John O鈥橦urley, the New York Times best-selling author and Seinfeld actor, joins the long-running, Off-Broadway staging of The Fantasticks December 12. O鈥橦urley, who has also been seen on TV in Dancing with the Stars and Family Feud, is playing the role of El Gallo in the show through January 1, 2017.
The lyrical and romantic musical The Fantasticks tells the story of a boy and girl who live next door to one another and fall in love despite the wall that keeps them apart. With music by Harvey Schmidt and book and lyrics by Tom Jones, it is the longest-running musical in history and continues to play Off-Broadway at the Jerry Orbach Theatre at the Theater Center.
鈥淲hen I was in college in 1974, I performed as The Boy in The Fantasticks,鈥� said O鈥橦urley in an earlier statement. 鈥淒uring one performance, I was looking into Luisa鈥檚 eyes singing 鈥橲oon It's Gonna Rain鈥� and while doing so, also heard the sound of my car alarm as it was being stolen outside in the theatre鈥檚 parking lot. I didn't flinch 鈥� just continued to sing and it was a moment of composure I will never forget! I love the lesson of love that this beautiful musical has taught us all since 1959.鈥�
The current cast of the New York staging features Nathan Goodrich as The Boy (Matt), Madison Claire Parks as The Girl (Luisa), Donald Corren as The Boy鈥檚 Father (Hucklebee), Dale Hensley as The Girl's Father (Bellomy), MacIntyre Dixon as The Old Actor (Henry), Michael Nostrand as The Man Who Dies (Mortimer), and Drew Seigla as The Mute. The production also features John Thomas Waite and Kimberly Immanuel; O鈥橦urley replaces Rob Richardson in the role of El Gallo.
Robert Felstein is the musical director/pianist, and Marge Fitts is the harpist. Production stage manager is Paul Blankenship, and the assistant stage manager is Earlye Rhodes.
Tickets to The Fantasticks can be purchased by calling the box office at (212) 921-7862, online at , or by visiting The Theater Center box office. The Jerry Orbach Theater at The Theater Center is located at 210 West 50th Street at Broadway.
