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 I I FRANCE RUSSIA ENGLAND - - .1-2 ---- 024- z 0 Global Internship and Language Summer Programs INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS BOSTON UNIVERSITY For program details complete the coupon below and mail it to: Boston University International Programs 232 Bay State Road, Box E, Boston, MA 02215 617/353-9888 An equal opportnity, affirmative action institution x- 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. . _. GREECE ITALY U.S.A. Please rank as 1,2, and 3 the programs in which you are most interested. You will receive information on all of our summer international programs Internship Programs Language and Liberal Arts Programs oon . England D Paris, France 0 St. Petersburg, Russia 0 Nikopolis, Greece 3d 0 Sydney. Australia 0 Grenoble. France 0 London, England EMo w Ma Rid sia Washington. D.C. 0l Paris. France 0 Padova, Italy 0QMoscow, Rl Madrid, Spain 0 Cracow, Poland Q 1C1 0br ChnaTracing Jewi.sh Helrtage (n ueijing,iChina 1ign kh I would like to receive information about your sumner programs. Name Street City State Zip Phone ( ' College or University Current Status: OFr E So 0 Jr 0 Sr If you prefer, call 617/353-9888. c RECORDS 1140 SouthUiverstty (Above Geo-Tine Chadey's) AnnArboMI 48104 Pli: 63-5800 Hours: Mon.-Thus. 9 a.m.-10 pm. - .-Sat.9am.-11p.. Sun. 11a.M.- P.m. WE APE A TICKET CENTER WIll SALE TONIGHT! Print II' 25q LASER PRINTS Bing n is ao*dsba25wpft' nko s UrM 10 Pageslet or legal 80 puymts. Ca"t be c iyoewwscouyW- crofters. Espees3-15-94 the cpycente :er u-. III 1111 THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN The William W. Cook Lectures on American Institutions Thirty-sixth Series is BECK MELLOW GOLD FEATURING: LOSER e PAY NO MIND (SNOOZER) " BEERCAN -Mr' POLITICS AND THE MEDIA - m ALL REGULAR PRICED, FULL-LENGTH CD & CASSETTES In stock ALL DAY TODAY Feb. 28,1994 $11.99 on CD $7.99 on cassett Hurrv! Sale Price Ends Tonight ROGER WILKINS OrV ~ni GI 4COoMNv GET IT AT 1i:1an awu : vaav a aw% Since 1948 sa . F ir.0 o. tel To F'irst 200 People! W m Ate' Clarence J. Robinson Professor of History and American Culture George Mason University "HOW THE MEDIA FAILS US: REFLECTIONS OFA RETIRED AFRICAN- AMERICAN JOURNALIST" Monday at 3:30 KATHLEEN HALL JAMIESON Professor of Communication, Dean of the Annenberg School for Communication The University of Pennsylvania "LESSONS OF THE '92 CAMPAIGN" TODD GITLIN Professor of Sociology, Director of the Mass Communications Program The University of California at Berkeley "IMAGES IN THE CROSSHAIRS: CURRENT CAMPAIGNS AGAINST THE MEDIA AS POLITICAL SURROGATES" Tuesday at 3:30 ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION Tuesday, March 8th, 7:30 p.m. Room 250 Hutchins Hall, Law School 0 'a i < I I