Looking for a “Romantic Atmosphere”? Go Catch Off-Centre Stages’ production of She Loves Me at the Kelsey Theatre!

by Meg Bryan

Romantic comedies are a favorite genre for many of us, no matter what form they may be boxed up in (movies, books, musicals, etc.). Even with the highs and lows that come with these stories, at their core, they’re always a good go-to when you’re in need of an emotional pick-me-up. One of my personal favorites within that genre is the musical She Loves Me, one of the greatest displays of the enemies to lovers trope that I’ve seen. Set in Hungary in the 1930s, this story tackles a multitude of subjects, ranging from the obvious focus of love all the way to betrayal. Although I’ve seen this show many times before, Off Centre Stages’ charming rendition made me fall in love with it all over again!

I specifically use the word charming because that is exactly the word that came to mind when I first saw the set of this production. As the audience was being seated, we see the exterior side of Mr. Maraczek’s parfumerie, including a white door detailed with a golden “M” along with a few windows displaying a variety of the parfumerie’s offerings, organized and put together beautifully by Props Team Belle Salvatore and Mary Hill. As the story moves forward, this set opens up and turns around to present the shop interior as well as a back room within the shop. Matthew Patalona’s set design along with Glenn Dobron’s construction were both executed wonderfully, creating a versatile and mobile set that was able to adjust smoothly throughout the different scenes. Stage Manager Abigail Acolia maneuvered these set movements intelligently and effectively, never allowing an awkward silence during a scene change. Kelly Furman’s lighting design and operation lends a sizable hand to these scene changes, taking care to ensure that each location looked distinct. The nine piece orchestra, led by Music Director Madelyn Seltzer and comprised of piano (Ray Nugent, Brian Colquist), violins (Rachel Adlai-Gail, Robby Scholink), reeds (Carolyn Cuesta), horn (Lisa Peterson), trumpet (Michael Roll), bass (Mike Wolf), and percussion (Danny Santos) was seated in an open space behind the set, but there was no issue in hearing them thanks to the work of Sound Designer & Technician Noah Schwartz. Both parties worked together to achieve the perfect balance of adequately filling the space without overtaking any spoken or sung vocals.

Directing Team Madelyn Seltzer and Samantha Dobron utilized their provided space brilliantly. They had the cast use the aisle dividing the two sections of audience seating as a pathway or a sidewalk, showing the audience many up-close moments of the parfumerie staff on their way to work by foot (or by bike in Arpad’s case). This dynamic duo not only aced the staging of their show, but they also took on the massive roles of Music Direction and Choreography (Seltzer and Dobron respectively) and knocked those elements out of the park just as much. Seltzer’s success as Music Director is clear from the very first number, “Good Morning, Good Day”, where we hear voices balanced masterfully and beautifully blended harmonies. Dobron’s choreography with the help of Assistant Choreographer Emily Ewig was gorgeously done as well, most notably in the hilarious number “Romantic Atmosphere”. Speaking of gorgeous, the costuming work done by Sheron Williams with assistance from Elias Snare and Amanda Sewell was quite a standout to me. Everybody was dressed sharply with a stunning variety of color, and each outfit looked almost tailored to each cast member’s body type. The hair and makeup artistry done by Belle Salvatore gave a nod to the 1930s “soft glamour” style that only further accentuated that put-together, elegant look.

The cast was absolutely mesmerizing, keeping the audience hooked at every moment. I was especially taken by the pairing of Douglas McLaughlin as long-time store clerk Georg Nowak and Sarah Adams as skilled salesgirl Amalia Balash. From their very first moment together, the energy between the two was palpable, fueled purely by their sarcastic banter. McLaughlin was immediately lovable as Georg as we see him unravel into a panic during his impeccable performance of “Tonight at Eight”, expressing his overwhelming nerves about finally going on a date with his pen pal lover. While still keeping the appropriate amount of awkwardness, he brought a new kind of fire to Georg that I hadn’t seen in any other interpretation, and I enjoyed seeing a take on this character that didn’t lean quite as hard into the typically seen soft-spoken nature. Adams plays his counterpart perfectly, allowing her Amalia to match McLaughlin’s fiery energy with comedic genius. Her voice is absolutely stunning, revealing a powerful combination of a contemporary mix-belt and classical high soprano. She expertly weaved her way through the iconic “Vanilla Ice Cream” with ease and one of the clearest high Bs I’ve ever heard anyone achieve in that piece. Each of these performers are phenomenal on their own, but as a pair, they bounce off of each other so effortlessly and bring an electric energy to their interactions.

Maria Aromando captured the confidence of Ilona Ritter from the first moment she stepped out into audience view. She moves through the rollercoaster of emotions within Ilona’s character arc with grace, and skillfully delivers the scorned anger that’s needed for “I Resolve” along with beautifully powerful vocals. This anger is directed at womanizer Steven Kodaly, played by J. Ryan Harner. Kodaly is not a character that is meant to be liked, but Harner’s performance was absolutely stellar. He brought the nonchalance and suave nature that is essential to Kodaly, and his faux profession of love in “Ilona” was incredibly smooth, both in physicality and vocal quality. Patrick Andrae as Ladislov Sipos encapsulated that paternal sweetness effortlessly, making Sipos instantly lovable. His soft demeanor lended perfectly to his role as Georg’s confidant in multiple moments of the show, especially in the disagreements between Georg and shop owner Mr. Maraczek, portrayed by Edward J. Forsthoffer III. Forsthoffer brings a quiet yet commanding presence to the stage, channeling Maraczek’s frustration in a very believable manner. In particular, his almost fatherly interactions with delivery boy Arpad, played by the lively and expressive David LaRaus, were especially sweet, allowing us to see a softer side to Maraczek. LaRaus brings the perfect combination of juvenile optimism and a dedicated work ethic to showcase all of the important parts of Arpad’s character, most notably in his comedic testimonial, “Try Me”.

The trio of female shoppers, portrayed by Chantae Cvoliga, Cecelia Tepping, and Gillian Velmer exhibited elegance to the max every time they entered the shop, moving purposefully and with their heads held high. Mark Shifton as the Headwaiter coupled with Joseph Wilson as the Busboy were a raucously funny matchup, cracking the audience up all throughout “Romantic Atmosphere”. We briefly see John Garvey as Mr. Maraczek’s private investigator Mr. Keller, strictly business and to the point, and the remaining ensemble is rounded out by Emily Ewig, James Murray, Jordan Schonberger, and Bianca Torres. This group operated smoothly as a unit, never once letting the energy in a scene drop, particularly in the gradually more frenzied number “Twelve Days to Christmas”. Each member of the cast brought an exuberant energy to the stage that kept us engaged all the way through.

If you’re looking for a show that will get you giggling and make you feel those warm, fuzzy, romantic feelings a month ahead of Valentine’s Day, make sure you catch She Loves Me at the Kelsey Theatre! You won’t want to miss the work of this stellar cast and crew! She Loves Me runs through January 11th, and tickets can be purchased here: https://www.purplepass.com/events/319195-she-loves-me-jan-2nd-2026