by Claire DeMarco
“I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” is not a traditional musical comedy with a plot, but rather a series of vignettes. These storylines cover the many stages of love and relationships, including, but not limited to, early dating, marriage, marriage with children, marriage forever, and divorce.
In this production, nine actors play multiple parts. The actors are Dylan Beasley, Christa Brook, Elena Falgione, Ivy Ferris, Rebecca Godlove, Mike Leahy, Kristin Pacelli, Brock Stanley, and Audrey Wells.
With nineteen scenes in a fast-paced show, we watch interpretations of love and life relationships and how they change and evolve over time.
“Funerals Are for Dating” finds two people alone in a funeral home, proving that love can be found in the most unexpected places.
“The Family that Drives…” features the song “On the Highway of Love.” It presents a madcap, yet probably not exaggerated, skit of a family traveling together – kids fighting in the back seat, mom carrying some precious concoction she’s made (in a plastic container, of course).
“Scared Straight” spoofs the dating game for those over 30 with a skit set in a prison. One of the inmates is a single person looking for love.
This is just a tease of the many comedic scenes in this entertaining and well-done production of a popular off-Broadway musical comedy.
Note: The entire cast is excellent. All nine actors play a multitude of characters of varying ages with unique personalities. Coordination between and among the players is critical and successful. In addition to their acting chops, they are all excellent singers.
Elena Falgione is a dynamo in “The Very First Dating Video of Rosie Ritz! Her characterization of a recently divorced woman recording a video with a dating service is comedy at its best. Her timing, great comedic timing (and a little too much wine), makes this performance a showstopper.
Stanley’s facial expressions and mannerisms are excellent. His take as a prisoner in “Scared Straight” is both scary and funny. His smile becomes almost sinister, in a Jack Nicholson “Shining” sort of way, as he presents his credentials as a potential match in the dating game.
Ferris is delightful as the too-busy girl in ‘Not Tonight, I’m Busy, Busy, Busy,’ trying to justify why she wants to skip past the first date because she has ‘better things to do’.
Pacelli and Leahy complement one another in “Lasagna Incident”. As a dating couple, both awkwardly attempt to take their relationship to the next level. Leahy is convincing as the backward, clumsy suitor, while Pacelli offers a solution by inviting him to dinner for lasagna. Pacelli sums up the upcoming evening with a beautifully sung version of “I Will Be Loved Tonight”.
Caught in a funeral home, Wells plays a shy woman who becomes the target of a flirtatious, talkative man (Stanley). As a widow, her demeanor is at first cautious. She rapidly warms up to the prospect of involvement with this talkative widower as they spend the afternoon in the funeral home. The scene ends with them both singing “I Can Live with That” with gusto.,
The Studio of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall is a perfect location for this production.
“I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” Book and Lyrics by Joe DiPietro—music by Jimmy Roberts.
The set is simplistic with a few handheld props and chair rearrangements when necessary.
Kudos to Director Connor McCanlus and Choreographer Victor Aponte.
-CED
“I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” runs May 9 to May 18th at The Studio of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, Carnegie, PA. For tickets and additional information, click here.
I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time. ( I thought my friend was going to fall off his chair at one point).
Full disclosure, I have known and loved the choreographer since he was in college with my son, Connor. The show was great fun from beginning to the end. Bravo!
Proud Mum