She Loves Me, one of the classic musicals of Broadway’s Golden Age, is receiving a rapturous production at the Long Wharf Theatre. The show is based on the 1937 play Parfumerie (and the basis for the 1940 film, The Shop Around the Corner; the 1949 movie, The Good Old Summertime; and 1998's You've Got Mail). She Loves Me has one of the most melodic and tuneful scores ever written for the stage and the cast deliver the songs with powerful and luxurious voices.
The plot centers around Maraczek’s, a parfumerie boutique in 1930’s Budapest. The employees, under the proprietorship of Zolton Maraczek, are a tight-knit group. There is Georg Nowak, the hard-working, determined assistant manager; Steven Kodaly, an urbane, rascally womanizer; Ilona Ritter, a disillusioned clerk looking for love; Ladislav Sipos, a long-time, sullen staff member; and Arpad Laszlo, a young, eager delivery boy. Enter Amalia Balash, who finagles a position at the shop, much to the chagrin of Mr. Nowak. The two bicker and are quarrelsome. However, we quickly learn, and unbeknownst to each other, have had an ongoing pen pal relationship where they met through a lonely hearts ad in the newspaper.
Their letters are the precursor to what could be an eventual meeting and romantic relationship. The question – will they or won’t they? And, how will the goings-on at the shop effect their amorous rapport?
The music by Jerry Bock is lustrous, combining delicately structured ballads, heartfelt numbers, and comedic gems. Under the direction of Musical Director Miles Plant, with a Sound Design by Alex Neumann, the four musicians, give the songs a joyous, lively delivery. The lyrics by Sheldon Harnick are elegantly written, conveying unfeigned emotions. They are tightly structured, providing well-appointed chronicles of the character’s everyday lives. The following year their partnership reached its zenith with the musical Fiddler on the Roof.
Director Jacob G. Padron, who also serves as Artistic Director of the Long Wharf Theatre, applies sure-handed guidance to the production. The pacing proceeds at a fluid pace, either with a few performers or with the entire cast. His work is helped immensely by Scenic Designer Emmie Finckel’s moveable display counters that allows for a swift transformation of the small-sized performance space.
Long Wharf Theatre’s new mission is to take theater to different locales in the Greater New Haven area. Last year, their award-winning production of Arthur Miller’s A View From the Bridge was set at the Canal Dock boathouse overlooking the Thames River. For She Loves Me, Finckel has converted the gymnasium at the The Lab at ConnCORP in Hamden, CT into a gorgeously rendered, jewel-box sized theater.
The acting corps is superb, led by Julius Thomas III. His low-key, sometimes baffled demeanor perfectly captures the deportment of Georg Nowak. Alicia Kaori’s portrayal of Amalia Balash is sometimes too petulant, but her singing is exquisite, which is rewarding for the audience since many of the best songs in the show are sung by her character. Graham Stevens’ Steven Kodaly is suitably knavish. Mariano Torres imbues her character of Ilona Ritter with just the right amount of flirtation and umbrage. Danny Bolero as the dour clerk, Ladislav Sipos; and Felix Torrez-Ponce as the delivery boy Arpad Laszlo, provide the most gratifying portrayals of the show. Raphael Nash Thompson is satisfying as Mr. Maraczek. Special acknowledgement goes to the four-person ensemble that enlivens every scene they are in.
Jiyoun Chang’s Lighting Design adds a festiveness to the production, especially the constantly changing colored globes above the stage. Sarita P. Fellows Costume Designs are beautifully executed and period appropriate. And those shoes!
She Loves Me, a show to be embraced, playing through December 30. Click here for dates, times, and ticket information.
