Last summer the Egyptian Theater Company got a great idea: Why not stage a couple of musicals in repertory throughout the summer? That way, short-term visitors would get to enjoy one show, and residents or those who were around longer could see a couple of them. They called the program Summer TheatreFest, and the idea was so popular, this season it returns with two new, quite diverse musicals. Although the shows share a musical revue structure, Beehive is a nostalgic flash to the past in the tradition of The Taffetas and Forever Plaid, while I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change is a cutting-edge look at relationships and the sometimes bizarre rituals of contemporary courtship and marriage.
I Love You, You're Perfect is still enjoying a lengthy off-Broadway run, and Joe DiPietro's book and lyrics and Jimmy Roberts' music quickly reveal why. The comedy sketches are sharp and pithy, and the songs are lively and witty. The show begins and ends on a pseudo-solemn note as four hooded figures proclaim lines from the Bible, lapsing into "And man said, `Are you busy?' and woman replied, `I'll have to check.'" The hooded figures return at the end to observe that men and women seem destined to go through life careening off each other like bumper cars.
The subject of Act I is dating, from the jitters of the first time out through the ups and downs of getting to know each other to the final, crazy commitment of marriage. "Not Tonight, I'm Busy, Busy, Busy" pokes fun at people's cluttered schedules by having one couple suggest, "Let's say we skip the first, second, and third date and go right to the sex." Then they discover they haven't even got time for that. In "Satisfaction Guaranteed," a lawyer appears in a couple's bedroom and unctuously asks, "Do you wish you could sue someone because they didn't satisfy you sexually? If your partner doesn't take you to heaven, we take them to court." And "I'll Call You Soon (Yeah, Right)" shows a woman celebrating with her pizza-delivery men and nagging mother when her boyfriend actually calls when he's supposed to.
Act II moves on to marriage. Because it starts on a cynical note with a young woman rejoicing because she's "Always a Bridesmaid," we're expecting a biased view, but there's a positive ring to these experiences, including the poignant "Shouldn't I Be Less in Love with You?" and a hilarious and touching sketch about an older, widowed couple who meet at a funeral viewing. The funniest sketch is "The Family That Drives Together," where father, mother, and two children take to the road. Director John Caywood has cleverly staged it so the foursome navigates in unison in their folding chairs.
Kim Blackett, Teri Cowan, Kurt Proctor, and Lori Rees shift gears easily from sketches to songs and match up flexibly in various combinations. Each performer has solo moments to shine. John Caywood's insightful direction keeps things moving at a brisk pace, and Brent Schneider's choreography makes everyone look good. Steve Barlow, James Clark, Linda Clark, and Teresa Welch are the spirited backup group.
