Weathervane opens season with welcome production
By David Ritchey
MERRIMAN VALLEY — The production “I Do! I Do!” begins Weathervane Community Playhouse’s 2007-08 season with a pleasant view of marriage.
Although “I Do! I Do!” opened on Broadway more than 40 years ago, I don’t know of it being produced in the Akron area in the last 20 years, so local audiences should welcome this new production of an old show.
“I Do! I Do!” is a musical based on the Dutch comedy “The Fourposter,” by Jan de Hartog (1914-2002). “The Fourposter” received the Tony Award in 1952 for Best Play, with Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy playing Michael and Agnes.
The musical was written in the 1960s by Harvey Schmidt (music) and Tom Jones (book and lyrics). Schmidt and Jones are best known for writing “The Fantasticks.” Schmidt and Jones wrote music appropriate for the era of the scenes in the play. The song “My Cup Runneth Over” was lifted out of the show and became a popular success.
“I Do! I Do!” has a star-studded history. The musical opened on Broadway in 1966, directed by Gower Champion, and was performed by Mary Martin and Robert Preston. Later, Carol Lawrence and Gordon MacRae took over on Broadway. Carol Burnett and Rock Hudson toured in “I Do! I Do!” for a season. The last New York revival in 1996 featured Karen Ziembia, a two-time Tony Award-winning actress who graduated from The University of Akron.
The story follows Agnes and Michael Snow from their wedding night in 1895 to the day they leave their home for a smaller place in 1945. The gentle, sweet story takes place in the couple’s bedroom and centers on and about their four-post bed. Their wedding night is charmingly awkward and virginal, as each confesses to having never seen a person of the opposite sex nude. Only a few scenes later, they have children.
Michael is a successful writer. Agnes is the stay-at-home mom and wife. Their marriage has its ups and downs; they fight, make up and remain devoted to each other.
This is a tough script. The story only has two characters, Agnes (Chanda Porter) and Michael (Ron Cuirle). The production — which is directed by Jacqi Loewy, with musical direction by Angela Estes — runs about two hours, and someone is on the stage most of the time. Neither performer gets a break until intermission or the end of the play.
The musical numbers are accompanied by two pianos (Estes and Brent Schloneger). Estes has played in more than 2,500 performances at Carousel. Estes and Schloneger take curtain calls with the actors. This is appropriate in this production. However, Estes and Schloneger are so integral to this production that they should be listed in the program with the actors. They are half of a winning team.
The show starts with the two pianists at the pianos. After the opening moments, the turntable spins and the pianos glide upstage and the “fourposter” and a cedar chest take center stage. The bed is covered with a quilt
Ron Cuirle and Chanda Porter star
in Weathervane Community Playhouse’s “I
Do! I Do!”
Photo courtesy of Weathervane
Community Playhouse
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