‘She Loves Me’ to premiere this weekend

Shortly after the widespread success of Broadway’s A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, another musical opened up in Broadway theatres on Apr. 23, 1963. It was known as She Loves Me, a musical based of Hungarian playwright Miklos Laszlo’s popular Parfumerie.

Set in Budapest, Hungary, and following the unlikely relationship between two lovers through pen pal notes, She Loves Me detached itself from the mainstream romance musicals of the time yet still drew in many crowds.

And now, from the theatres of Broadway, West End, and many more, She Loves Me has finally made its way to Noblesville, IN, where it is to premiere on Nov. 18.

Before She Loves Me debuts, however, much work has still yet to be done, and the students participating in the production are laboring long hours to finish everything up.

Senior Jason Lafever, who was cast for the role of Georg Nowack, will be performing She Loves Me as his first-ever musical, and he has much to do in order to prepare.

“Being on stage isn’t new to me,” Lafever said, “but singing alone is. I sing by myself in at least five songs, so I’m pretty nervous.”

Lafever has been involved with music for many years, having participated in band and Singers, and he states that joining the musical was not only a factor of peer pressure but also “a good way to take [his] musical abilities to the next level.”

As for the acting portion of the production, Lafever is not so knowledgeable. After acting alongside senior Molly Grooms, who will be portraying the female lead of Amalia Balash, Lafever cites her as an acting mentor due to her experience with theatre.

Though Lafever is new to acting, sophomore Ashley Owens—one of the two student directors for the musical—states that he is a great actor anyway. “Molly and Jason have great chemistry when acting together,” Owens said.

Owens, like Lafever, is also taking on a new position when it comes to this year’s musical. Normally an actor or chorus member in the past, Owens decided to become student director for She Loves Me.

Working behind the scenes, though different than anything else she has done before, is enjoyable for Owens, and she likes watching the production play out. She hopes a vast audience will attend the performances, even though this musical is one that’s lesser known.

Owens even believes that though this musical is not as well-known, it will make it more enjoyable for the audience and the actors.

“I feel like if [Noblesville] did more popular musicals and plays, then people would have higher expectations,” Owens said. “If we were to do something like Grease for the musical, then the audience would already know what to expect. Not-as-well-known plays give the actors a chance to shine.”

Another group of the She Loves Me cast and crew, the orchestra class, is also hoping to “shine” in this year’s performance due to the fact they are required to play as a part of their semester grade.

Junior Mitchell Backs, who plays the viola, states that it’s quite difficult to balance training for She Loves Me and school work, among other things, at the same time.

“I have my private [viola] lesions on top of these,” Backs said, stressing the amount of hassle he has dealt with on a weekly basis due to rehearsal for the musical. “So, right after rehearsals, I have to get in the car, eat dinner in the car, and go straight to lessons. Homework I do from about 7 p.m. to whenever I see fit to stop….”

“It’s a lot of work,” Lafever agrees. “Between, like, school and other classes that are extracurricular, it’s hard work. You have to take a lot of time out of your own personal schedule.”

Through all the work, however, the overall cast and crew of She Loves Me enjoy working together, and they hope that come November 18, all their work will be paid off.

Backs speaks for most of the orchestra when he says, “the process of getting the music down is hard, but once you get it down, playing and being a part in the musical is great.”

“It’s really fun,” Owens said, referring to the cooperation between the cast and crew during rehearsals and behind stage. “Everyone’s doing their part, and everyone’s friends with everybody. We sit around and make jokes when we have the time. It’s a lot of fun.”

“We all get along very well,” Lafever said. “It’s like a little family!”

She Loves Me will be performed in the auditorium during the weekend of Nov. 18-20 at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.