen by the actors in the smaller, more character-driven roles. Sophomore Alexis Macnab, as the mute, whose roles included a wall, was one of the more innovative actors in the show. Macnab was present on-stage for much of the action, and her presence was felt, but not distracting. During overly emotional duets, Macnab provided humor and laughter, allowing the show to poke fun at itself.

Sophomore Matt Van Winkle really was one of the strongest, and most endearing, performances in recent memory, as the comical old actor Henry. He was well made up as an elderly man, but more impressive was his consistent and expressive body language. It was nice to see such strong acting in a show where most of the scenes are upstaged by the music. He was well-complemented by senior Patrick Hughes as Mortimer. The duo were probably more popular with the audience than the young lovers themselves.

The young lovers were played by sophomore Patrick Mulryan, as Matt, and senior Sharon Bjorndal as Luisa. Mulryan's voice was more than capable and his acting was also strong, demonstrating his range of both humor and more serious dramatic material. Bjorndal's singing was lovely, if a bit more powerful than one might expect in such an intimate musical setting, and she seemed to be having a lot of fun with her role as a headstrong and misguided young girl.

As the dueling fathers of these two were first-year Matt Marlin and Roger Barker. The two had great chemistry, and their song and dance routines were some of the more energetic. Theirs were also the most enjoyable and well-paced straight theatrical scenes. At other points in the show, the action really dragged until someone burst into song, whereas when the fathers were on-stage, it was exciting no matter what they were doing.

Rounding out the ensemble was sophomore Scott Mello as the narrator and the villain, El Gallo. Mello's voice was powerful and impressive, and he too shone in some of his more humorous moments. Mello's singing, which opened the show, helped to establish the tone of the evening.

The show ran a bit longer than one might expect a musical to run, but the time slips by fast. In his program notes, Ellison-Gladstone writes, "The greatest pieces of theater, to me, are not necessarily the most controversial, the most cutting edge, or the most commonly sighted [sic] in doctoral theses. The finest plays simply and clearly, tell us a story that we care about and remember."

Ellison-Gladstone clearly anticipated that some members of an Oberlin theater-going audience would question the validity of a show like The Fantasticks. Regardless of whether or not one considers musicals in general to be as interesting as traditional drama, there are still degrees within the genre of musical theater. And within that framework, The Fantasticks is hardly hard-hitting stuff.

It is strange to see such an old standard in Little Theater, which has become the college's venue for the experimental. And it is somewhat troubling, enlightened as we are, to hear a song about rape in a musical. This obviously does not upset the director, nor should it bother the audience. Consider the show a nice way to balance the shoddy experimentalism of Karen Finley's show last weekend.

The Fantasticks is showing in Little Theater tonight and Saturday at 8 p.m., and at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Rape: Sharon Bjorndal and Scott Mello star in this weekend's The Fantasicks (photo by John Seyfried, courtesy Theater and Dance)