She Loves Me

[theatreguy12]

Posted: 5/21/15 at 12:32am

In anticipation of the new revival coming next spring, did anyone see the production with Boyd Gaines back in the early 90s?

That is one of few cast recordings I bought without having seen the show, and I can honestly say I love it.  Why I bought it I can't remember.  But glad I did.

I fully intend to make a trip to NY next spring to catch the revival.

How many of you are fans of this show?

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 5/21/15 at 12:59am

I love this show so much, and am so excited it's making its way back to Broadway!!

[Fantod]

Posted: 5/21/15 at 1:07am

Really, Mr. Nowack? I always thought you had no opinion either way about the show.

 

/s

[JBroadway]

Posted: 5/21/15 at 1:55am

I've listened to the score a couple of times and I like it a lot. I'm excited to see the show live to get a better sense of it as a whole (rather than just the score).

[devonian.t]

Posted: 5/21/15 at 7:34am

I saw the London transfer 4 times- sublime musical comedy!

[Patash]

Posted: 5/21/15 at 7:47am

I love that show.  In fact my avatar is me playing the store owner (Marachek) in a production of it.  When our theatre did it, the time period was changed to early 1900's with very Belle Epoque sets and wonderful costumes.  It worked perfectly.  But oddly I think the main reason for the change was that we had recently done a plethora of musicals set in the 20s and 30s.   I think the song Ice Cream is one of the most delightful songs in musical theatre -- particularly when sung by the amazing Barbara Cook. 

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 5/21/15 at 8:04am

The perfect musical.

Updated On: 5/21/15 at 08:04 AM

[South Florida]

Posted: 5/21/15 at 8:07am

Wow Henrike.  Is this similar to the James Stewart film?

 

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 5/21/15 at 8:49am

I saw the Boyd Gaines version - it was very good. But the original cast was magic and is simply hard (if not impossible) to beat..

And yes, this is based on the Jimmy Stewart film - "The Little Shop Around the Corner" (which is based on a Hungarian film or play? "The Parfumerie.")

The film "You Got Mail" was an updated version...

Updated On: 5/21/15 at 08:49 AM

[LarryD2]

Posted: 5/21/15 at 8:56am

The 1993 Broadway revival was top-drawer all around. Boyd Gaines made an ideal Georg and deservedly won his second Tony, but the rest of the sparkling cast warrants mention, as well. Judy Kuhn (and later Diane Sutherland, who replaced her and recorded the cast album when Kuhn left to do SUNSET BLVD), Sally Mayes, Howard McGillin, Jonathan Freeman, Lee Wilkof and Louis Zorich couldn't have been better. I was lucky to be able to see the production four times during its yearlong run.

I'm very much looking forward to next year's revival.

[aj88]

Posted: 5/21/15 at 9:41am

I was too young to have seen the 1993 revival but I saw a regional production in the mid-90s. It was one of the first musicals I had seen performed....if I recall, I had seen Hello Dolly along with Me & My Girl and then She Loves Me was the third.

Even at a young age, I felt such a charming joy from the musical and the score stayed with me even if I didn't fully understand most of it (I was 7, I believe when I saw it).

As I got older, I was surprised at how little known the musical was. Sure, it had a lot of respect within the theatre industry but a lot of people never really knew it existed and in terms of Bock/Harnick musicals, it was overshadowed by Fiddler.

I would agree with Henrik that it is probably the closest I have come to finding "the perfect musical". 

I have seen two other productions of it since and all of them have been wonderful and by the end, it has me in joyous tears.

The score is truly wonderful and everything is woven together with such ease.

The fact that it is getting revived is something I have been longing for for the past few years, plus it will give more people a chance to see the show. When I was standing in the rush line at Something Rotten a few weeks ago, I was talking to a few people close to my age and younger...the topic came up about shows that were coming in and I said I was extremely excited for the revival of She Loves Me: none of them had heard of the show.

I think many people will be in for a treat if they give the show a chance.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 5/21/15 at 10:33am

I never get tired of singing She Loves Me's praises.

It has everything.  A lovable cast of characters.  Two leads (the quintessentially likable leading man opposite one of the greatest soprano roles ever created) that one can easily fall in love with and can't wait for them to do the same to each other (although, ironically, they already have but don't know it). 

It has real and intelligent romance.  In most shows, we are asked to take it on face value that the leads are in love.   OK.  They just are; accept it.   Not here.  There's no question of who exactly these people are and why they are meant for each other.  There's nothing shallow or perfunctory about their attachment.

