Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Harper Joy Theatre is closing its 2008-2009 season with a musical comedy that reviewers are prescribing as an antidote to the news – “a complete escape.”

“She Loves Me,” a musical for the entire family, is presented by HJT and the Whitman College Department of Music Thursday, May 7, through Sunday, May 11; and Thursday May 21, Friday, May 22, and Saturday, May 23. Performances are at 8 p.m., except for Sunday, May 11, when curtain time 2 p.m. Tickets and information are available at the box office, 509 527-5180. (The performance on May 23 is a fundraiser for the drama club, and season tickets and Whitman passes will not be accepted for this performance.)

“She Loves Me” has been presented on the HJT stage twice before, in 1966 and in 1987. Director Nancy Simon says she is delighted to be directing this version. “I have always adored this little jewel of a musical and I think its story of simple people seeking happiness despite hard times reverberates for us today.”

Set in an elegant parfumerie in 1930’s Budapest, this play tells the story of two clerks, George and Amalia, who spend their days squabbling, unaware that they are passionate pen pals at night, having both answered the same lonely hearts ad.

This musical is the fifth adaptation of the play “Parfumerie” by Hungarian playwright Milos Laszlo. James Stewart and Margaret Sullivan starred in the 1940 movie version, “The Shop around the Corner,” and in 1949 Judy Garland and Van Johnson made the musical version, “In the Good Old Summertime.” It surfaced again in 1998 as the Tom Hanks-Meg Ryan feature “You’ve Got Mail.”

The creative team for this adaptation are Joe Masteroff, Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock.

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CONTACT: Lenel Parish, Whitman College News Service, (509) 527-5156
parishlj@whitman.edu