Magical Work On TheatreWorks Stage
2017-09-27
For anyone looking for a place where charm is abundant, the laughs are genuine, and the tale is timeless, look no further than TheatreWorks New Milford's current production of I Do! I Do! with book and lyrics by Tom Jones and music by Harvey Schmidt. Directed by the inimitable Brad Blake, this show delivers a welcome journey through a decades-long marriage that sees its share of life's up and downs, all set to music.
Featuring just two actors - Carey Van Hollen and Jonathan Jacobson - the play tells the story of a couple wed in the late 1800s.
Their union is traditional. He works, she cleans up. He whines, she dotes. They are domesticated in old school fashion.
Despite the setting, the challenges and changes they face are the stuff of every long-term relationship. They sing and dance, argue and fight throughout. Yet in the end, theirs is a life of love and companionship that can only be afforded those who have stood the test of time.
It is daunting for two people to carry a full-length show, even more so when that show is a musical. Yet these two make it look better than easy, they are having a blast. They are both supremely talented and dedicated actors.
Ms Van Hollen has a stunner of a voice, and Mr Jacobson is a sublime actor. Together they are magical.
The musical direction by Charles Smith is something special. The delicious piano playing is rich and full of soul.
Costumes by Lauren Nicole Sherwood are designed to reflect the eras through which this couple pass and they do, along with some pretty terrific fascinators!
The set, designed by Brad Blake and Jim Hipp, is of two different spaces, which change back and forth on rotation. It worked beautifully and added to the whimsy.
This is a work of art for all. It would be hard not to get caught up in the story of Agnes and Michael, who choose to say "I do! I do!" over and over throughout their years.
All are invited to attend the wedding at the heart and soul of this wonderful theater experience.