The world’s longest-running musical is on its way to Joliet.
The Joliet Drama Guild presents “The Fantasticks” May 3 to 12 at Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park & Theatre.
“It’s just a very funny show. It’s very simple yet hilarious. I like the concept of just two young lovers and their parents trying to keep them apart, and it’s pretty funny because that happens in real life,” said Michelle Heermann, director of “The Fantasticks.”
“The kids are very naive so the fathers are funny because they’re trying to keep the kids apart but they actually want them to get together in the long run,” Heermann said.
The show’s narrator, El Gallo, asks the audience to use their imagination and follow him into a world of moonlight and magic as he shares the truth that “without a hurt, the heart is hollow.”
“The Fantasticks” features book and lyrics by Tom Jones and music by the late Harvey Schmidt. Jones and Schmidt were awarded Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre for the musical, which includes the songs “Try to Remember” and “Soon It’s Gonna Rain.”
Marty Kaspar, president of the Joliet Drama Guild, is music director of “The Fantasticks.”
“The cast is amazing and beyond talented. You will not be sorry that you came to see the show. Everyone can sing amazingly and are perfect actors pretty much,” said Heermann, of Shorewood.
Actors include residents of Frankfort, Joliet, Naperville and Plainfield with Lee Brick as Henry, Matt Dodge as El Gallo, John Hehl as Hucklebee, Dan Jagodzinski as Bellomy, Elyse Lorenz as Mortimer, Michael Mendoza as Matt, and Adam Rociles and Brent Dobrovits alternating the role of the Mute.
Heermann’s daughter Kristy Kesserlring, of Shorewood, plays Luisa. It was her acting in productions for the Joliet Drama Guild that brought Heermann into the fold.
“I’ve been working with the Joliet Drama Guild for about three years. My daughter has been doing shows there for probably six years so I’ve just kind of followed in her footsteps actually,” said Heermann, who has been board vice president for approximately a year and a half.
“My daughter started singing and acting when she was in grade school, like in fifth grade. Ever since then she’s really taken to it and she’s actually going to go to New York this summer to pursue it. The more I saw from her enjoying it, it just took off from there.”
The Joliet Drama Guild has entertained residents of Joliet, Will County and surrounding areas for more than 80 years.
“We’ve been here for a long time. We are not going anywhere. We love to do shows and we’re actually looking into doing a lot more shows every year,” Heermann said.
“Everyone is so easy to get along with. I also love working with all the kids. We do a huge musical every summer and we get to know a lot of the kids in the area. There is so much talent there. I just love watching them grow through their talent throughout the years,” she said.
“Community theater is a great way to give even adults something to do. Everyone is not into sports. The theater is a very tight-knit group. It keeps a lot of the kids out of trouble and lets them express things that they are not able to in other ways.
“It’s good for them to totally become a different person on stage. A lot of people need that.”
‘The Fantasticks’
When: 7:30 p.m. May 3-5 and 11-12; 2 p.m. May 6
Where: Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park & Theatre, 201 Jefferson St., Joliet
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Tickets: $15; reservations recommended
Information: 877-534-1933; www.jolietdramaguild.org
Jessi Virtusio is a freelancer for the Daily Southtown.