By Breanne Sanders
Treat yourself to CenterPoint Legacy Theatre’s delightful rendition of She Loves Me just in time for St. Valentine’s Day. Set in an elegant 1930’s perfumery, She Loves Me follows the lives of the employees – the owner, Mr. Maraczeck (Darin Stites/Matthew T. Hewitt), the delivery boy, Arpad Laszlo (Drew Dunshee/Merick Masters-Rizzi), the on-again-off-again couple Ilona Ritter (Jordyn Tracy/Niki Waite Padilla) and Steven Kodaly (Ryan Bruckman/Jake Hart), the reliable if spineless Ladoslov Sipos (Chad Wilkinson/Rob Severinsen), and everyone’s favorite sales’ clerk, Mr. Georg Nowack (Ben Lowell/Meish Roundy). When Amalia Balash (Claire Glaittli/Mailee Halpin) is hired as a new clerk, she and Mr. Nowack seem to instantly dislike each other. She finds him rude and exasperating, and he finds her brash and annoying, nothing like the sophisticated Lonely Hearts Club pen pal he has fallen in love with.
The characters themselves feel like old friends the audience is catching up with, each with a distinct personality that shows in everything from their voices to their mannerisms. Glaittli as Amalia performs the high vocals beautifully and manages to mix in the perfect amount of snarky wit to keep her character unique. Lowell has a sweeping yet tender voice that makes Georg immediately endearing. Wilkinson as Mr. Sipos is a kindly confidant, the ever-supportive friend you always want on your side. These are the kind of people who “get the tilt of their hats right,” as Arpad (Masters-Rizzi) and Mr. Sipos agree, and their costumes (Tammis Boam) prove it. Each design is shining without being flashy, with shoes that match the color of each dress and suits and vests that befit the honored profession of sales’ clerk.
These friendly characters easily draw the audience into their world. In fact, the set design (Truxton Moulton) is so enchanting that I wanted to march onstage and purchase one of the brightly colored perfume bottles. No detail is forgotten in Maraczeck’s store, from the register and display cases, up the spiral staircase and all the way to the chandeliers and stained glass window. Out on the street in front of Maraczeck’s, the lampposts help to set the evening mood as the employees head home, or to their various dates. The lighting design (Collin Schmierer) adds to the mood as well, from the inviting warm light inside the perfumery, to the dim “romantic atmosphere” at the café, to the bright chaos the Christmas shoppers bring with them. Each shift in light is purposeful and appreciated, and blends right in with each flawless scene change.
Musical Direction by Brittaney Salazar and Choreography by Marilyn Montgomery maximize this talented group of actors direction and gives She Loves Me a professional touch. The voices are amazing and the intricate and entertaining dance numbers move the story along so much that I was sorry the show ended.
From the gleaming stars in the night sky background and the snow that floats into the first row of the audience to the marvelous directing (Shelby Ferrin) that recognizes both the timeless and unique aspects of this story, everything works together to transport the audience into another place and time. As stated in the director’s note, “She Loves Me has both sweetness and genuine substance.” Audience members will doubtlessly leave the show feeling both charmed and satisfied. She Loves Me is a deliciously sweet way to start the new year.
CenterPoint Legacy Theatre presents She Loves Me, book by Joe Masteroff, music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick.
CenterPoint Legacy Theatre 525 North 400 West, Centerville, Utah 84014
Jan 20 – Feb 18, 2023 Monday-Saturday 7:30 PM, Saturday Matinees 2:30 PM
Tickets – $19.00-$37.00
ASL Performance Saturday, January 28th, Matinee 2:30 PM, Certified Interpreter,
Ticket requests need to be made 48 hours in advance to ensure interpreters.
Contact: 801-298-1302
CenterPoint Theatre Website
CenterPoint Theatre Facebook Page
Photography by Kirsten Smith
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