Complete Casting Announced for Fantasticks at the Snapple Center

Casting has been announced for the new production of The Fantasticks, which begins previews on July 29 at the new Snapple Theater Center on 50th Street and Broadway. The production, to be directed by its author, Tom Jones, stars Jones using the stage name Thomas Bruce as Henry, Leo Burmester as Hucklebee, MacIntyre Dixon as Mortimer, Santino Fontana as Matt, Sara Jean Ford as Luisa, James Moye as El Gallo, Douglas Ullman, Jr. as The Mute and Martin Vidnovic as Bellomy.

The Fantasticks tells the story of a young boy and girl who fall madly in love at the hands of their meddling fathers, but soon grow restless and stray from one another. Will their separation provide a deeper appreciation for the love they once shared or create a permanent gulf between them? The show, which features music by Harvey Schmidt and book and lyrics by Jones, includes such classic songs as "Try To Remember," "Much More" and "Soon It's Gonna Rain."

The production press release identifies "Thomas Bruce" as the actor who originated the role of Henry in the original Sullivan Street Playhouse production of The Fantasticks. Bruce is actually lyricist and now director Jones.

Burmester's Broadway credits include original production of Les Miserables, Big River, The Civil War, Thou Shalt Not and Buried Child. He has appeared in more than 50 films, including The Legend Of Zorro, The Abyss and The Last Temptation Of Christ.

Dixon's many Broadway credits include Sly Fox, Gypsy, 1776, A Funny Thing...Forum, The Tempest, Beauty & The Beast, Once in a Lifetime and the national tour of Guys & Dolls. His film credits include School of Rock, In and Out, A River Runs Through It, Popeye and Reds.

Fontana is making his New York debut after playing the title role in the Guthrie Theater's Hamlet. Other regional credits include As You Like It, A Christmas Carol, Six Degrees Of Separation, Death of a Salesman, Love's Labor's Lost and On The Verge.

Ford understudied the roles Glinda and Nessarose in the Chicago company of Wicked. A 2005 Carnegie Mellon graduate, she starred in college productions of Candide and Assassins.

Moye appeared on Broadway in The Full Monty and Urinetown and the national tour of Little Shop Of Horrors. He played File in Jones' 110 in the Shade at the Signature Theatre in DC. At various Chicago theaters, he has appeared in The Ballad of Little Jo, Sideshow and Floyd Collins.

Ullman played Rolf in an Asia tour of The Sound of Music. Other credits include Cabaret, Godspell, Grease and Ragtime.

Vidnovic received a Tony nomination for Brigadoon and starred in Broadway productions of Baby, Oklahoma!, The King and I and Guys and Dolls. He can be heard as the voice of the King in the animated film of The King and I. Vidnovic's daughter, Laura Benanti, is currently starring in the Broadway production of The Wedding Singer.

The Fantasticks originally opened at New York's Sullivan Street Playhouse on May 3, 1960, and played 17,162 performances before closing January 13, 2002, making it the world's longest running musical. The new production will open officially on August 16.