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She Loves Me by Lamplighters Theatre  Long before Internet dating services spread across
cyberspace, even before there were movies like You’ve Got Mail (which,
not coincidentally, was inspired from this show), people in lonely-hearts clubs
actually took a piece of stationery along with a writing utensil (like a pen or
pencil) and wrote letters to each other using anonymous names.
In the case of the romantic musical comedy She Loves Me, Georg Nowack and Amalia Balash have known each other only as “Dear Friend” for months. What they don’t know is that they are now working right under each other’s noses in a little Budapest perfumery, and aren’t exactly “friendly” with each other at all after getting off on the wrong foot. Lamplighters Theatre in La Mesa opened Valentine’s Day weekend with this simple but charming little musical filled with entertaining songs and clever lyrics. The cast is led by some fine vocalists including soprano Bebe Brodie as Amalia Balash who really gets to demonstrate her range and ability when singing the glories of Vanilla Ice Cream. George Bailey gives an amusing performance as namesake Georg Nowack whose bitterness with Amalia and deep love for “Dear Friend” come to a head when he realizes the two people are one in the same. But it’s coworker Ilona Ritter (Teri Brown) who gets the best lines, and they couldn’t be in better hands. Teri’s natural sense of comic timing, facial expressions, body language, and a gorgeous, belting voice come shining through as Ilona “resolves” not to be quite so … um … accommodating every time a handsome man flirts with her. Especially when it comes to sleazy, smooth-talking playboy and fellow salesperson Steven (played so hilariously and sleazily by Dave Rivas). That resolve lasts all of a day or so before she takes A Trip to the Library. The rest of the cast offers fine performances including Mark Loveless as stressed storeowner Mr. Maraczek, Billy Stevens as young delivery boy Arpad who pines to be a salesclerk as demonstrated in his desperate sales-pitch song Try Me, quiet but plotting older salesman Ladislav (Jim Granby), a musically inclined Head Waiter (Steven Jensen) who likes to add a little romance for his guests and has a quick temper with people who break the romantic spell, and a number of singing, perfume-shopping shoppers (including a beautifully subtle performance by G.G. the dog) who procrastinate a bit too long on their Christmas buying in Twelve Days to Christmas. It all adds up to a pretty entertaining evening of singing, comedy, and romance.Performs through March 14, 2004.
~ Cast ~
Amalia Balash: Bebe Brodie Georg Nowack: George Bailey Ilona Ritter: Teri Brown Steven Kodaly: Dave Rivas Ladislav Sipos: Jim Granby Mr. Maraczek: Mark Loveless Arpad Laszlo: Billy Stevens Mr. Keller: James Maples Head Waiter: Steven Jensen G.G. the dog: Herself Ensemble: Lia Metz Michelle Millum Anthony Moreno Sarah Vincelett Irene Marcelino Director: D. Larry Steckling Musical Director and Accompanist: Dan Greenbush Choreographer: Chrissy Burns Stage Manager: Thomas McCreary Set Designer: Gordon Jones Lighting Designer: Chris Warner Sound Designers: Michael Shapiro and Bob Eisele Costumer: Dee Quiroz |