3/4/2009 5:01:00 PM Coupeville drama club stages first musical
Justin Burnett / The Whidbey Examiner
Coupeville Drama Troupe members Adam Curtin and Carrie Walker rehearse for their leading roles in the troupe’s first musical, “The Fantasticks.” Performances continue through the weekend.
Showtimes, tickets
Curtain: Coupeville High School and Middle School PAC at 7 p.m. Friday, March 6 and Saturday, March 7, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 8.
Tickets: $15 for adults and students without an ASB sticker, $12 for seniors, children and students with a sticker. Purchase early and get $1 off. Tickets are available at the CHS office or at the door; call 360-678-4409.
By Justin Burnett Examiner Staff Writer
Plotting parents, young love - and a bit of controversial language.
The Coupeville Drama Troupe's first musical performance has it all.
The troupe, which is part of the Coupeville School District, is now in its second week of performing "The Fantasticks." Written in 1959 by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt, the show has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's longest-running musical.
"It's a romantic comedy that's been done all over creation," said Peg Tennant, drama advisor for the troupe.
The story is based on two parents who put to work a plan they hope will wind up with their children, Matt and Luisa, getting married. Knowing that teenagers are wont to do exactly what their parents forbid, the parents build a wall between their houses. The plan is initially successful, but the young couple eventually discovers their fathers' plot and go their separate ways.
"It's a classic story," said Coupeville High School senior Adam Curtin, who plays Matt.
This is Curtin's first leading role - and his first time in a play or a musical. And while he is excited about making his stage debut, he said he has some reservations about the character he plays.
"I don't know how much I like the part because I don't see myself as a fool in love," Curtin said with a laugh.
Playing Luisa in five of six performances is Coupeville High School sophomore Carrie Walker. Fellow sophomore Tauni Moody, Walker's understudy, will play Luisa in the final performance, which takes place on Sunday. Walker is an experienced actress who has been involved in theater for years.
"I like [The Fantasticks] because it's something different," Walker said. "It has really good music."
One of those differences is tied to the musical's controversial language. In several instances, the word "rape" is used to describe the act of abduction. While a "politically correct" version was considered, Tennant said it was ultimately abandoned.
"It just ruins the song," Tennant said.
Using the original version also gave the young thespians a chance to learn about how language changes over time. Fifty years ago, the word carried a very different meaning than it does today, Tennant said.
"Even the word "fantastic" meant "crazy" back then," she said.
The play itself also provided the troupe with a peek into how the relationships between children and their parents have evolved over the past half-century. For example, the limits parents typically place on a 16-year-old girl have changed dramatically.
"That was a tough one for them to wrap their minds around," Tennant said.
Linguistic sensitivities aside, putting on any musical is full of challenges. For one, performing a musical costs about $25 per minute compared to the standard $5 per minute it cost to put on a play. The cost is raised further by the cost of purchasing scripts and play rights, Tennant said.
The cost of staging the musical is about $10,000, and was supported with contributions from the Foundation for Coupeville Public Schools, private donations and a grant from the Coupeville Festival Association.
Performances are at 7 p.m. Friday, March 6 and Saturday, March 7, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 8 at the Coupeville High School Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $15; Students with an ASB card pay $12.
