The Fantasticks: The Complete Illustrated Text Plus the Official Fantasticks Scrapbook and History of the Musical [Paperback]

Harvey Schmidt (Author), Tom Jones (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2000

"Richly illustrated, it is ideal for fans of the show, as well as admirers of musical theatre." - Variety * "Anybody who has seen the show (who hasn't?) should read the book" - Entertainment Today * "The perfect present for any Fantasticks fans." - Cleveland Plain Dealer * "A valuable resource. Recommended for all collections." - Choice

Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: Applause Books; 30th edition (February 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557831416
• ISBN-13: 978-1557831415
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #182,407 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing look at the long life of The Fantasticks., September 1, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Fantasticks: Complete Illustrated Text of the Show Plus the Official Fantastics Scrapbook and History (Applause Musical Library) (Hardcover)

It has been two years since I was first introduced to The Fantasticks. Ever since I saw the show I have been captivated by its remarkable story, lyrics, and music. It was only recently that I read this 30th anniversary edition and truly found out how amazing this show is.

Tom Jones' personal account of The Fantasticks shows the reader what exactly goes in to a show before it actually debuts. The first section "Try to Remember" is well set as the first chapter of the book. The reader will benefit more from reading this chapter before the show.

The third section (the second was the libretto) is a look at the actors really shows you the life of the longest running Off-Broadway show.

I know my words cannot do justice to this amazing book. I would recommend this book to any die-hard Fantasticks fan, or to anyone interested in getting to know the best musical ever written.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Why, it's fantastic!, July 25, 2000

By 

Matthew Murray (New York City, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Fantasticks: Complete Illustrated Text of the Show Plus the Official Fantastics Scrapbook and History (Applause Musical Library) (Hardcover)

Who would have guessed that such a simple, straightfoward musical would be the longest running show in New York history? Read this copy of the libretto, and you'll know why. The show is very simple and very honest. It has drama and lighthearted comedy in just the right amounts to create what is, in many ways, the perfect musical. This volume also contains lots of extra information about the show, including the lyrics to a new song written for the show in its later years, and a number of photos. The music is missing, of course, but even without the OCR to the show, you get a great sense here of what makes The Fantasticks so, well, fantastic.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No Woder It's the Longest Running Show in American History!, June 7, 2000

By 

E. Dale Smith (New York, New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Fantasticks: The Complete Illustrated Text Plus the Official Fantasticks Scrapbook and History of the Musical (Paperback)

It never fails to amaze me that Jones & Schmidt were capable of such powerful poetry while still studying for their masters degrees. This thesis show is a powerhouse of simplicity and a panorama of minimalism. Sound oxymoronic? It is. The show is so disceptively simple, but the stories it tells are universal, and they are guaranteed to ring true for even the most tarnished audience member. One read, and it won't be hard to "try to remember" this show for a long time!