Love and loss. Comedy and tragedy. Song and dance. “The Fantasticks” is an over-the-top story about young love maturing over time that has been giving audiences just about everything they could want for 40 years. Few musicals have had the long-term success of “The Fantasticks.” With over 11,000 productions in the United States in 3,000 cities and towns in all 50 states, 700 foreign productions in 68 countries, the end of the line is still far from sight. Now, the musical will make its way to Iowa State as ISU Theater kicks off its production of the show tonight. “The Fantasticks” has been described as a veritable Rock of Gibraltar on the theatrical landscape. The musical opened off-Broadway in 1960; last spring marked its 40th anniversary. After a roller coaster ride of criticism, “The Fantasticks” became one of the first musicals to release an original cast recording. The album still sells, and “The Fantasticks” has managed to imbed itself deeply in American pop culture. Its songs have become as deeply ingrained in the hearts and minds of Americans as “The National Anthem.” They include “Try to Remember,” “Soon It’s Gonna Rain” and “Much More.” The musical’s simplicity has aided its longevity by using only five instruments, but the orchestra makes the most of each note highlighting each one for every bit of comedic nuance. Over the years, “The Fantasticks” has launched the careers of thousands of actors including Anna Maria Alberghetti, Richard Chamberlain, Elliott Gould, Bert Lahr, Liza Minnelli, Jerry Orbach, F. Murray Abraham, Glenn Close and the most recent “El Gallo,” Robert Goulet who headed up the national tour. The production is directed by Eve Himmelheber, assistant professor of theater (music), who said the audience can expect a lot of bad acting – intentional bad acting – romance, comedy and tears. “It’s appropriate for all family members,” Himmelheber said. “The worst thing said is `dammit’ and `ass’ as in `jackass.'” According to Himmelheber, the rehearsal process has been more “condensed” than mid-season productions. “The rehearsal process has been really short,” she said. “We only had five weeks on this. The actors had the parts all summer so they could work on memorizing lines, and we’ve been holding simultaneous rehearsals so I can be staging in one space, and Dave Byrd can be working commedia and acting in another space while Kelly Bartlett is working dance and movement someplace else.” Himmelheber also said this production uses more students on the production side than past performances. “We usually use a lot of students in design,” she said. “This time, it’s all students except for Jim Tremberth [production manager] and Paul Pisano [music director]. It’s a hoot. We’re having a good time.” Himmelheber said she would like to see more students working in theatrical production, and, though there are many challenges, the rewards are high. “I think we’ve got to give more students a chance to work at the production level,” she said, “because a lot of them will make great livings at it, but with actors it’s like `Do you want fries with that?'” Iowa State’s own Robert Goulet, Sean Kehoe, senior in performing arts and political science, will be trodding the boards in the Fisher theater production of “The Fantasticks” as the narrator, El Gallo. This is Kehoe’s eleventh play and the actor said these things just keep getting easier. “It gets easier in the sense that you know what’s going on, but harder in the sense that you find more to do, to work at as an actor,” he said. Though the rehearsal process has been much tighter on “The Fantasticks” than he is accustomed to, Kehoe said it has been a very positive experience. “The rehearsal process has been great,” he said. “We’ve had a short time to work on it, but Eve has been very organized, and everyone on the directing staff has been very eager to get things done. Eve is a little different than what I’m used to working with; she’s more of a director than an acting coach.” Melissa Larsen, junior in performing arts, plays Luisa, a young ing‚nue who learns true love is more about loving someone than it is about “being in love.” This will be Larsen’s fifth Iowa State production and according to Larsen, it’s been taking its toll. “Until the last week it’s been pretty good,” she said. “Now we’re all getting pretty worn out, but the last couple of days things have been picking up.” Larsen said the pressure of rehearsals has been intense, but as with all productions, things always pick up as opening night approaches. “Once the lights go up and you’ve got your costumes on, it’s a lot easier to find your character. It’s like a game,” she said. Larsen said, “The Fantasticks” will offer theater patrons and neophytes a show like none other. “It’s gonna be a fun show,” she said. “A lot of people are scared to go to theater shows, but this one is very accessible. It’s over-the-top at times, but that makes it easier to really let yourself feel with the characters after the release of laughter.”