Book and Lyrics by Tom Jones. Music by Harvey Schmidt

Whistler BC, January 25, 2007 -- Whistler’s upstart professional theatre company is rearing to go with its second season of live summer theatre! Building on its groundbreaking inaugural season, Whistler Theatre Project (WTP) moves from classic Shakespeare to a modern music classic, The Fantasticks. The musical will run July 17 to Sep 2, 2007 in Rebagliati Park, Whistler.

Lyricist Tom Jones and Music Composer Harvey Schmidt, created in 1960, what turns out to be one of the most enduring musicals in modern theatrical history. Successful beyond measure and the longest-running Off-Broadway musical, The Fantasticks closed in 2002 after 17,162 performances at the Sullivan Street Playhouse, only to be revived on Broadway last summer.

This summer, WTP Artistic Producers Zaib Shaikh and Todd Talbot are eager to reveal their production, (a long way off-Broadway) The Fantasticks in the matchless setting of Rebagliati Park nestled between Whistler’s Upper and Lower Villages. The company continues with its vision to distill large stories and universal themes down to the intimate and personal.

"The Fantasticks explores romance, filial love, life choices and loyalty again, but in a modern way. The elements of fantasy and magic remain a dominant force, as does the music score and of course the humour," says Talbot.

Shaikh adds, "We’ve made a natural choice. The Fantasticks, like The Dream last season, allows us to celebrate our unique site by theatrically incorporating the forest behind the stage allowing for the seamless transition from exterior to interior locales and ruminations."

Loosely based on the story, Les Romanesques by Edmond Rostand, The Fantasticks is a clever reversal of the Romeo and Juliet story, where two fathers, in a well meaning attempt to spark a romance between their children, devise a scheme in which they pretend to feud. What unfolds is a timeless story moved forward with stand out songs like Try to Remember, Soon It's Gonna Rain and They Were You.

Joining Artistic Producers, Talbot and Shaikh in the administration office are General Manager Lynn May Mirfield and Director of Marketing, Amita Daniels.

In anticipation of the great audience demand, WTP is planning to extend its season offering three preview shows from July 17, 18, 19, opening on July 20th and closing on Sept 2, 2007. WTP produces professional theatre in the heart of Whistler staged in a lovely open backed tent featuring 250 comfortably upholstered seats, with a clear canopy to integrate the forest backdrop and the starry night sky.

WTP’s production of The Fantasticks is made possible through the sustaining support of North Shore Credit Union, Resort Municipality of Whistler, Telus, The Grocery Store, Tourism Whistler and Whistler Question.

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For further information and/or interviews, please contact:
Amita Daniels, Director of Marketing
604.602.0203 (Vancouver)
media@whistlertheatreproject.com
www.whistlertheatreproject.com