Act 3
Page 15
I think we were ready for our curtain call.
The Fantasticks
The Fantasticks is a classic American musical with music by Harvey Schmidt and book and lyrics by Tom Jones. The show premiered off-Broadway on May 3, 1960, and played 17,162 performances before closing on January 13, 2002. It is currently the longest-running musical in history. Though it never played on Broadway, both Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt won the Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre for their experimental tale of two fathers who plot to make their children fall in love.
Over the course of its nearly forty-two-year run, The Fantasticks became known for launching the careers of many talented young actors, particularly those cast as the couple, Matt and Luisa. Some notable alumni include Liza Minnelli, Jerry Orbach, Glenn Close, Santino Fontana, and Kristin Chenoweth. Due to popular demand, a revival of the musical opened off-Broadway on August 23, 2006, and continues to run today.
Acknowledgments
Jack & Louisa: Act 3 would not exist without the enduring support, love, and commitment of our amazing team at Penguin: Francesco Sedita, Sarah Fabiny, and Max Bisantz. Special thanks to Barbara White and Stacey Pannebecker of Gainesville Middle School in Virginia for sharing their real-life experiences in the world of theater competitions. To Kate’s usual suspects—Jeff Croiter, Arnold and Chris Wetherhead—you all remain recipients of her immense gratitude and devotion. To Scott Bixby for being Andrew’s extra set of eyes and real-life Teddy Waverly. To Ellen Bowen, Brent Wagner, and Nancy Carson for helping Andrew navigate the choppy waters of auditions, acting classes, and voice changes when he was a budding MTN; and to Leesa Guay Timpson, Rufus Patrick, and Doris O’Brien for providing Kate with enough inspiration and love from her days in the auditorium of Burlington High School to fill three books. Finally, thanks to the New York theater community, as well as the theater community at large, for reminding us on a daily basis why we do what we do.
Andrew Keenan-Bolger
is a musical-theater actor originally from Detroit. He has appeared on Broadway in Tuck Everlasting, Newsies, Mary Poppins, Seussical, and Beauty and the Beast. Andrew and Kate Wetherhead created the popular web series Submissions Only, which was hailed as one of Entertainment Weekly’s “Top 10 Things We Love.”
Kate Wetherhead
originated the role of Chutney in Legally Blonde: The Musical. She has performed extensively Off-Broadway and regionally, and was in the Broadway production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.