Students in the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point will perform one of the longest running musicals in theatre history, "The Fantasticks."

Performances will be held in the Studio Theatre in the Noel Fine Arts Center, Tuesday through Thursday, Feb. 14-16 at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Feb. 17 at 8 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 18 at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Feb. 19 at 2 p.m.

The show, with lyrics by Tom Jones and music by Harvey Schmidt, chronicles the relationship of two young lovers, Matt and Luisa, as they experience youthful passion, disillusionment and eventually true love. A comic variation on the story of Romeo and Juliet and suitable for audiences of all ages, it has been hailed as a "timeless fable of love that manages to be nostalgic and universal at the same time."

"I saw the original New York production when I was in high school and knew that this was the kind of theatre I longed to do," said Nelson. "I played �the Boy� (Matt) in Boston when I was 24, and �the narrator� (El Gallo) in the New York production 10 years later. Now I can go to the next level in my lifelong love affair with this musical by directing it here at UWSP," said Nelson.

"The Fantasticks" features minimal costuming, a small band, and a nearly nonexistent set. It is an intimate show that has captured the attention of audiences for decades. Although "Try to Remember" may be the best known selection from the production, the score features a series of memorable songs including "They Were You," "Soon It�s Gonna Rain," and "Plant a Radish."

The original production, staged in the Sullivan Street Playhouse in Greenwich Village, opened on May 3, 1960. The show ran for an incredible 17,162 performances before closing on January 13, 2002. Since its release, there have been more than 11,000 different productions of "The Fantasticks" in more than 2000 cities and towns spread across all 50 states. Internationally, the show has been produced more than 700 times in at least 67 nations from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.

For the UWSP production, Nelson is using a thrust-stage configuration with seating on three sides of the play area to maximize contact between the players and the audience. Other than this variation in staging, he intends to recreate the concept and emotional impact of the original New York production of the musical.

Students Rosemary Zurad, Kenosha; Sam Weber, Mayville; and Darrell Hager, Prairie du Sac, performed three selections from "The Fantasticks" on the live Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR) program "Higher Ground," hosted by Jonathon Overby on Jan. 21. Their performance marked the sixth time that UWSP musical theatre students have performed on the show.

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