8 - The Michigan Daily - Monday, February 28, 1994
Say 'yes! yes!' to'I Do!IDo!'
Get into the wedding spirit with this romantic comedy
By MELISSA ROSE BERNARDO
Though we may not be willing to
admit it, we've all dreamed of that
moment when we will walk down the
aisle with the one we love. Most
I Do! IDo!
Birmingham Theatre
February 11, 1994
flowers and what flavor the cake will
be. Even some of you guys have
thought about it. And if we think past
the wedding night, we think of holi-
days and family and jewelry, not of
fights, money problems or affairs.
Fortunately we have musical the-
ater to show us the good, the bad and
the ugly of romance and marriage.
And when it is portrayed well, as it is
with "I Do! I Do!," we can't help but
be charmed by the magic and the
realism of that portrayal.
"I Do! I Do!," subtitled "A Musi-
cal about Marriage," playing the Bir-
mingham Theatre through March 13,
women I know have their weddings
completely planned, right down to
the number of attendants, color of
is the charming romantic comedy by
Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt, the
pair responsible for "The Fantasticks"
(the longest-running off-Broadway
show in history). It was originally
produced on Broadway by the great
David Merrick with direction by the
late Gower Champion.
The show involves a man and a
woman-husband and wife-named
Michael and Agnes, and takes us on a
guided tour of their 50 years of mar-
riage, from the ceremony and the ner-
vous wedding night to the birth of
their kids and the departure from the
family home. Thanks to Kathleen
Rowe McAllen and William Katt, we
are able to laugh at their naivetd, take
sides in their fights, shake our heads
at their foibles, and cry at their senti-
mentality.
Audiences will most likely remem-
ber Katt from "The Greatest Ameri-
can Hero," though he does have some
stage experience. McAllen has a slew
of prestigious stage credits, including
her 1990 Tony-nominated role as
Giulietta Trapani in Andrew Lloyd
Webber's "Aspects of Love" (an
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award which she richly deserved, but
the voting committee thought other-
wise). Katt has a fine voice, and a
charming stage presence, and handles
Michael's songs admirably. McAllen
has a killer voice, and portrays Agnes
with strength and determination. (In-
cidentally, Katt is billed above
McAllen on the marquee and in the
program.)
The two play off each other re-
markably well, and because of their
natural chemistry the audience is al-
lowed to take sides. "Nobody's Per-
fect" is a bitingly hilarious duet;
Michael's "It's a Well-Known Fact"
is laughably inaccurate ("Men of 40
go to town / Women go to pot");
Mc Allen's vampy "Flaming Agnes"
is a hot retort; "Roll Up the Ribbons"
is appropriately nostalgic and not
sappy. They both have their moments,
but ultimately McAllen (the stronger
actor and singer) puts Agnes over the
top as the stronger partner (where the
woman should be, no?).
James Noone has designed a lovely
frame set. Chairs, china, books, lamps,
picture frames, chests of drawers -
all of the trinkets, thingamabobs and
dust-collectors accumulated over 50
years of marriage are mounted some-
where on the proscenium. The bed-
room is the setting for the entire pro-
duction, with a big comfy bed and
lovely lace priscillas framing the
room.
Though this is a sit-back-and-let-
the-actors-do-the-work show, direc-
tor Karen Azenberg does create some
nice moments. A short period of dark-
ness on the wedding night is enough
to signify the honeymoon ritual.
Michael's vaudeville-like dance is a
Kathleen Rowe McAllen and William Katt in a moment of marital bliss in "I Do! I Do!," at the Birmingham Theater.
cute morning-after reaction. And
there's something indescribably
touching about two people dancing in@
their pink and blue nightclothes.
From the audience reaction, ev-
eryone can identify with "IDo! IDo!"
Middle-aged married couples were
nudging and elbowing each other
knowingly. "Look familiar, honey?''
Older couples were grateful for the
trip down memory lane. And young
couples were scared out oftheirminds.
Take your significant other, and say
"I do" to "I Do! I Do!"
I DO! I DO! plays at the Birming-
ham Theater (211 South Woodward,
Birmingham) through March 13.
Performances are Tuesdays through
Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7
p.m., Wednesdays and Sundays at 2
p.m., plus 2 p.m. on Thursday
March 10. Tickets range from
$19.50 to $32.50, and are available.
at any TicketMaster outlet. For
more information, call 644-3533.
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