A fake family feud, two friends that become lovers and a planned abduction are just some of the situations encountered in the Repertory Theater musical The Fantasticks, which will open Thursday and continue through Saturday.

The musical, written by Tom Jones, includes many types of characters. Senior Trey Edwards will be performing the lead role of El Gallo.

“El Gallo is a very theatrical character so it’s great to go overboard with his movements and voice and have it still make sense for the character,” Edwards said.

Because El Gallo is Spanish, Edwards had to learn how to master this role, accent and moves included.

“To prepare, I did what I thought was Spanish dancing: moving around with hips and all,” Edwards said. “It’s just fun and gets me excited to get into character.”

Junior Emily Maddox’s character, Mute #1, was another challenging role.

“You have to concentrate and really think about your facial expressions and what are the appropriate reactions to certain things,” Maddox said. “ without showing bias.”

The show doesn’t have a set time period, and no exact set, except a couple of scaffolding structures.  In The Fantasticks, students may even recognize some familiar plot developments.

“Expect a Romeo and Juliet story with a scenic twist,” Maddox said.

Students from previous productions, such as seniors Tanner Rose and Karen Baltzley, and juniors Gabby Rehor and Brooke Golladay, will also be acting in The Fantasticks.

The play will be presented at 7 p.m., Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the Greg Parker Auditorium. Tickets will be available for $8 or free with an activity pass.

Story by Marlee Bell