When it was making the selection for the first show of its 50th season, the Ames Community Theater of Recreational Services board of directors knew it wanted to do a well known and well received musical.

“We wanted a wonderful popular musical, but one that didn’t use up all our resources,” said Stacy Brothers, third vice president in charge of artistic affairs for the ACTORS board.

“The Fantasticks,” the longest running musical in history, seemed like the perfect choice.

“I think it’s an ideal representation of what ACTORS can do; it’s the perfect showcase,” Brothers says. “I’m really glad we decided to go with it.”

Brothers says “The Fantasticks” was a good choice for a first show because it was interesting and did not overwork the cast and crew.

“It’s on a smaller scale, small band, smaller cast, smaller resources,” Brothers says.

The ACTORS staff say the studio is the perfect place to hold such an intimate show because of the setup of the theater.

Geri Derner, second vice president of the ACTORS board of directors says the nature of the studio’s setup, which is called a black box theater, makes it possible to create such a cozy atmosphere.

“Because of the black box theater, we can move the seating around to fit the performance,” Derner says.

Derner calls “The Fantasticks” an “in-your-face” show, with its cast of only eleven. She said she believes this cast to be a good mix of talented people.

Brothers agrees.

“This show has a good mix of young teens, people who are relatively green, but they get a great experience and give a great performance,” Brothers says.

Brothers commends the piano player who had played for “The Fantasticks” a couple times before, and, in her opinion, has a good feel for the music.

Although Brothers had never seen the show before choosing to perform it, she remembered hearing some of its musical numbers when she was a child.

“I remember hearing ‘Soon It’s Gonna Rain’ and ‘Try to Remember the Kind of September’ when I was young,” Brothers says. “But I guess I never put it together with the show.”

Along with the new talent, “The Fantasticks” also showcases some seasoned actors.

Lynn Lloyd, who plays Huckabee in the production, is a 26-year veteran of ACTORS. She was cast when Amanda Lloyd Julson, first director and Lloyd’s daughter, chose to make some adjustments to the production.

“Originally, the script called for two fathers, but my daughter replaced a father with a mother, she thought it was a better dynamic,” Lloyd says.

The story involves two teens who share a secret love, even though their parents are involved in a feud. They don’t know, however, that the feud was contrived by their parents to bring the teens together.

Lloyd thinks a single vital part of the production is a cast of children who play mutes that serve as prop hands for the rest of the cast members.

Julson also expanded that part from one adult to four children, to bring youth to the performance, Lloyd says.

When Julson’s pregnancy interfered with her ability to direct, ACTORS president Stan Rabe stepped in and Brothers offered to assist.

“Stan and I both have different strengths, so we were a good pair,” Brothers says.

“I think we were able to maintain Mandy’s vision.”

Brothers is very happy about the way “The Fantasticks” turned out.

“I was there on opening night last weekend, the crowd was huge, and I don’t want to sound corny, but it was fantastic,” Brothers says.

Brothers remains excited about the next two weekend’s performances, and believes “The Fantasticks” was definitely the right choice.

“It’s a sweet story, a fun story, and there’s a little lesson,” Brothers says. “It’s really about life and love.”

What: The Fantasticks

Where: ACTORS Studio

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday and

Saturday; 2 p.m. on Sunday

Cost: $18 adults, $15 for students and seniors