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The Fantasticks opened May 3, 1960, at the Sullivan Street Playhouse in Greenwich Village, and ran until January 13, 2002, a run of 17,162 performances—the longest continuous run of any show in American history, and the longest continuous run of any musical in the world. A 2006 revival ran for 4,390 performances at the Jerry Orbach Theatre in midtown Manhattan.
Harvey Schmidt, who earned his shining spot in theatre history as composer of the show, died February 28 at age 88. Click here to read the full obituary.
Flip through through the rarely seen photos, shared by producer Catherine Russell, below:
Alice Cannon, 1963
Alice Cannon, Ty McConnell, Charlie Blackburn, John High, James Cook and John Cunningham in 1963
BJ Ward at the 2000th performance
BJ Ward and Jon Boni at the 2000th performance
Curt Williams, Leta Anderson and Don Pomes in 1967
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Former Luisa Glenn Close with Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt
Bob Crest, Bill McIntyre, Virginia Gregory and Justin Gray
Sharon Werner and Phil Killian
Gerry Vichi, Neil Nash, Glory Crampton, Ralston Hill and Robert Goulet on the 30th Anniversary Tour
Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones
Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones
James Cook and Seamus O'Brien
Jerry Orbach and Rita Gardner on TV
Jerry Orbach, Rita Gardner and Kenneth Nelson
Friedman-Abeles/©NYPL for the Performing Arts
Keith Charles and Richard Barrie
John J. Martin, Bob Spencer, BJ Ward and Donald Babcock
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John Davidson and Susan Watson
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Leta Anderson
Leta Anderson and Keith Charles
Liza Minnelli starred in an East Coast tour
Ray Fisher
Producer Lore Noto as Hucklebee
Lore Noto
Michael Tartel, Virginia Gregory and James Dodge
Richard Barrie, BJ Ward and Bob Spencer
Rita Gardner and Jerry Orbach in 1960
Sharon Werner, Phil Killian and Lore Noto
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Sullivan Street Playhouse
Tom Jones and Jerry Orbach, signed for the 1966 Anniversary
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Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt in 1967
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Tom Jones, Harvey Schmidt, director Word Baker and producer Lore Noto
James Dodge, Virginia Gregory and Michael Tartel
