What’s to Love about She Loves Me
The 1963 musical She Loves Me has firm roots in the musical theater canon. Its 2016 revival is currently dazzling audiences at the Roundabout Theatre. Let's walk through pieces of the She Loves Me blueprint that continue to make the show a success.
The Story
A much lesser known Hungarian play provided the premise for She Loves Me, as well as other admired works for the screen. Many may find the title Parfumerie unfamiliar. However, it has been the inspiration of many familiar pieces of film and theater: In the Good Old Summertime, The Shop Around the Corner, You’ve Got Mail, and, of course, She Loves Me.
The story is simple. A perfumery in Budapest sets the stage for a series of relationships between employees and customers, with a focus on two quarreling co-workers who, not to their knowledge, happen to be pen pals. The translatability of the story mixed with the (SPOILER ALERT) romantic happy ending makes for a joyous experience at the theater.
The Songs
She Loves Me opened in 1963 starring a young Barbara Cook, much of the repertoire would become a staple for the revered singer.
Have a listen to the famous, “Ice Cream” number, with Barbara Cook herself.
The Stars
She Loves Me opened in 1963 starring a young Barbara Cook, much of the repertoire would become a staple for the revered singer. When Cook originated the role of Amalia at the 1963 premiere one critic wrote, "Her clear soprano is not only one of the finest vocal instruments in the contemporary musical theatre, but it conveys all the vitality, brightness and strength of her feminine young personality, which is plenty." Tunes from She Loves Me have become a staple for Broadway’s best. Celebrated actors who have taken on a role in the show include Kelli O’Hara, Rita Moreno, and new to this staged production, Jane Krakowski.
In the video below Audra McDonald sings as Amalia, the leading ingenue who is preparing to meet her faceless pen pal in person for the first time. Amalia prepares for her first date and wonders, “Will He Like Me”?
The Lyricist
Sheldon Harnick is currently witnessing the revival of two of his musicals on Broadway within the same year, with a revival of Fiddler on the Roof having opened earlier this season. Harnick's lyrics are often praised for being remarkably delicate and honest, a characteristic that gives the score of She Loves Me emotional staying power with audiences.
In a recent interview with NPR's FRESH AIR, Harnick explained his role in the changes from the original production, the biggest of these being the replacement of the orchestral score. "We had the first orchestra reading and I went to it with my teeth clenched thinking, have we lost those Don Walker orchestrations only to be replaced by something that's not as good? And they were wonderful. They were just wonderful new orchestrations, so that worked," Harnick said. Not every day does a revival receive a stamp of approval from its living originators.
She Loves Me is relatable. It's the relatability of this simple story that continues to charm audiences everywhere. The "small shop in Budapest" makes a perfect backdrop for a "Dear Friend"...
The current revival opened on March 17, 2016 and is presented at the Roundabout Theatre.
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