By Les Spindle for Backstage West
Operetta-flavored, jewel-box musical
Like finding a heart-shaped box of scrumptious bon-bons under your Christmas tree

Sweet violin strains highlight an effervescent overture, sending instant notice that something special is in store. This 1963 operetta-flavored, jewel-box musical from composer Jerry Bock and lyricist Sheldon Harnick (Fiddler on the Roof) premiered in an era of splashy blockbusters and was largely overlooked. Its durable virtues are quite evident in Musical Theatre West's production, which is greatly satisfying despite some glitches. The enchanting book by Joe Masteroff (Cabaret) is based on the 1940 Ernst Lubitsch film classic The Shop Around the Corner, set in an Eastern European cosmetics boutique in the 1930s. Two combative shop employees, Georg (John Bisom) and Amalia (Teri Bibb), are unaware that they are communicating anonymously in a lonely-hearts correspondence. What will happen when they discover the truth?

Director/choreographer Jamie Rocco makes us care about that outcome via his casting of two charismatic leads. Repeating a role she understudied and sometimes played in the 1993 Broadway revival, Bibb elicits magic from the exquisite ballads (especially the Barbara Cook immortalized "Vanilla Ice Cream") and delivers a delightfully saucy characterization. She shares a sparkling chemistry with Bisom, who delivers a most captivating performance. His rendition of the buoyant title song boasts an irresistible Gene Kelly Singin' in the Rain type flair. Supporting performances are likewise splendid: Nils Anderson's cantankerous yet lovable shop owner Maraczek, Adam Wylie's wily delivery boy Arpad, Ira Denmark's kindly milquetoast clerk Sipos, Christina Saffran Ashford's daffy Ilona part Marilyn Monroe and part Georgia Engel and Stan Chandler's womanizing cad Kodaly. Chandler redeems his stiff early moments in the hilarious farewell number, "Grand Knowing You."

On opening night, the show clearly needed some fine-tuning. What should be a lighter-than-air pace occasionally felt sluggish during the first act. The single big dance number, "A Romantic Atmosphere," lacked sufficient zest. Michael Borth's music direction serves the lush score well, but the orchestra sometimes overpowers the lyrics. The production is stylishly mounted, with fine work from scenic designer William Forrester, costumer Todd K. Proto, and lighting designer Steven Young. All in all, this holiday-themed confection is like finding a heart-shaped box of scrumptious bon-bons under your Christmas tree.

"She Loves Me," presented by Musical Theatre West at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center, 6200 Atherton St., Long Beach. Thu.-Fri. 8 p.m., Sat. 2 & 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. (Also Sun. Nov. 14, 7 p.m.). Nov. 6-21. $20-47.
(562) 856-1999, ext. 4.

11/11/2004

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