Dean (Spamalot) will step into the role of El Gallo, with Schwartz and Mallory (Captain Louie) playing Matt and Luisa, respectively. Ullman, Jr. returns to the Off-Broadway production in the role of the Mute.
The new cast members succeed actors Betsy Morgan (Luisa) and Jordan Nichols (The Mute), who departed the production March 8. "Amazing Race" winner Nick Spangler (Matt) and Lewis Cleale (El Gallo) will exit the show March 29.
The current cast of The Fantasticks also includes Tom Flagg, Gene Jones, Michael Nostrand, Evy Ortiz, Steve Routman, John Thomas Waite and Scott Willis.
Book writer and lyricist Tom Jones staged the revival of The Fantasticks, which has choreography by Janet Watson and musical direction by Robert Felstein.
The Fantasticks resumed performances Off-Broadway at the Snapple Theater Center's Jerry Orbach Theater June 16, 2008. The musical began a winter hiatus Feb. 24, 2008, following 27 previews and 628 regular performances at the Orbach Theater. The Fantasticks, according to press notes "is a captivating and simple love story about a boy, a girl, two fathers and a wall. The audience uses its imagination to follow El Gallo as he creates a world of moonlight and magic, and then pain and disillusionment, until the boy and girl find their way back to one other." Songs from the popular musical include "Try to Remember," "They Were You," "Much More," "Soon It's Gonna Rain" and "I Can See It."
The Fantasticks is the world's longest-running musical, having played a record-breaking run of more than 17,000 performances in Greenwich Village. The Fantasticks originally opened at the Sullivan Street Playhouse in May 1960 and closed Jan. 13, 2002. The original company included Wedding Singer star Rita Gardner and the late Jerry Orbach. Harvey Schmidt wrote the music, and Tom Jones penned the book and lyrics. Word Baker directed the original Off-Broadway company.
Tickets can be purchased by visiting Ticketmaster.com or by calling (212) 307-4100. The Snapple Theater Center is located at 210 West 50th Street at Broadway.
