**** Recommended I really enjoyed the Dunes Arts Summer Theatre production of She Loves Me, a charming musical love story set in pre-war Budapest. The cast is strong, the production is well-staged, the music is light and melodic, and, of course, they live happily ever after! You’ll probably recognize the plot, you’ve seen it in You’ve Got Mail. After the beach, why not head to the theater. You’ll be glad you did. 4 Spotlights
As the clerks at Maraczek’s Parfumerie are getting ready for the shop to open, Georg Nowack (Tristan Haberland) shares a letter with his friend, Ladislov Sipos (Jake Busse). He’s thrilled with the letter from a ‘dear friend’ whom he ‘met’ through a lonely-hearts ad.
All conversations stop when Mr. Maraczek (Khyel Roberson) appears carrying a new product, a leather cigarette box. When Georg wonders how well it will sell, a bet is made, and the shop opens to customers (Danielle Bilderback, Skye Landess, Irene Lo, Kim Lampl, Emma Radtke). By the way, throughout the show, whenever a customer leaves the shop, the entire staff stops, bows and sings a farewell.
When a young woman, Amalia Balash (Kate Turner), comes in and asks to see Mr. Maraczek, Georg asks her what she wants. When he finds out she’s looking for a job, he tries to turn her away. Spotting the boxes, she rushes over to a customer, shows the the ‘candy’ and gives her a convincing sales pitch, No More Candy. Mr. Maraczek hires her on the spot.
As the story unfolds, we learn that there’s a lot of intrigue going on behind the scenes at Maraczek’s. Ilona Ritter (Emma Reigel) has had a relationship with Steven Kodaly (Tommy O’Brien), a ne’er-do-well ladies’ man for over a year, but lately he’s gone cool on the relationship. Although Ladislov shares the gossip, he tries to be invisible. Georg and Amalia argue all the time. Finally, although Mr. Maraczek and his wife had Georg over for dinner recently, he’s suddenly become very suspicious of Georg.
Georg sets a date and time to meet ‘Dear Friend’ who unbeknownst to him turns out to be Amalia. When Mr. Maraczek tells the staff to stay after work to decorate the shop for Christmas, Georg asks for the evening off but the boss fires him instead.
Carrying a rose in a copy of Anna Karenina, Amalia waits for her ‘dear friend’ who will have a rose in his lapel in the Café Imperial. In an over-the-top performance – with a Hungarian accent to boot – the Headwaiter (Danielle Bilderback) tries to set a mood by singing about A Romantic Atmosphere.
Mr. Maraczek fired Georg because he thought he was having an affair with his wife. When he learns the real culprit and fires Mr. Kodaly, he retaliates with a nasty song, Grand Knowing You. In despair over the affair, Mr. Maraczek tries to shoot himself. Delivery boy Arpad Laszlo (Jackson Mikkelson) hears the shot and rescues the boss.
Georg is reinstated – with an apology – just in time for the Christmas rush. Clerks and customers shine in Twelve Days to Christmas, a musical celebration of holiday shopping. And, of course, there’s a happily ever after for ‘dear friends’ Georg and Amalia.
She Loves Me, written by Joe Masteroff, with music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, is an adaptation of the 1937 play, Parfumerie, by Hungarian playwright, Miklós László. It followed earlier adaptations, a 1940 film, The Shop Around the Corner, and a 1949 musical, In the Good Old Summertime. She Loves Me premiered on Broadway in 1963, with revivals in 1993 and 2016.
Dunes Arts production is directed by Steve Scott with music direction by Katelyn Leonard-White, choreography by Danielle Bilderback. The set was designed by Michael Lasswell, costumes by Emily Chidalek.
She Loves Me runs through August 17th at Dunes Arts Summer Theatre, 288 Shady Oak Drive, Michigan City (Michiana Shores), IN. Parking is free. Running time is about two hours, 30 minutes, with an intermission. Performances: Fridays and Saturdays at 7:00 pm, Sundays at 2:00 pm. Tickets range from $30-$35. FYI (219) 879-7509 or www.dunesARTS.org
