Gulf Coast News’ Review of The Fantasticks
Dave Elias | Reporter, Gulf Coast News Fort Myers
Published Feb. 10, 2025
Gulf Coast Theater Review: Classic musical ‘The Fantasticks’ brings nostalgia to Players Circle Theater
FORT MYERS, Fla. — Want a chance to see the longest-running musical in the world? If so, you may want to grab tickets to see “The Fantasticks” playing now at Players Circle Theater along McGregor Boulevard.
If you enjoy old-fashioned poetry, and a few laughs, then this love story is a show for you, but warning it is a bit of sophisticated theater as the show is very dated.
The Fantasticks is a 1960 musical with music by Harvey Schmidt and lyrics by Tom Jones. It is loosely based on the 1894 play The Romancers. It tells the story of two neighboring fathers who trick their children, Luisa and Matt, into falling in love by pretending to be feuding neighbors.
The narrator, El Gallo, is played by Actor AJ Mendini, who uses his soothing soft-spoken voice, asking the audience to use their imagination and follow him into a world of moonlight and magic.
Mendini also has a beautiful voice, and it is showcased and recognized in the show’s opening number of “Try To Remember”.
The boy is played by Actor Jacob Clanton who falls in love with the girl, who is played by Actress Lexi Rae Smith. They grow apart and ultimately find their way back to each other after realizing the truth in El Gallo’s words that “Without a hurt, the heart is hollow.” Smith’s voice was hypnotizing, and she had perfected her naive and innocent character.
All of the actors are believable and a joy to watch, and while the show isn’t exactly my cup of tea, it did allow me to relax and escape from the modern world’s realities. It’s a true happily ever after.
I enjoyed the simplicity of the show and the basically non-existent set. Players Circle made the show feel even more intimate and engaging and the lighting was well done.
Director Ted Wioncek III should be proud of the overall production of this show that leaves audiences with that nostalgic feel-good evening. If you consider yourself a sophisticated theatergoer, then you’ll enjoy this one.
Fun Fact: The show’s original off-Broadway production ran for a total of 42 years (until 2002) and 17,162 performances, making it the world’s longest-running musical.
Players Circle Theater is located at 13211 McGregor Blvd, Fort Myers. For more information, call 239-800-3292.
We Value Live Theater
Live Theater Always Produces an Unrivaled Charm.
We believe that it bears great importance for locals as well as future generations. Players Circle Theater is the home to top-performing musicians, dancers, actors, and other performing artists. We aspire to keep the artistic appeal of theater alive.
