Photo by M. Enriquez for Visit Alexandria
Little Theatre of Alexandria
Tickets go on sale Thursday, Sept. 17, for The Little Theatre of Alexandria’s production of the romantic musical comedy “She Loves Me,” which runs Oct. 17 through Nov. 7.
Set in a 1930s European perfumery, the show follows two shop clerks who can barely stand each other at work — and who have no idea that the anonymous pen pals they’ve each fallen for through a lonely-hearts ad are, in fact, one another.
The musical has a book by Joe Masteroff, who also wrote “Cabaret,” with music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, the team behind “Fiddler on the Roof.” It’s adapted from the same 1937 Hungarian play, Miklós László’s “Parfumerie,” that gave us “The Shop Around the Corner” and, later, “You’ve Got Mail.”
Mitchell Aiello directs and choreographs. “She Loves Me is the truest definition of a romantic comedy,” Aiello said in the theater’s production announcement. “It is warm, character-driven and overflowing with heart.”
The cast
Shelby Young plays Amalia Balash and Antony Galace plays Georg Nowack, the sparring clerks at the center of the story. They’re joined by Maura Lacy as Ilona Ritter, Brandon Schenk as Steven Kodaly, Michael McGovern as Ladislav Sipos, Phil Krzywicki as Mr. Maraczek and Mylo Cluff as Arpad Laszlo.
Also in the cast: Stephen Yednock as the Head Waiter, Evan Arellano as the Bus Boy and understudy for Kodaly, Dale Dwyer as Mr. Keller, and Jordan Lohmeyer as understudy for Amalia. The ensemble includes Lori Bonnette, Alicia Braxton, Rachael Fine, Gavin Hubbard, Jennifer Thomas and Brett Womack.
The production mixes returning LTA performers with seven actors making their debuts on the Wolfe Street stage.
The production team
Isabel Hernandez-Cata is music director and Eleanore Tapscott produces, with Cassie Cope as assistant producer. Julie Fischer designed the set, Ari McSherry the lighting and Alan Wray the sound. Farrell Hartigan and Juliana DiFrancesco designed costumes, Diana Almeida makeup and hair. Monique Morman and Alais Reiter stage manage.
If you go
“She Loves Me” runs Oct. 17 through Nov. 7 at The Little Theatre of Alexandria, 600 Wolfe St. Performances are Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.
Tickets go on sale Thursday, Sept. 17, and are $36, plus a $4 service charge, for a total of $40. Season subscriptions are also available and waive the per-ticket service fee. The box office can be reached at 703-683-0496 or boxoffice@thelittletheatre.com.
