Maxim Chlumecky and Nathan Levy on Bringing The Fantasticks to Broadway—With a Twist

The Fantasticks is finally coming to the Great White Way, having had a storied life since its off-Broadway premiere in 1960. While retaining Harvey Schmidt's music and Tom Jones' lyrics from the original production, Jones revised his book to feature a new twist. Where there were once two fathers plotting to make their son and daughter fall in love, there is now a pair of scheming matriarchs—brought to life by Tony nominee Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer and Tony winner Ruthie Ann Miles—playing cupid with their respective sons. Maxim Chlumecky portrays Matt and Nathan Levy plays Lewis, marking the longtime friends' first time sharing the stage.

Though they hadn't previously performed together, Chlumecky and Levy have a history. “We went to Pace together. I had prospective students' weekend where I flew from California and I stayed with Max in his dorm,” reveals Levy, who was a year below his co-star in school. “I was sleeping on the floor for a week.” Jokes Chlumecky, “You have to humble them.”

The pair reconnected when they were both cast in an early reading for The Fantasticks. “I got off the phone hearing that I got this reading and about five minutes later I got a text from Nathan. He just said, ‘Max.’ And then we’ve been texting ever since,” says Chlumecky. “I've been a lover of musical comedy all my life and there's something so magical and simple and pure about this show. When we got to do it just at a table together, it was so magical. We were pinching ourselves and even if we were just going to do it for that day, we were so, so excited and grateful. It was such a blast.”

This iteration of The Fantasticks is directed and choreographed by Tony winner Christopher Gattelli, who also did double-duty on last season’s buoyant, Tony-winning hit Schmigadoon! “He's so kind and so relaxed. From the moment we did the table read, which is when I met him, I've felt so comfortable with him,” says Chlumecky. “He's a genius of musical comedy. So the fact that he's doing this project with us is a dream come true.” Levy echoes this sentiment, saying, “He's so kind and actually cares about everyone in that room. My first show I saw on Broadway was Newsies; I saw it with my mom and I was obsessed.”

Speaking to what audiences can expect from The Fantasticks, Chlumecky says, “It's definitely a reimagining of the original production, which is very bare bones and simple and whimsical. So it's kind of taking inspiration from the pure, simple theater that we know and love, putting it on steroids and making it a bit bigger for Broadway.”

As for the story, Levy teases, “We get that happy ending at the end of Act 1 and then Act 2 is very different. We start to see everyone question or second guess if this is actually the happy ending that they want." Chlumecky adds, "It's about love and reconciliation. It's a bit of a fairy tale, where the first act is very much all about the happy ever after. And then the second act is the reality."

As Levy points out, "It asks the audience to think back to that first love that they had and how heightened it all was. I'm so excited to see people laugh and cry and hear this nostalgic, beautiful music with this new fresh twist.” Chlumecky emphasizes, "The show is so, so funny. And knowing that it's Chris Gattelli and Ruthie Ann Miles and Leslie Kritzer, it's just going to be a room full of the greats."

Chlumecky also extolls the emotional catharsis found in The Fantasticks, proclaiming, “It's going to be a gay old time and you're going to have a blast, laugh and cry, feel warm and fuzzy. To which Levy adds: “Come see us kiss!”

The Fantasticks begins performances October 22 at the Hayes Theater. Get tickets!