Roles

Characters to be cast in The Fantasticks are:

The Girl – Luisa

(Lead. Late teen/Young adult. Soprano with some coloratura and chest singing.) A sweet 16-year-old girl who falls in love with Matt. Luisa is a dreamer, who fantasizes of a life that is “much more” than what she’s accustomed to. Luisa is delicate and sweet, and quick to swoon when Matt says something particularly wonderful. Matt criticizes Luisa for being “childish,” but Luisa likes to think that she is instead “child-like.” She is somewhat naive and expects that Matt will live up to her expectations of a knight in shining armor.

The Boy – Matt

(Lead. Late teen/Young adult. Baritone): A romantic adolescent, Matt is in love with Luisa and in love with love itself. Matt is poetic and effusive in his love for Luisa. Although he is not naturally bold or physically imposing, he is quick to defend Luisa when she is in danger. Despite the love he feels for Luisa, Matt begins to feel trapped by his relationship but comes to understand how much he loves the simple life he once longed to leave behind.

The Narrator – El Gallo

(Lead. Adult Male. Baritone.) Confident, alluring, gallant, and a smooth operator, El Gallo welcomes the audience into the story and continues to serve as a liaison between the characters and the audience, throughout. He has a sweet sentimentality and a presence that suggests that he knows things that no one else does. Despite his gentleness with the audience, El Gallo also has the ability to wreak great havoc within the world of the play.

The Old Actor – Henry

(Supporting. Adult Mature Male (may be played by a female) Incredibly proud of his legacy as a Shakespearean performer and carrying clippings from his performances just in case anyone wants to see them, Henry is a bit “down on his luck” these days. He is incredibly positive and eager to perform whenever he gets the chance and sees himself very much as the star.

The Girl’s Father – Bellomy

(Supporting. Adult Male. Baritone.) Bellomy struggles with the large job of parenting a daughter. Unlike the vegetables he loves to grow, his daughter is unpredictable and not “useful,” just beautiful. Bell is a button salesman, so he appreciates and understands usefulness. Beauty is a little more foreign. Although Huck and Bell pretend to be enemies (and are good at it), they are actually exceedingly close friends. Bellomy should have a great comedic rapport with Hucklebee.

The Boy’s Father – Hucklebee

(Supporting. Adult Male. Baritone) Hucklebee was once in the Navy and traveled around the world. It was in the Navy that he discovered a passion for horticulture. His philosophy on gardening is that moderation is best in all things. He is strict with his son, however, it is revealed that this is — at least in part — an element of a larger strategy to use reverse psychology to convince Matt to fall in love with Luisa. Although Huck and Bell pretend to be enemies (and are good at doing so), they are actually exceedingly close friends. Hucklebee should have a great comedic rapport with playing Bellomy.

The Man Who Dies – Mortimer

(Featured. Mature adult male that may be played by a female. Cockney accent.) An older actor, his wheelhouse is “death scenes,” and he’s been doing them with Henry — his partner and fellow actor — for over 40 years. Mort is very proud of his legacy as a specialist in “dying”. He’s quieter than Henry, and always about four steps behind. Mort relies on Henry to inform him of his cues and where he’s supposed to be onstage. He is physically clumsy and forgetful.

The Mute

(Featured. Either gender. Age range is flexible.) El Gallo’s assistant, in a way. The Mute provides props, creates settings, and most importantly, plays the role of “Wall,” standing between Matt and Luisa’s houses. Although the Mute occasionally interacts with the other characters, he or she is entirely mute — no speaking, no sounds, no nothing. There is a lot of flexibility in the role of the Mute, and lots of choices to be made.