The Fantasticks, the world’s longest-running musical, is being reimagined for Broadway as a contemporary gay love story, marking a notable evolution for the production that helped define Off-Broadway theater.
The Broadway-bound version will be directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Christopher Gattelli (Death Becomes Her, Newsies). Producers include Broadway & Beyond Theatricals, Daryl Roth, and True North Theatricals.
In the re-envisioned production, the musical’s central romantic pairing—traditionally Matt and Luisa—becomes Matt and Lewis. According to producers, the revision reframes the show’s allegory of love, longing, and reconciliation through a gay lens. The original storyline involving two fathers who secretly orchestrate their children’s romance has also been updated, with the characters now portrayed as mothers.
Related posts:
The adaptation features a revised book and lyrics by Tom Jones, with music by Harvey Schmidt. This new version was completed by Jones before his death in 2023. Development began in 2022 with a presentation at Flint Repertory Theatre in Michigan and continued at Provincetown Playhouse in Massachusetts and Coachella Valley Repertory in California.
Reflecting on the adaptation in a 2022 interview with Playbill, Jones said, “I knew that to be done properly it would require a lot of rewriting, especially of lyrics. The more I thought about it, the more interesting it seemed. And when I actually began working on it, I became more and more enthusiastic. I had great fun doing it. I hope people have great fun viewing it.”
The production will feature new orchestrations by Sam Davis and scenic design by Emmy Award winner Jason Sherwood. General management is by DR Theatrical Management, with Dan Shaheen representing the musicals of Jones and Schmidt. Casting details and a performance timeline have not yet been announced.
Originally premiering Off-Broadway on May 3, 1960, at the Sullivan Street Playhouse in Greenwich Village, The Fantasticks ran for 42 years and logged 17,162 performances. Subsequent revivals brought its total New York run to 21,552 performances, a record that still stands.
The musical introduced enduring songs such as “Try to Remember,” along with “Soon It’s Gonna Rain” and “They Were You,” which have been recorded by numerous artists over the decades.
The upcoming Broadway reimagining underscores the musical’s unusual longevity—and its continued ability to reflect changing cultural perspectives more than 60 years after its debut.
Stay locked in to PalabasTayo.com for your daily dose of film, TV, music, art, fashion, food, and all things lifestyle and entertainment like this. You may also follow and subscribe to our social media accounts: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, X, and Kumu.
