Remember September?

By Suzy Evans in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 6, 2009 2:40PM

Is it October already? Sure is, but you can still remember September in The Fantasticks at Porchlight Music Theatre. This refreshing production may not be the best one we’ve seen, but this musical has one of the most beautiful scores around. So as long as your cast can sing, which this one certainly can, you’ve got a great show.

Jeff Parker as El Gallo/The Narrator sets the scene with the poignant “Try to Remember” and he immediately puts your mind at ease with this age-old song. The action quickly dissolves into the realm of fantasy, where two young lovers, also neighbors, meet in secret because their fathers do not want them to see each other. However, it turns out the fathers have been manipulating their children and really do want them to fall in love and get married. So instead of condoning the pairing, they simply say ‘No.’ - in a campy, somewhat annoying production number, no less.

As the young lovers, Sean Effinger-Dean and Emma Rosenthal are nerds, rather than the more common ingénues, à la Romeo and Juliet. Both have stunning voices, and we’re pretty sure Rosenthal was born to sing these songs. Her costume is a little distracting, but her smooth and mellifluous voice makes you forget everything else. Effinger-Dean epitomizes a geek (he attended Princeton) and his powerful voice is as surprising as it is touching.

The comedic bits of the show feel somewhat contrived; however, we couldn’t stop laughing at Rus Rainear’s Mortimer, “the man who dies.” (He performs dying scenes. He doesn’t actually die.) Like we said before, this show is what it is, and if you like the music, you’ll probably like the show. And even if you don’t like the music, you’ll still hum the songs all the way home.

The Fantasticks runs at Theatre Building Chicago (1225 W. Belmont) through November 15.