Wagner College Theatre continues its 2019-20 season with the charming, romantic musical “She Loves Me,” with performances Nov. 14-17 and Nov. 21-24 in the Main Hall auditorium.
In “She Loves Me,” a manager of a cosmetic store in Budapest and a young sales clerk under his supervision dislike each other in person, but fall in love with each other through anonymous correspondence.
“She Loves Me” is a musical adaptation of the Hungarian-American playwright Miklos Laszlo’s play “Parfumerie” (1937), which was later adapted into a 1940 film with James Stewart, “The Shop Around the Corner,” and a musical film with Judy Garland, “In the Good Old Summertime.” The story is best known to today’s audiences from its adaptation as the 1988 film with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, “You’ve Got Mail.”
An intimate and touching show featuring music by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick (“Fiddler on the Roof”) and book by Joe Masteroff (“Cabaret”), “She Loves Me” was originally directed by legendary director Harold Prince. One of the most beloved scores by Bock and Harnick, “She Loves Me” features some of theater’s most beautiful songs, including “Will He Like Me?,” “She Loves Me” and “Vanilla Ice Cream,” among many others.
Wagner College Theatre’s “She Loves Me” is directed and choreographed by Andrew Glant-Linden (WCT’s “Guys and Dolls” and “Brigadoon”), with music direction by Logan Medland (WCT debut).
Wagner’s production features Sydney Chow (Amalia), Aaron Frongillo (Georg Nowack), Justin Flores (Stephen Kodaly), Emily Barkovic (Ilona Ritter), Drew Matthews (Ladislav Sipos), Ross Coughlin (Arpad) and Brendan Hale (Mr. Maraczek). The ensemble features Jamie Baio, Matthew Ballow, Liam Blanchard, Alexandra DeAngelis, Ian Dembek, Claire Dempsey, Emily Fitzgerald, Madison Laferr, Anthony LoGrande, Emily Moreno, Lindy Pokorny, Fiona Sweeney and William Wallace.
The creative team includes Phill Hickox (scenic design), Polly Kendrick (costume design), Vicki Neal (lighting design), Concetta Aronowitz (sound design), Emily Taylor (props master) and Joanna Catalano (wig and makeup design). Cameron Russell is production stage manager.
The Broadway production, which opened April 23, 1963 at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre running 322 performances, starred Barbara Cook, Daniel Massey, Jack Cassidy and Barbara Baxley. The Roundabout Theatre Company staged two successful Broadway revivals in 1994 (starring Boyd Gaines and Judy Kuhn) and 2016 (starring Laura Benanti and Zachary Levi).
Wagner College Theatre previously presented “She Loves Me” in 1987 featuring WCT alums Stefania Cardinali, Bonnie Brennan, Danny Sclafani and Charlie Siedenburg. Wagner will host a “She Loves Me” reunion of the 1987 cast and crew on Friday, Nov. 15 at 8 p.m.
Performances of “She Loves Me” are Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m., with matinees Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. Located in Main Hall, the Wagner College Theatre box office can be contacted at 718-390-3259 or boxoffice@wagner.edu. Wagner College Theatre box office hours are Monday through Friday, 12 to 4 p.m. Single tickets are on sale with price ranges for children, senior and adult tickets. Wagner College students attend free with current ID.
