Emporia State University Theatre presents “She Loves Me” by Joe Masteroff, music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick. Performances are scheduled at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 3 through 5 and 2 p.m. Oct. 6 in the Karl C. Bruder Theatre, in King Hall.
Considered by many to be the most charming musical ever written, “She Loves Me” is a warm romantic comedy with an endearing innocence and a touch of old-world elegance.
Set in a 1930s European perfumery, we meet shop clerks Amalia and Georg, who, more often than not, don’t see eye to eye. After both respond to a “lonely hearts advertisement” in the newspaper, they now live for the love letters that they exchange, but the identity of their admirers remains unknown. Join Amalia and Georg to discover the identity of their true loves... and all the twists and turns along the way!
“When searching for the perfect musical to produce in this slot, we mulled over our options for quite some time,” said Director Aubrey Wilson. “Ultimately, we landed on a true love letter to the theatre, ‘She Loves Me.’ Full of remarkable songs, this musical premiered on Broadway in 1963. It is based on the 1930s play, ‘Parfumerie’ by Miklos Lazlo.
“We chose to produce this play as a means of escapism for the seriousness that surrounds our world today. In my opinion, there is nothing more powerful than gathering in a shared space where you can, to quote Joe Masteroff, ‘Leave your troubles outside…in here, life is beautiful,’” Wilson concluded.
Visit emporia.edu/tickets for reservations and scroll down to the “She Loves Me” event for additional information and to order tickets. Or call the box office at (620) 341-5256 between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. on weekdays with any questions. The show runs approximately 2 hours with a 15-minute intermission. Tickets will also be available at the Karl C. Bruder Theatre Box Office one hour before the show.
Learn about other Homecoming 2024 events here.
The cast consists of Rachel Shaffer (Moran) as Amalia Balash, Alex Knudsen (Branson, Missouri) as Georg Nowack, Jarrett Davis (Rossville) as Arpad Laszlo, Eva Girard (Overland Park) as Ilona Ritter, Logan Trask (Spring Hill) as Ladislav Sipos, Ben Ziek (Emporia) as Mr. Maraczek, Brennan Ryan (Emporia) as Steven Kodaly, Ray Keady (Emporia) as Waiter, Colin Newland (Wichita) as Busboy, Ariam Mersera (Emporia) as Keller, and the ensemble consists of: Kaitlyn Bartlett (Topeka), Joyanne Boutz (Topeka), Jeremiah Johnson (Salina), Riley Welter (Olathe), and Bailey Wong (Wichita).
The production team includes Aubrey Wilson (Director), Marah McFadden (Choreographer), Penny Speedie (Music Director), Production Stage Manager Chloe Eubanks (Emporia), Assistant Stage Manager Rose Cox (Merriam), Assistant Stage Manager Sav Bard (Spring Hill), Nic Wilson (Scenic Designer), Kelsey Looney (Costume Designer/Costume Shop Manager), Ted Charles Brown (Lighting Designer), Properties Coordinator Hannah Johnson (Potwin), Hank Osterhout (Sound Designer), Chris Lohkamp (Technical Director/Scene Shop Manager).
The Sound Board Operator is Jasper Ennenking (Sabetha), Lightboard Operator Lizzy Thomas (St. Marys), Spotlight Operator Shaylan Haney (Gardner), Spotlight Operator Ashton Ramsey (Great Bend), Fly Operator/Crew Head Nicholas Thomas (Emporia), Wardrobe Crew Head Evie Johnson (Canton).
The Run Crew consists of Ethan Maestas (Wichita), Austin Michaelis (Overbrook), Evan Ballinger (Pleasanton), and Blake Hess (Garnett). The Costume Crew consists of Brooke Weiss (Andover), Molly Lance (Gardner), and Kaitlynn Tarrant (Crescent, Oklahoma). The Costume Maintenance crew consists of Audrey Beebe (Olathe) and Aspen Walker (Wichita). The House Managers are Lexie Vega (Iola) and Azwad B. Arif (Emporia).
About Emporia State Theatre
Emporia State University has one of the oldest and strongest theatre programs in the country, with well over 1,000 graduates. Many are working across the country in professional and academic theatre. At ESU, students can earn a BFA or BA in theatre, or gain certification to become a secondary teacher in the BSE program in speech and theatre. We are proud to be a part of the School of Visual and Performing Arts. ESU Theatre is an active participant of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.