Edward Watts Will Be The Fantasticks' New El Gallo; Lewis Cleale Exits

Edward Watts will be the newest cast member in the long-running off-Broadway classic The Fantasticks, taking over the role of El Gallo beginning March 22. He replaces Lewis Cleale, who exits the production on March 14.

Watts joins a company that currently includes Erik Altemus, MacIntyre Dixon, Tom Flagg, Gene Jones, Matt Leisy, Michael Nostrand, Evy Ortiz, Steve Routman, Kimberly Whalen and Scott Willis.

Watts was most recently seen in the Broadway revival of Finian's Rainbow. Additional credits include The Most Happy Fella at the New York City Opera, the national tours of Les Miserables and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, 1776 at Goodspeed Opera House and A Little Night Music at Michigan Opera Theater. He has been seen on television in Rescue Me, As the World Turns, All My Children and The Sopranos.

The Fantasticks tells the story of a boy and girl who fall in and out of love at the hands of their meddling fathers. The audience uses its imagination to follow the narrator, El Gallo, as he creates a world of moonlight and magic until the boy and girl find their way back to one other. The timeless score includes the hit songs “Try To Remember,” “They Were You” and “Soon It’s Gonna Rain." Watts marks the 50th actor to take on the role off-Broadway since Jerry Orbach originated the part in 1960.