Jill Woodhouse, Peter Trinh, and Marc Graham in
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change.
Photo By; Heather Frost
It seemed as though just about every theatre company in town took a stab at this show last year. I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change was playing just about every weekend at some theatre across the state. Though a popular and beloved favorite, it seemed that it was time to bury this one, at least for a few years. However, Pat Payne and Woof! Theatre Productions decided to take a stab at it, while making some changes and freshening it up for new audiences. The result is a fresh adaptation of a wonderful musical that will have everyone remembering why they loved it in the first place.
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change is the comical celebration of the mating game that takes on the truths and myths behind that contemporary conundrum known as "the relationship." Act I explores the journey from dating and waiting, to love and marriage, while Act II reveals the agonies and triumphs of in-laws and newborns, trips in the family car and pick-up techniques of the geriatric set. This hilarious revue pays tribute to those who have loved and lost, to those who have fallen on their face at the portal of romance, to those who have dared to ask, "Say, what are you doing Saturday night?" At least, that’s the basic summary. Some have called it “Seinfeld as a musical” and that may be a more accurate description.
Traditionally, this show is done with just four people, two men and two women. You watch the couples proceed from meeting to dating to marriage to children to old age. This time, however, Director Pat Payne took a slightly different look at the show. He doubled the cast, bringing in a wide variety of ages to play the different couples in the different scenes throughout the show. It was a gamble that I wasn’t sure would work. There is something risky when anyone makes changes this big to such a well known and well loved musical. However, in this case, the gamble paid off. The added actors brought new and interesting depth to the songs, adding new harmonies and fresh visual interest to all of the numbers.
Really this is a true ensemble piece – the entire cast was excellent and they all blended beautifully. There were, however, a few standout performances that must be acknowledged. Melissa Fike took on one of my favorite monologues as Rose Ritz. A moment where the action slows down and we get to see what it is like for a divorced woman to step back into the dating pool. Her delivery was not only spot-on, but it was stunningly raw and honest. Peter Trinh was also quite a stand out, as he took some wonderful moments to show off just how excellent his comic timing truly is. I could say equally wonderful things about every person in this cast. Deborah Curtis, Marc Graham, Robert Payo, Eric Sammons, Christine Sharpe, and Jill Woodhouse all were delightful and fully committed to making this version of Love Perfect Change work.
Really the only difficulty with casting in this way was the loss of some of the continuity that traditionally works when it is just 4 people. Since there were so many different people on stage, at times the plot may have been easily lost with the couples changing and the scenes not flowing together as strongly. However, each individual song was treated as its own scene, carrying its own personality and vision through from beginning to end of the song. And it works. Though I missed the continuity, it was quickly forgotten due to the simple strength of what was being presented on stage.
Director Pat Payne is known for farce, his comedic timing and his ability to infuse physical comedic bits into any moment is something that he is widely known for throughout Colorado. In this, his musical directing debut, he shows that his skills and talents are quite easily and wonderfully transferred to the musical stage as well. There were moments where you could see the Pat Payne touch, with some wonderful physicality by Marc Graham. Of course this was not a solo effort. Musical Direction by Arthur Ortega Jr. and vocal coaching by Lee Ann Scherlong certainly aided in the strength of the performance. And the choreography by Aaron Quintana was simple enough to keep the visual interest strong, without being too difficult for actors that are most likely not trained dancers.
Woof! Theatre Productions took a risk with this one - taking such a beloved musical and making some very big changes. They deserve to be applauded, not only for taking this risk that definitely paid off, but for still maintaining a high quality of show that is deserving of your attention. They only perform for 2 more weeks, so I suggest you order your tickets now. If you haven’t ever seen this show – you are in for a real treat. If you have seen the show before – then you are in for a treat as well.
Examiner Extra: Read an Acts and Answered with Director Pat Payne
For more info:
Woof! Theatre Productions Presents
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change
A hilarious musical comedy about dating, mating, and living happily ever after.
November 6 - November 21
Fri./Sat. 7:30 p.m. \ Thurs. Nov 12 & 19. 7:30 p.m. \Sun, Nov 15 2 p.m.
Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St, Boulder, CO 80302
Tickets: Fri/Sat/Sun $18 / Thurs $14
Call 303-444-7328 or online
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