There couldn’t be a sweeter introduction to fall’s spiced latte season than the sentimental musical, She Loves Me. Forte Theatre Company makes She Loves Me its first offering in the show’s fifth season. As directed by Randall Dodge, Forte’s artistic director, the show maintains all the elements that have turned this show into a cult classic over the years. She Loves Me first opened on Broadway in 1963, and it became a hit revival in 2016.
The plot’s conceit is that two workers in the same upper-class beauty lotions store unknowingly have become pen pals through a listing in the “lonely hearts” section of the local newspaper.
This fact alone is enough to confuse younger generations, who are more familiar with dating apps, not to mention going through a series of “swipes left” and “swipes right” to find a potential date. It would be difficult for them to imagine the long, laborious process involved in writing letters. There’s no doubt that communication was a lot slower during the 1930s.
But for the main characters in She Loves Me, Georg (William Salinas) and Amalia (Katie Berg), waiting for the daily post office delivery is a delicious source of agony. When reading the latest missive from their “pen pal,” each finds themself in agreement on any number of subjects, ranging from poetry to symphonic music. They become smitten with someone they’ve never seen.
In real life, however, co-worker Georg seems disdainful of Amalia. In the store, they greet each other cordially, but without any affection. They both come to the conclusion that neither one cares for the other. This is, of course, untrue. But things don’t get set right until the musical’s final scenes.
The audience is fully aware of the “pen pal” predicament from the outset, which makes the story all the more delicious to watch. Unlike many community theater productions that have made She Loves Me a staple of their seasons, few could match the professionalism shown in the Forte production. Dodge has cast an excellent range of performers and singers in various roles. One can’t find even a single performer who is less than ideal for their part.
In addition to their acting skills, both Katie Berg (Amalia) and William Salinas (Georg) have two of the most powerful voices in town. Their operatic delivery almost overwhelms some of the score, although that’s a great problem for a director to have.
The performers display the necessary chemistry between them when it’s appropriate. To be truthful, the couple’s several “skirmishes” are more satisfying (and funnier) to watch.
It all comes to a head when Georg finally arranges to meet his pen pal. As they’ve previously agreed (in their writings), several signals will indicate who she is. When he peeks into the café where they are supposed to meet, Georg discovers that it is actually Amalia. He decides to make the best of it, at Amalia’s expense. He walks into the cafe (as if by chance) and invites himself to join her. He then refuses to leave as Amalia tries to shoo him away. She fears that his presence will scare away her would-be heartthrob. This comic set-up is played for all its worth.
Along the way, the audience meets other gems in the cast. These include Miranda Parker as Ilonia, another clerk in Maraczek’s beauty store. The young, single girl is temporarily infatuated with co-worker Steven (Wesley Yaroch). Again, younger viewers won’t appreciate the fact that such retail jobs were coveted, and that a successful salesperson with a long list of personal clients could earn quite a bit of money. Then as now, the most important person to impress was the boss. In the hands of actor Scott Howland, shop owner Maraczek becomes a believable tyrant. He rules the shop with an iron fist, much to the consternation and confusion of his sales staff.
Another of Maraczek’s salespersons is the Hungarian Ladislav Sipos, He is even happier than most to have found a job that allows him to support his family. As an immigrant, he realizes that being selected for such a job is the exception, not the rule. Dan Kerkman as Ladislav handles each aspect of the role with finesse, including his accent.
Forte newcomer Eugene Strei makes a strong first impression in his role as Arpad, a lowly delivery boy who sees an opportunity to move up at Maraczek’s.
Another fetching aspect of this tale is the stylized interactions between customers and clerks. Well-dressed customers are treated with such deference to a point that may seem ridiculous today. But in that period, such customer satisfaction was expected. Each customer who walked into Maraczek’s had their own individual salesperson. One almost longs for the days when women drifted into a shop, made their purchases, and waltzed out a few minutes later with the words, “wrap it up and put it on my account.” There was no need for “tap” pay, or Google pay, or even credit cards (they didn’t exist).
Another part of She Loves Me’s charm is the score. The songs are spritely, if not memorable. The two best ones appear in Act II. Amalia cannot believe how much effort Georg has gone to when she’s off work with a cold. He even drops by her place to see how she is doing. She expresses her thoughts in the delightful novelty song, “Vanilla Ice Cream.” In the following scene, Georg also recounts his visit to her sick bed, and then proclaims, “She Loves Me.” Both numbers benefit greatly from Karl Miller’s choreography.
The show is further supported by some splashy, time-appropriate sets (scenic design by Robert Sagadin), excellent lighting (by Abby James), and sound (by Liam Ledford). Olivia Jardas’s costumes set the tone, with well-heeled 1930s styles evident across the board. Forte has outdone itself with its latest effort.
