She Loves Me
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She Loves Me is a musical with a book by Joe Masteroff, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and music by Jerry Bock.
It is the third adaptation of the play Parfumerie by Hungarian playwright Miklos Lazslo, following the 1940 James Stewart-Margaret Sullavan film The Shop Around the Corner and the 1949 Judy Garland-Van Johnson musical version In the Good Old Summertime. (It would surface yet again in 1998 as the Tom Hanks-Meg Ryan feature You've Got Mail.) The plot revolves around Budapest shop employees Georg Nowack and Amalia Balash who, constantly at odds with each other at work, are unaware that each is the other's secret pen pal met through lonely-hearts ads.
Other employees include Ilona Ritter, whose unfortunate romantic liaisons include one with fellow worker and ladies' man Steven Kodaly; cocky Kodaly, whose conquests include the boss' wife; Georg's friend Ladislav Sipos; and young messenger Arpad Laszlo, who dreams of being promoted to clerk. Overseeing them is shop owner Mr. Maraczek, whose faith in Georg is shattered when he is led to believe it is he rather than Kodaly who is involved with his wife, a misconception that nearly leads to tragedy.
After one preview, the Broadway production, directed by Harold Prince and choreographed by Carol Haney, opened on April 23, 1963 at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, where it ran for 302 performances. The cast included Daniel Massey as Georg, Barbara Cook as Amalia, Barbara Baxley as Ilona, Jack Cassidy as Kodaly, Nathaniel Frey as Ladislav, Ralph Williams as Arpad, and Ludwig Donath as Mr. Maraczek. An original cast recording was released by Polydor.
The West End production opened on April 29, 1964 at the Lyric Theatre, where it ran for 189 performances. The cast included Gary Raymond and Rita Moreno [1]. A London cast recording was released by Angel Records [2].
After forty-two previews, a Roundabout Theatre Company-produced Broadway revival, directed by Scott Ellis and choreographed by Rob Marshall (assisted by his sister Kathleen), opened on June 10, 1993 at the Criterion Center Stage Right. It later transferred to the Brooks Atkinson Theatre to complete its 354-performance run. The cast included Boyd Gaines as Georg, Judy Kuhn as Amalia, Sally Mayes as Ilona, Howard McGillin as Kodaly, Lee Wilkof as Ladislav, Brad Kane as Arpad, and Louis Zorich as Mr. Maraczek. A revival cast recording was released by Varèse Sarabande.
The West End revival, also directed by Ellis and choreographed by Marshall, opened on July 12, 1994 at the Savoy Theatre, where it ran for one year. The cast included John Gordon Sinclair as Georg, Ruthie Henshall as Amalia, and Tracie Bennett as Ilona. A revival cast recording was released on the First Night label [3].
[edit] Song list
Act I
- Good Morning, Good Day
- Sounds While Selling
- Thank You, Madam
- Days Gone By
- No More Candy
- Three Letters
- Tonight at Eight
- I Don't Know His Name
- Perspective
- Goodbye, Georg
- Will He Like Me?
- Ilona
- I Resolve
- A Romantic Atmosphere
- Tango Tragique
- Dear Friend
Act II
- Try Me
- Days Gone By (Reprise)
- Where's My Shoe?
- Vanilla Ice Cream
- She Loves Me
- A Trip to the Library
- Grand Knowing You
- Twelve Days to Christmas
- Vanilla Ice Cream (Reprise)
[edit] Awards and nominations
1963 production
- Tony Award for Best Musical (nominee)
- Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Jack Cassidy, winner)
- Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical (nominee)
- Tony Award for Best Producer of a Musical (nominee)
- Tony Award for Best Author of a Musical (nominee)
1993 Broadway revival
- Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical (nominee)
- Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical (Boyd Gaines, winner)
- Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical (Judy Kuhn, nominee)
- Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Jonathan Freeman, nominee)
- Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Sally Mayes, nominee)
- Tony Award for Best Scenic Design (nominee)
- Tony Award for Best Costume Design (nominee)
- Tony Award for Best Choreography (nominee)
- Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical (nominee)
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical Revival (winner)
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical (Boyd Gaines, winner)
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical (Sally Mayes, nominee)
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography (nominee)
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical (nominee)
1994 London revival
- Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival (winner)
- Laurence Olivier Award for Best Direction of a Musical (winner)
- Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical (John Gordon Sinclair, winner)
- Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical (Ruthie Henshall, winner)
- Laurence Olivier Award for Best Supporting Performance in a Musical (Tracie Bennett, winner)
- Laurence Olivier Award for Best Costume Design (nominee)
- Laurence Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer (nominee)
- Critics Circle Award for Best Musical (winner)
