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[0:00] Paul Lazarus: Hi, this is Paul Lazarus. In the 1980s, I produced and hosted a radio series called Anything Goes, a celebration of the American musical theater. Now the Broadway Podcast Network is bringing back these shows. This is the conclusion of a program we call The Fantasticks Un-Original Cast Album. In 1984, Jeff Lunden and I gathered performers who had been in various productions of The Fantasticks over the years and produced these recordings. Creators Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt also took part. You're listening to Anything Goes with a tribute to The Fantasticks in its 25th year, and we're playing what we euphemistically call The Fantasticks Un-Original Cast Album featuring performers of the show over the past 15 years.

Next is Happy Ending, a short piece that concludes the first act, and this features Christopher Seppi as the boy, Judith Blaser as the girl, Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt as the fathers. Actually, let me go back a bit. It was Craig Carnelia substituting for Tom Jones singing with Harvey Schmidt, the fathers, and George Lee Andrews as El Gallo singing Happy Ending.

[1:49] ♪ Musical number: "Happy Ending" — performed by Christopher Seppi, Judith Blaser, Craig Carnelia, Harvey Schmidt, and George Lee Andrews ♪

[2:28] Paul Lazarus: With the exception of just a couple of numbers, you're going to be hearing the entire score of The Fantasticks within this tape. We didn't record, I believe, the Rape Ballet and a piece called Round and Round. Other than that, I think we got everything. Next is the top of the second act, a song called This Plum is Too Ripe, and this features Christopher Seppi, Caroline Magnini, and George Lee Andrews, and Harvey Schmidt.

[2:58] ♪ Musical number: "This Plum is Too Ripe" — performed by Christopher Seppi, Caroline Magnini, and George Lee Andrews, and Harvey Schmidt ♪

[5:21] Paul Lazarus: This plum is too ripe, performed by George Lee Andrews and Harvey Schmidt as the fathers, Christopher Seppi as the boy, and Caroline Magnini as the girl. Caroline, well known for her performance in Tin Types on Broadway and in Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You Off-Broadway, is currently in the two festivals, the One Act Play Festival at Ensemble Studio Theatre and the Young Playwrights Festival at The Public, which closes soon. Next in the score is I Can See It, and here it's performed by Ralph Bruno as Matt, and George Lee Andrews as El Gallo.

[6:03] ♪ Musical number: "I Can See It" — performed by Ralph Bruno and George Lee Andrews ♪

[10:06] Paul Lazarus: Very exciting version of I Can See It performed by Ralph Bruno and George Lee Andrews featuring Jeff Saver at the piano and Winifred Starks at the harp. And this recording and all of these recordings made exclusively for

[10:21] Paul Lazarus: For this special tribute to The Fantasticks here on Anything Goes today, thought it would be fun to insert a couple of other members of the enormous group of people who have performed this show. In 1964, when a TV version was made of the show by way of the Hallmark Hall of Fame, Burt Lahr and Stanley Holloway took part as the fathers, and here they are singing "Plant a Radish."

[11:48] ♪ Musical number: "Plant a Radish" — performed by Burt Lahr and Stanley Holloway ♪

[13:19] Paul Lazarus: Burt Lahr and Stanley Holloway from the TV version of The Fantasticks singing "Plant a Radish." Craig Carnelia first played the boy in The Fantasticks in 1969, and since then has become a noted composer-lyricist and has been a guest on Anything Goes in that capacity. I thought it might be fun to go back to that interview where Craig talks about having auditioned and gotten the role for The Fantasticks. I know you were a performer early on. I mean, we talked about Music Man. What other kinds of roles did you do when you were in high school and college?

[13:54] Craig Carnelia: In high school, I was a very young Charles Condamine in High Spirits, and Tommy in Brigadoon, and what else? Freddy in My Fair Lady. Also, Hugo in Bye Bye Birdie.

[14:08] Paul Lazarus: Did you continue to perform in musicals when you went to college?

[14:12] Craig Carnelia: Yes. In college, I did musicals and plays, and I did a lot of summer stock, non-equity. I quit college to be an actor. I got cast in The Fantasticks off-Broadway as the boy. This was in 1969. I was 19.

[14:27] Paul Lazarus: How did a college student at that point go to do an audition for The Fantasticks off-Broadway?

[14:33] Craig Carnelia: I was still at an age where all dreams were possible. When I was in high school, I went to see The Fantasticks, and I fell so in love with it that I called and said, how do I get to be in this show? They said, get an 8x10 glossy and a resume. You can imagine what my resume would have looked like in those days.

[14:51] Paul Lazarus: Tommy in Brigadoon.

[14:54] Craig Carnelia: Right, Tommy in Brigadoon. In fact, I hadn't done Tommy yet, so it was slimmer than that. I went out and I got my picture taken and sent it in with my resume, such as it was. Actually, I sent several. I sent them every six months.

[15:09] Paul Lazarus: You just did this one show.

[15:16] Craig Carnelia: Right. In my freshman year of college, they finally called and asked me to come in and audition. I went in, and I didn't get it. A year later, they called again, and I went in and I got the part. I was in the middle of my sophomore year, and I just quit cold.

