‘She Loves Me’ to kick off 58th PCPH season this week

The Tony Award-winning musical “She Loves Me” opens this week at Putnam County Playhouse with a cast featuring Dustin Bond (Georg), Joshua Saul Bain (Stephen Kodaly), Meghan Armitage (Illona Ritter), Ric McFadden (Mr. Maraczek), Jason Lefever (Arpad), Jay Prewitt (Sipos) and Lisa McCoy (Amalia).

Banner Graphic/Jared Jernagan

The 58th season of the Putnam County Playhouse will open this week with a production of the Tony Award-winning musical “She Loves Me.”

It will be produced June 6-8 and June 12-15. Curtain time is 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be reserved by calling the box office at 653-5880 after 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday.

The production is sponsored by First National Bank.

Arpad (Jason Lafever) pays a hospital visit to Mr. Maraczek (Ric McFadden).

Banner Graphic/Jared Jernagan

The director of the production is Shelly McFadden, vocal direction is by Lori Miller and the choreographer is Deb Grammel. The pit conductor and pianist is Marilyn Rush. Playing in the band are Dede Schwomeyer on drums, Marcia Boswell on flute and Kathryn Dory on clarinet. Costumes are by McFadden and Caroline Good, who is also the assistant director. Set design is by Ric McFadden.

With music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick (the team responsible for “Fiddler on the Roof”) and a book by Joe Masteroff (“Cabaret”), the musical tells the story of two clerks in a perfume shop in 1930s Budapest. Georg (Dustin Bond) and Amalia (Lisa McCoy) are each in love with a pen pal without knowing they are actually corresponding with each other.

Others in the cast include the owner of the shop Mr. Maraczek (Ric McFadden), another timid clerk Sipos (Jay Prewitt) and two other employees carrying on a clandestine love affair in Stephen Kodaly (Joshua Saul Bain) and Illona Ritter (Meghan Armitage). A young bicycle messenger Arpad (Jason Lafever) also longs to work in the shop.

When Georg and Amalia decide to meet, it is at a discreet hideaway that has a maitre d’ (Andrew Ranck) who promises a “romantic atmosphere.” A lively tango and a clumsy busboy (Noah D. Pettit) add to the fun.

The cast also includes Anna Harris (also the production stage manager), Hannah Lafever, Kayla Norman, Hannah Newlin, Robin Schneider and Matt Schneider. Doing double duty as stage crew members and onstage denizens are Mason Allen, Hadley McCoy and Cameron Wunderlich. Pettit and Brandon Wunderlich are also working on the stage crew.

Bond is also the technical and lighting designer. Grace Elmore will run the light board and Haley Wilson will run the soundboard. Running the spotlights are Sarah Nowling and Ally Taylor.