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What happens when Victorian steampunk style meets a musical theater classic? Find out when the legendary Nebraska Theatre Caravan pulls into Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College with its steampunk-inspired version of The Fantasticks on April 26, 2014 at 7:30 p.m.
The original off-Broadway production of The Fantasticks, which opened in 1960, ran for 42 years and more than 17,000 performances to make it the world’s longest-running musical. Songs such as “Try to Remember” have endured, and the story, in which a young man and woman are tricked by their fathers into falling in love, has universal appeal.
‘Steampunk’ adds an antiquated Victorian style to modern technology, clothes and art. While the story in The Fantasticks remains the same, the Nebraska Theatre Caravan’s steampunk costuming presents a retro-futuristic setting for the musical. The reworking puts a refreshing, creative edge to the show. Fantastical elements of the production, seen in parallel dream sequences and the like, fare particularly well from the steampunk treatment.
“Steampunk reflects the way that those living in the Victorian era imagined the future to look,” says Katie Fox, Executive Director of Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College. “Think lots of watch dials and top hats.”
The Nebraska Theatre Caravan tours the country’s most popular production of A Christmas Carol, and The Fantasticks is its first non-holiday show to hit the road. The Fantasticks is presented through a special arrangement with New York’s Music Theatre International, with music by Harvey Schmidt and lyrics by Tom Jones.
“The Fantasticks is a perennial favorite among musical theater fans, and the steampunk treatment transforms something old into something quite new,” notes Fox.
Harbison Theatre’s 2013-2014 Signature Season features eleven shows, hand-selected by Fox and her team. View the entire season here.
The Fantasticks will be performed on April 26, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $28 and can be purchased here. Buyers may also order tickets via phone at 803-407-5011, or in person at the Harbison Theatre Box Office, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The box office also will open two hours prior to each show during the season.
Additional information on the Nebraska Theatre Caravan can be found here.
About Harbison Theatre:
Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College presents high-quality performances and events that strengthen the education of our students, deepen our relationship with the community, and make the Midlands a region where people love to learn, work, play, and prosper. To learn about upcoming events, purchase tickets, or pursue sponsorship and volunteer opportunities with Harbison Theatre, please visit www.HarbisonTheatre.org.