By Shannon Cornaby
Arts Express’s production of She Loves Me at the Berger Performing Arts Center in Tucson, Arizona is a fun show for the whole family. With book by Joe Masteroff, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and music by Jerry Bock, based on the 1937 play Parfumerie by Miklós László, She Loves Me is as timely now as when it first became a hit. She Loves Me initially premiered on Broadway in 1963, and has enjoyed several successful revivals, including the most recent in 2016 starring Laura Benanti and Zachary Levi. Director Chris Will has coordinated a stellar cast and colleagues for his production in Tucson, and presents a charming window into the golden age of Broadway.
As the lush sounds of the live orchestra led by Music Director Mike Padilla fill the theater, a violin solo (Jennifer Bliss) soars as a counterpoint to the movement of actors onstage. Georg Nowack (Jeremy Vega) and Amalia Balash (Jodi Darling) pantomime writing letters to each other, which are passed and delivered in clever staging through the growing crowd of ensemble citizens on the streets of Budapest. The two are pen pals in a lonely hearts club—in love with each other on the page, but soon to be quarreling coworkers in a perfume shop owned by Mr. Maraczek (Jesus Limon).
The other clerks in the shop, Ladislav Sipos (Jose “Chach” Snook), Ilona Ritter (Danae Dorame), and Steven Kodaly (Kit Runge) along with delivery boy Arpad Laszlo (Conner Taylor) bid each other “Good Morning, Good Day” as they contemplate stealing away from work for a picnic. Alas, work calls, and they open the shop with a moving panel from Set Designer Michael Dunn that is both attractive to the eye and functional. The costumes, designed by Megan Wiese, from tailored suits and hats to glamorous gowns, evoke the time period of the 30s and immerse the audience in the “Romantic Atmosphere.”
Darling portrays Amalia with both verve and tenderness. She holds her own with customers, coworkers, and bosses while showing a vulnerability in “Will He Like Me?” that will break your heart. Then she shows off her operatic voice and physical agility in the showstopper “Vanilla Ice Cream.”
Meanwhile, Vega gives Georg a corresponding wide range of emotions from awkward to frustrated to jubilant. His vocals and comedic timing are impeccable, particularly in “Tonight at Eight” and the title song “She Loves Me.”
Snook plays Sipos with a sincerity that made me visualize his whole backstory. Runge is perfect as the oily Kodaly, untrustworthy but with a rumba that will change your mind. Not to mention a falsetto and vocal range that fits right in with the rest of the cast. Dorame makes Ilona’s character all her own—owning the stage while she’s at it. Her big moment in rejecting Kodaly for good has the audience seeing red, with a little help from Lighting Designer Michael Sorensen. Limon gives us a Maraczek who is playful, jealous, remorseful, and optimistic by turns. He’s a man full of life who won’t be kept down. Taylor’s Arpad is youth incarnate. His exuberance and hopefulness, culminating in his plea to “Try Me,” provide a sweetness to balance some of the more jaded characters. His flourishes announcing the passing of time were one of my favorite parts of the show.
Along with the sweet, we get a little spice from the big ensemble number in the Café Imperiale. Danny Fapp as the head waiter is snootiness from bow tie to oxfords, while Eric Aranda as the busboy (and later as Ilona’s optometrist boyfriend) adds his dance skills and comedic characterization to choreography by Simone Jolivet Manuel. The rest of the ensemble delivers, whether as customers, carolers, or diners. They move through a whirlwind of shopping, singing, and dancing without a single misstep.
After a series of errors, Georg and Amalia eventually fall in love, and I fell in love with the show as well. She Loves Me is Arts Express’s love letter to classic musical comedy. It’s a great way for families, dates, and all romantics at heart to kick off the fall holiday season at the Berger Performing Arts Center.
Arts Express’s Berger Performing Arts Center presents She Loves Me, Book by Joe Masteroff, Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, Music by Jerry Bock.
Berger Performing Arts Center, 1200 W Speedway, Tucson, Arizona 85629
Friday, October 18, 2019, 7:00 PM, October 20, 2019, 2:00 PM
Tickets: $24 General, $19 Senior (65+)/Military, $15 Students, $10 Children (12 & under)
Ticket prices increase by $5 at the door
With a Special Saddlebrooke performance at DesertView Performing Arts Center, 39900 S Clubhouse Dr, Tucson, Arizona 85739
Wednesday, October 16, 2019, 7:00 PM
DesertView Performing Arts Center Ticketing
Contact: info@arts-express.org, 520-319-0400
Arts Express Facebook Page
DesertView Performing Arts Center Facebook Page
She Loves Me Facebook Event Page
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