Hoosier Musicals group presents “The Fantasticks”

Hoosier Musicals, a troupe of non-theater, non-music majors, presented on Wednesday evening at The Cinemat,   “The Fantasticks,” a show about forbidden love and questionable parenting.

The eight-person cast performed in The Cinemat’s 49-seat screening room, located in the back of the video-rental store. Lawn chairs for the audience members filled the classroom-sized theater, while background music was played on a single harp and piano beside the stage.

“The Fantasticks” attempts to capture the meaning behind the struggles of life’s relationships. The two main characters, next-door neighbors Luisa and Matt, discover their relationship was a setup from the start.

Their fathers deny them the opportunity to fall in love and disclose the trick behind parenting – when they deny their children everything, their kids become more motivated to achieve their goals.

“How clever we are, how crafty are we – to manipulate children, you merely say ‘no,’” the fathers, Hucklebee and Bellomy, sing together in a song.

In the end, the couple realize their road to discovery led them to the truth: They are destined for one another.

The longer the lovers are separated, the fonder their hearts grow for each other. Matt said their arranged marriage ended up being what the couple wanted all along – living and loving each other within their own four walls.

Opening night was the cast and crew’s first performance with costumes, lighting, props and the harp player. The stage did not have a set, but a small chest resting on the side of the stage was filled with props for the characters.

Junior Jonathan Lerner, the executive director of Hoosier Musicals, said the use of lighting for the first time allowed him to deliver a better performance.

“We had a lot of fun doing this, and it was such a good experience to put on a show through a student-run organization,” senior Laura Whittenberger, who plays Luisa said. “Everything came together as planned.”

Jes Hagen, a Ball State student and theater major, has been a long-time fan of IU’s theater department and said he was excited to see Hoosier Musicals put on their first performance.  

“We found ‘The Fantasticks’ on Facebook, and their performance is much better than I even intended it to be,” she said. “We love the show, and we love Bloomington.”

“The Fantasticks” will run again at 2 p.m. Sunday at The Cinemat. Hoosier Musicals’ future shows will be announced during the fall of each semester so students will know its schedule prior to castings.