A superb score that ranges from rapturous ballads to charm songs that are actually charming to comic gold.  A subplot with as engaging a supporting heroine as one could possibly hope for.  Uproariously funny scenes.  When done right, it has the best first and final curtains ever. 

If you like musicals with heart and wit and love a great show tune, how can you not love She Loves Me?

I enjoyed the 1993 revival very much but the best She Loves Me I've seen was the all-star-but-still-perfectly-cast Roundabout 2011 concert.

An irreproachable breakthrough performance from Josh Radnor (luckily, next season's Broadway Georg), Kelli O'Hara (bringing her all to Amalia in her best performance ever), Victor Garber (adorable and refined as Marachek), Gavin Creel (a debonair and sly Kodaly), Michael McGrath (a grounded and delightful Sipos), Rory O'Malley (there could be no better Laszlo, and his "Try Me," the second act opener, made one's heart soar).

As if that weren't enough, Jane Krakowski's Ilona was everything one could have asked from her and more.  

But there was more:  Peter Bartlett's Head Waiter!  One of those rare single scene performances that is so utterly delicious as to be (if eligible) worthy of a Tony (think Katie Finneran's Marge MacDougall). 

It was clear from start to finish that everyone on that stage was having the time of their lives.

I feel so lucky to have been there.  It was as close to seeing God as one could get watching a musical.  It reinforced my unmitigated conclusion that - in the right hands - there is no more enjoyable, no more emotionally intoxicating show than She Loves Me.

Updated On: 5/21/15 at 10:33 AM

[Anshel2]

Posted: 5/21/15 at 10:41am

Don't forget In The Good Old Summertime with Judy and Van.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 5/21/15 at 10:46am

I saw the '93 revival and own the recording. Top drawer production all the way...and Howard McGillin & Boyd Gaines in the same show? Amazing! Glad it's circling it's way back to the Great White Way.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/21/15 at 10:49am

The 1993 revival was perfection. The show is a confection. The original cast is flawless.

I believe I memorized the entire show when I was young, simply by listening to the 2-LP set over and over.

And then there's this:

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/21/15 at 10:53am

Kelli O'Hara as Amalia

Josh Radnor as Georg

Victor Garber as Mr. Maraczek

Gavin Creel as Kodaly

Jane Krakowski as Ilona

Michael McGrath as Sipos

Rory O'Malley as Arpad

Peter Bartlett as the Headwaiter

 

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 5/21/15 at 10:55am

OMG, Joey, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!

[devonian.t]

Posted: 5/21/15 at 11:16am

You just made my afternoon- no, month!

[Jarethan]

Posted: 5/21/15 at 11:34am

I also saw a performance at Town Hall with Madelyn Kahn, Barry Bostwick and Rita Moreno in the late 80s.  It was terrific, although I have always hated Madelyn Kahn's singing voice (I thought it was screechy and you never knew where it was going next).  Barry's Bostwick was a perfect George.

It is absolutely one of my favorite shows from over 50 (ugh) years of theatre going.  The score is perfection and the production at the original Roundabout was as close to magic as is possible.  We were in the first row and, during 'She Loves Me', Boyd Gaines seemed like he was floating on air in describing his bliss.  

There was also a TV show somewhere in the 80s that was also wonderful, despite serious cuts to fit into a 90 minute time slot.  I have tried to find it to purchase it, but no luck.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/21/15 at 11:36am

This one, from the BBC? It was shown on PBS here in 1978.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/21/15 at 11:37am

Georg Nowack: Robin Ellis
Amalia Balash: Gemma Craven
Ladislov Sipos: Peter Sallis
Steven Kodaly: David Kernan
Ilona Ritter: Diane Langton
Mr. Maraczek: Derek Smith
Arpad Laszlo: Nigel Rathbone

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/21/15 at 11:50am

Saw the original production with Barbara Cook and Daniel Massey 'way back when.  Caught the revival with Boyd Gaines and Judy Kuhn about four or five times.  

 

Is it true that Laura Benanti has been announced to play Amalia this time around?

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 5/21/15 at 2:15pm

Yes.  The upcoming revival will star Laura Benanti and Josh Radnor.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 5/21/15 at 2:28pm

My parents saw the London revival with Ruthie Henshall and couldn't stop raving about it.  I adore this show and I'm really looking forward to this production.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 5/21/15 at 8:48pm

I don't remember the PBS Great Performances at all...thank you so much for sharing. I can't say I know anyone in the cast but it's still fun. And then to have Barbara Cook being interviewed is just fabulous.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for both versions...

 

Updated On: 5/21/15 at 08:48 PM