“She Loves Me” brings sweet, comical romance to Wallace Theatre

Riverside, Calif. (Nov. 14, 2018) – The theatre arts program at California Baptist University is delivering romance, comedy and plenty of singing with “She Loves Me,” which opens on Nov. 16.

Lisa Lyons, adjunct professor of theatre and the director for the play, said this rendition of the musical will feature music to help people transition into the celebration of Christmastime.

“It’s like a Christmas card. It’s a beautifully wrapped present to the audience,” Lyons said. “We hope it will put them in a fabulous Christmas mood.”

Set in the 1930s, main characters Amalia and Georg are co-workers at a Hungarian perfumery who are at odds with each other. However, after both respond to a “lonely hearts advertisement” in the newspaper, they live for the love letters that they unknowingly exchange to each other. The pair end up discovering that true love goes beyond appearance.

“I think what I've learned from this show is that people won't be happy until they get out there and get to know people,” said Samantha Shroll, a theatre senior who plays Amalia. “The love of your life could be right next to you, or even a new friend, but people get so caught up on appearance and petty things that we don't notice what's right in front of us.”

The show’s music is on the classical side, so the students had to adjust to it, Lyons said.

“The students are used to singing more contemporary songs,” Lyons said. “This is more the golden-age of Broadway, where it’s a classical style of singing.”

Sixteen students make up the orchestra that provides live music during the play. Marco Mejia (’06), music director and conductor for the Corona Symphony Orchestra, will be the conductor for “She Loves Me.”

Mejia said this will be a valuable learning experience for the students.

“They get the opportunity to play charts composed for a Broadway pit orchestra,” Mejia said. “Participating in a musical production is the ultimate arts endeavor. The synergy afforded by the coming together of instruments, voices, acting, dancing, makes this experience like nothing else a person can endeavor within the arts.”

“She Loves Me”

When: Nov. 16-17, Nov. 29-30, Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m.; Nov. 17, Dec. 1 at 2 p.m.
Where: Wallace Theatre, California Baptist University, 8432 Magnolia Ave., Riverside, CA, 92504
Tickets or questions? Call the theatre box office at 951- 343-4319 or email: mhyde@calbaptist.edu