[15:34] Paul Lazarus: You're listening to The Fantasticks Un-Original Cast Album. I'm your host, Paul Lazarus. Craig Carnelia and Carolyn Minnini were both in The Fantasticks in 1969, although in different casts, and they next performed "They Were You," the ballad, close to the end of the show. We're going to continue right on through the end of the show with Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt playing the fathers, and George Lee Andrews singing El Gallo, and the entire group who joined us last Sunday to record this Fantasticks Un-Original Cast Album, singing the oohs and aahs in the background of the reprise of "Try to Remember." Once again, I'd just like to thank everybody involved with this, George Lee Andrews, Judith Blazer, Ralph Bruno, Craig Carnelia, Carolyn Minnini, Marty Morris, and Christopher Seppi, the performers, Jeff Saver, who spent a great deal of time on this project and is at the piano, Winifred Starks on the harp, Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones, the writers, and here performing, and my associate producer, Jeff Lunden.

[16:36] ♪ Musical number: "They Were You" — performed by the cast ♪

[19:05] Paul Lazarus: I missed you, Matt.

[19:08] Craig Carnelia: I missed you too.

[19:09] Paul Lazarus: Boy, you've been hurt.

[19:11] Craig Carnelia: Yes.

[19:12] Paul Lazarus: But you should have told me, you should have told me that right away.

[19:15] Craig Carnelia: Here, sit down, maybe I can bind it.

[19:17] Paul Lazarus: But you've been hurt too.

[19:19] Craig Carnelia: Yes.

[19:22] Paul Lazarus: It's beginning to snow.

[19:24] Craig Carnelia: I know.

[19:25] Paul Lazarus: Here, take my coat.

[19:27] Craig Carnelia: No, both, there's room enough for both.

[19:33] Paul Lazarus: Love, you are love.

[19:37] Craig Carnelia: You are love.

[19:38] Paul Lazarus: Better far than a metaphor can ever be.

[19:45] Craig Carnelia: Love, you are love.

[19:48] Paul Lazarus: You are love.

[19:52] Craig Carnelia: My mystery of love.

[20:05] Paul Lazarus: Look, they've come back.

[20:07] Craig Carnelia: It's a miracle.

[20:08] Paul Lazarus: Let's take down the wall.

[20:09] Craig Carnelia: No, leave the wall. Remember, you must always leave the wall.

[20:15] Paul Lazarus: Deep in December, it's nice to remember.

[20:43] Paul Lazarus: September, that made us mellow deep in December, our hearts should remember and follow. And that concludes our playing of the Un-Original Cast Album of The Fantasticks to help celebrate its 25th birthday. And I'm sure it'll be around probably longer than all of us. I just want to thank once again everyone involved with the making of that tape. It was quite an experience. Just as a little grace note to the playing of that, I've put together a little bit of a fun series of clips of some of the moments you didn't hear from that recording session. And I thought it would give you a bit of an insight into what goes on behind the scenes here at Anything Goes. And it was great fun last Sunday assembling everyone at my house to make that recording. And I think this next little bit of tape will give you an insight into what actually went on last Sunday in making this album. Okay, we're rolling.

[22:08] Unknown speaker: Just think if they knew that we wanted them where? A prearranged marriage. They'd rather be dead. Children. Others. Fantastics. Peace. How clever we are. Threatening to know. To manipulate children. You merely say, no. I think we're, I forgot who's, which one of us is supposed to, do you do that? There you take one, roll it.

[22:53] Unknown speaker: When the moon was young, when the month was May. That was not going to work. It's a bluesy note. It's already always like that. Try and remember, insert. Deep in deep. Roll it. One more time. One more. Okay. And roll it. Start it.

[23:53] Unknown speaker: Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah Love, you are love better than a metaphor can ever be. Love, you are love glory above. Love, love, love. Love. Love. Did I hang over? Sorry. That's your last love, love, love, love, love. Okay, also. And we are rolling.

[24:35] Unknown speaker: This plum is too ripe. Sorry. Boy, blank out time. Just staring out the window. It always stays with you, I know. Take two, rolling. Shall we try again? Take two, rolling. This plum is too ripe. Sorry. Please don't watch me while I'm eating. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. You're about to drown that magnolia. Take 100. Drop. Outtakes from the recording session of the Fantastics unoriginal cast album.

[25:31] Paul Lazarus: Since we have a little extra time, we're able to feature composer Harvey Schmidt himself performing Moonlight No. 2 from Fantastics in Jazz, released by the Trotter Trio.

[26:12] ♪ Musical number: "Moonlight No. 2" — performed by Harvey Schmidt ♪

[30:21] Paul Lazarus: You've been listening to the conclusion of a two-part program we call The Fantastics Unoriginal Cast Album. Special thanks to Dan Shaheen for all his help with this podcast. Associate Producer Jeff Lunden. Anything Goes, backstage with Broadway's Best, is produced and hosted by Paul Lazarus. For more information, visit anythinggoespl.com. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to rate and follow us. Thanks for listening.