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In the beginning, there was man, woman and an invitation to spend the night together. When one asked about seeing other people, the other replied, "There are no other people!"
And the laughs began.
"I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change" has just opened at the Smith Theatre (on Main Street next door to Shea's) and the four-person cast runs rampant over an ever-shifting set of characters, melodies and jokes about the battle of the sexes.
The cast is star-studded with performers any theater regular will recognize from recent productions around town. Lisa Ann Ludwig ("One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," also the show's director), Loraine O'Donnell-Gray ("Pete & Keely"), Norman Sham ("Cuckoo" and "My Fair Lady"), and Paul Todaro (director of the ICTC's "What The Butler Saw" as well as understudy for the role of Dr. Prentice).
There have been countless television shows, plays, musicals and films (not to mention books) about the distance between Mars and Venus, so "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change" is not exactly traversing a road less traveled. But with exchanges like, "My nails are all chewed on," "My hair is all glued on!" and "What was I thinking? Condoms don't even go with lasagna!" there's barely time to catch one's breath from laughing to groan over some of the tackier stereotypes.
The incredible performance given by each actor prevents the show from falling into clich?(c)s. They take on new characters in each scene, and with a track list boasting 18 songs, that has to be a difficult job.
It's hard to pick a favorite moment, since everything meshes so well with each performance. O'Donnell-Gray also designed the constantly changing but simple costumes, and Michael J. Walline's choreography, especially in "On The Highway of Love" and "Marriage Tango," is a fantastic compliment to both the skills of the actors and the compact nature of the vignettes and theater.
After all four actors participate in a brief opening scene, Ludwig and Todaro play two singletons on a blind date who agree to skip over the first, second and third dates - as well as the first time they slept together - in order to move directly on to their first fight, which is followed by a breakup, reunion and poignant meeting with a discussion of what "could have been."
This all occurs within a span of five minutes, after which O'Donnell-Gray and Sham respectively play a geek and nerd who just want to be "A Stud and a Babe."
"Single Man Drought" isn't an impressive song, but Ludwig and O'Donnell-Gray manage to soldier through it, showing off their voices to the gratification of the audience. Meanwhile, Todaro and Sham (each playing a bore named Bob) manage to repulse every female in the audience - then bounce back with playful exuberance in the next number, "Why? Cause I'm a Guy!"
By the close of the first act, the audience feels like it's been hauled through every date Todaro and Ludwig skipped in the "Cantata for a First Date" - but the intermission provides only a brief respite before plunging back with what happens after marriage.
Anyone whose friends have started having kids can sympathize with Todaro's character when confronted by the baby-speaking Mommy and Daddy (O'Donnell-Gray and Sham) in "The Baby Song." Honestly, who hasn't wanted to ask, "Remember when you used to be an interesting person?" to those who take seriously the notion of making sure "the eyes don't bite off" on toy bears?
Todaro and Ludwig also shine in the "Marriage Tango," in which a married couple tries desperately to finish their chores and get the kids to stay quiet in their rooms so they can shag. All hail the phallic elephant g-string!
Although for a while it seems lyricist Joe DiPietro's songs are turning a touch too cynical to keep up the comedic pace, there is plenty of humor left when Sham, playing the father of a motley crew of suburban travelers, announces that no matter how much his wife might dominate him in the house, at least he still has his car.
The musical ends with two slower songs, "Shouldn't I Be Less In Love With You" and "I Can Live With That," touching melodies that show relationships reaching the end of their shelf lives.
The only thing that might give UB students pause about attending this show is the $25 per-ticket price - but since it's playing until March 2, everyone has plenty of time to save his or her pennies. The experience of seeing and hearing not only these actors, but also the immensely talented pianist and musical director Michael G. Hake, is well worth it.
