“Dear Friend,” Do Yourself a Favor and Go See “She Loves Me” For a Funny and Heartwarming Romantic Comedy at Burlington County Footlighters

by Megan Guy

If you’re a fan of romantic comedies in the likes of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, this show is a must-see! Director Valerie Brothers does an amazing job with a vision for this old-fashioned yet timeless musical by Joe Masteroff. Originally created in 1964 based on the play Parfumerie from the 1930s, She Loves Me explores themes of love and friendship and finding connections in the unlikeliest of partners. Set in the 1930s, She Loves Me primarily takes place in Mr. Maraczek’s parfumerie and follows the staff and customers that come and go every day. Georg (Ryan Lynd) is the clear favorite clerk of Mr. Maraczek (Steve Rogina) and you learn early on that he is smitten with a woman with whom he is writing letters, but has never met. One day, Amalia (Alaina Stampe) enters the shop asking for a job and convinces Mr. Maraczek on the spot that she’s the perfect saleswoman. We then learn that Amalia is also corresponding with an unknown “dear friend” via letters. The events that follow are reminiscent of classic romantic comedies as we await both characters to discover who they truly have a connection with. 

As someone who loves You’ve Got Mail and The Shop Around the Corner, I went in hopeful for a romantic comedy where I’d be laughing and rooting for many characters, and the production staff and cast did not disappoint. 

At the start of the show, I was immediately in love with the set. Jim Frazer, Set and Lighting Designer, and Heidi Kleber, Sound & Lighting Designer, transported us to the 1930s European parfumerie. The stained glass at the entryway was particularly beautiful, and once we were introduced to the inside of the parfumerie, it felt like we were truly there with all of the beautiful colors and bright lights and atmosphere. Sound effects like the use of the bike horn and the musical trill that goes off every time someone enters the shop added a realistic, yet lighthearted touch to the show. I appreciated the transition of seasons using leaves being thrown in autumn and white confetti to appear as snow - a simple, but clear way to show the audience the changing of seasons and moving the timeline of the show along. 

Props Designer, Kevin Pavon, did an awesome job, especially with the parfumerie props - all of the perfume bottles, the cash register, and the shop phone were in line with the time period. Along those same lines, Costume Designer Jen Bloomberg deserves a standing ovation for her use of period fashion. The dresses, fur coats, and hats in particular for the women were stunning and fit the time period and shop setting perfectly. 

Stage Manager Allison Adams with her crew behind the scenes moved the sets seamlessly and made the show go off without a hitch. 

Though this was a small cast with no huge ensemble or dance numbers, Choreographer Amanda Dranchak found ways to incorporate dancing in all the right places. I really loved seeing the older male characters dancing throughout the parfumerie, especially between Georg and Mr. Maraczek in “Days Gone By.” The ensemble dancing in Act II in the Cafe Imperiale during “A Romantic Atmosphere” also stood out - the orchestrated chaos had the audience laughing out loud. I cannot forget to mention busboy Ian Mulreany’s hilarious slapstick choreography throughout this number. 

Ryan Lynd who played Georg Nowack wowed the audience with not only his voice, but his facial expressions. His acting was spot on and he played a hopeless romantic very well. He connected well on stage with with his fellow parfumerie clerks, especially Mr. Ladislav Sipos, played by Alan Krier. Krier was perfectly cast in his role - I found myself loving his paternal personality while also making me laugh throughout the show. 

Alaina Stampe who played Amalia Balash has a beautiful and trained voice that also fit the time period and transported me back to voices like the Andrews Sisters or Judy Garland. Her poised portrayal of Amalia was refreshing to watch. Caroline Alba played Ilona Ritter, the confident and sultry saleswoman at the parfumerie. In “I Resolve,” Caroline does a great job getting the audience to have empathy for her, hoping she will find love at some point in the show! 

The character of Kodaly, played by Zach Martin, threw the audience for a spin and Martin, mustache and all, was a convincing womanizer. He really showcases his voice in his solo song "Ilona". Two characters whose relationship grew throughout the show were Mr. Maraczek, played by Steve Rogina, and Arpad Laszlo, played by Christopher Eklund. Rogina took command of the stage throughout the show and showcased his voice and dancing abilities in “Days Gone By.” Arpad may have been the most lovable character in the show and Eklund played this boyish and joyful parfumerie employee with ease. He truly shined in his solo “Try Me” with the audience applauding and wooing him. 

I would be remiss if I did not mention the Cafe Imperiale waiter’s role, played by Music Director Tim Herman. He had the audience laughing from the very opening of the show just instructing us of emergency exits, but his acting and singing during “A Romantic Atmosphere” couldn’t have been done better by anyone else. His facial expressions, accent, and frazzled hair really added to the character. Herman’s role as Music Director and Peg Smith (Music Director) are also impressive - the musical numbers were filled with difficult harmonies, barbershop quartet style singing, and overlapping singing/melodies - but all were done with skill. 

The ensemble played by Sarah Willard, Lexi Mignogna, Desmond Whitaker, Sophia Waninger, Allyssa Winkelspecht, Tim Catrino, and Finn Hutchinson all did a great job dancing in the parfumerie, playing drunken and in love diners at Cafe Imperiale, and shopping hurriedly in the days leading up to Christmas. 

I only wish the last scene and song were longer so we could see Georg and Amalia connect more! It’s a great show to see this time of year as it is set in autumn, transitioning into winter and the preparation of a busy Christmas shopping season. I encourage you to see this show for a seasonal and lighthearted experience full of laughter, giving the audience hope for unlikely connections and friendships. Bravo to the entire cast, crew, and production teams! She Loves Me runs now through Saturday, November 22. You can purchase tickets here: https://tickets.bcfootlighters.com/show/shelovesme