Tom Jones, Creator of 'The Fantasticks,' Dead at 95

Tom Jones, the lyricist, director, and writer of the longest-running musical — "The Fantasticks" — has died at age 95 following a battle with cancer.

The news was confirmed by Dan Shaheen, a co-producer of "The Fantasticks," who revealed that Jones died Friday at his home in Sharon, Connecticut, according to the New York Post.

"The Fantasticks" is based on a play by Edmond Rostand and tells a mock version of "Romeo and Juliet," with a young girl and boy, secretly brought together by their fathers, and an assortment of characters.

Since its inception, the show has featured a wide range of actors, from its original cast in 1960, which included Jerry Orbach and Rita Gardner, to the likes of Ricardo Montalban and Kristin Chenoweth, and recent guests like "Frozen" star Santino Fontana.

In 1991, the performance received Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre, and in 1998, Jones was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame.

"So many people have come, and this thing stays the same — the platform, the wooden box, the cardboard moon," Jones told The Associated Press in 2013 in reference to the show's simple set. "We just come and do our little thing and then we pass on."

For almost 42 years, the production continued its run at the Sullivan Street Playhouse, a 153-seat venue located in Greenwich Village. Its impressive streak concluded in 2002 after staging 17,162 performances.

Subsequently, in 2006, "The Fantasticks" secured a new residency at The Snapple Theater Center, later renamed The Theater Center. This off-Broadway complex was conveniently located at the heart of Times Square.

The year 2013 marked a significant milestone for the show as it celebrated its 20,000th performance. Ultimately, the curtains fell on the production in 2017, sealing its status as the longest-running production of any kind in American theater, accumulating a total of 21,552 performances.

"My mind doesn't grasp it, in a way," Jones said. "It's like life itself — you get used to it and you don't notice how extraordinary it is. I'm grateful for it and I'm astonished by it."

Jones is survived by two sons, Michael and Sam.

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