She Loves Me

She Loves Me is playing at Studio 54 located at 254 West 54th Street. It runs two hours twenty minutes with one intermission. The musical closes on June 12, 2016.

Jerry Bock wrote the music. He won a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award and Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1960 for Fiorello! He was nominated for three Tony Awards for The Rothschilds (1971), The Best Apple (1967 best musical and composer) and She Loves Me (1964).

Sheldon Harnick wrote the lyrics. He won a Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1960 for Fiorello!. Sheldon won three Tony Awards for Fiddler on the Roof (1965), South Pacific and Fiorello! (1960).

Warren Carlyle is the choreographer. He was nominated for a Drama Desk Award in 2009 fie the revival of Finnan’s Rainbow.

Scott Ellis is the director. He was nominated for six Tony Awards for Mystery of Edwin Drood (2013), Curtains( 2007), Twelve Angry Men (2007), 1776 (revival 1998), Steel Pier (1997) and She Loves Me (1994). In 1991 he won a Drama Desk Award for The Word Game.

Laura Benanti won a Tony Award for Gypsy (2008). She was nominated for a Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for Into the Woods (2002) and for a Tony Award for Swing (2000).

David Rockwell is the set designer. He was nominated for five Tony Awards for On the Twentieth Century (2015), You Can’t Take It With You (2015), Kinky Boots (2013), Lucky Gut (2013) and Hairspray (2003).

Jane Krakowski won a Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for Nine (2003) and was nominated for a Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for Grand Hotel (1990). Jane was nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards for 30 Rock (2008, 2010, 2011 and 2013).

Gavin Creed was nominated for a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award for Hair (2009) and a Tony Award for Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002). He won an Olivier Award for The Book of Mormons (2014).

Michael McGrath won a Tony Award for Nice Work If You Can Get it (2012) and was nominated for a Tony Award for Spamalot (2005).

The musical takes place in Budapest 1934.

Act One, in and around Maraczek’s Parfumerie, the end of the act takes place at Cage Imperiale. Act Two is at the hospital, Amalia’s apartment and in and out of Maraczek’s Parfumiere.

Ladislav Sipos (Michael McGrath) greets the delivery boy Arpad Laszlo (Nicholas Barasch) in front of the store. Arpad tells him that he see fellow store worker’s Illona Ritter (Jane Krakowski) and Steven Kodaly (Gavin Creel) kiss in the distance. No one knows they are seeing each other.

When the store opens and everyone is in their work places, Georg Nowack (Zachari Levi) tells Ladislav about a pen pal relationship he is having that is becoming something very special. He is ready to meet the women he is writing to.

One of the employees has left to have a baby. Amalia Balash (Laura Shoop) comes into the store looking for the owner Mr. Maracezk (Bryon Jennings) for a job. She is hired after she convinces a customer to buy a musical cigarette box. Georg and Amalia are at ends all the time.

I’m not telling you the events that follow, go see the show! But the scene at the café with head waiter (Peter Bartlett) is hilarious.

It is a little slow in the beginning but picks ups. It is a captivating show.

Nicholas Barach is marvelous; in act two he steals one of the scenes. Jane Krakowski does a split that you wonder if she will be able to get up. She does a great job. Zachary Levis shines especially in the last two scenes. Peter Bartlett is only for a short time but when he is on he is remarkable.

It is a cleaver set done by David Rockwell.

At the performance I saw the role of Amalia Balash usually played by Laura Benanti was played by her under study Laura Shoop. Laura did a great job. Bravo!

Review by Rozanna Radakovich.

Photos by Annazor.

To read a candid interview with cast, scroll down to the left for recent photos. Click on recent photos for this and other shows.