TV personality John Davidson will return to the cast of the long-running off-Broadway musical The Fantasticks for a five-week limited engagement. Davidson, who starred as Matt in the 1964 television adaptation of The Fantasticks and in the off-Broadway production as Henry, will return to the role of Henry on July 30. Davidson will remain with the production through September 2 at off-Broadway’s Snapple Theater Center.
Featuring a book, music and lyrics by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt, The Fantasticks is the story of two neighbors who put up a wall between their houses to ensure that their son and daughter—knowing children always do the opposite of what their parents say—will fall in love. When the young lovers discover their fathers’ plan, they both leave to discover the world separately before returning to one another again. The Fantasticks features a score of hit songs including “Try to Remember,” “Soon It’s Gonna Rain” and “They Were You.”
Best known as the host of The New Hollywood Squares and One Hundred Thousand Dollar Pyramid, Davidson has appeared on Broadway in State Fair and Foxy. Additional theatre credits include High Infidelity, The Music Man, L’il Abner, 110 In the Shade, Carousel and Camelot.
The Fantasticks currently stars Aaron Carter, Jeremiah James, Bill Bateman, Tom Flagg, Jeremy Greenbaum, Matt Leisy, Addi McDaniel, Michael Nostrand, Dan Sharkey, Juliette Trafton and Scott Willis.