She Loves Me Director’s Notes
Dear Friends,
Welcome to the story of She Loves Me. Opening on Broadway in 1963, this delightful musical is the third adaptation of the 1937 play The Parfumerie, by Miklos Laszlo. Our musical follows the tale of Georg and Amalia, a pair of perfume shop employees who are enraptured by two things; their annoyance with one another, and the letters they receive from their anonymous lovers. Along the way we watch the rise and fall of other clerks within the shop. If the plot seems somewhat familiar to you, you might be remembering other adaptations such as The Shop Around the Corner (1940) or more notably You’ve Got Mail (1998).
So, what has allowed this simple little story to stick around? Even more interesting- what is the relevance? Why is this still a story worth telling?
Well, Dear Friends (you’ll get the reference later, I promise) it is a story worth telling because it is a story about the fascinating intricacies of the human person. Especially the difficulty of revealing the heart, and revealing one’s true self.
Amalia and Georg hide behind their anonymity as they write their letters to their admirers. How familiar is this to us today? It seems that at every point of history, there is a struggle for the human person to be vulnerable with their heart. In the age of social media and the Internet, it is so easy to create a “better” version of yourself that you present to the world. This is the very struggle that Amalia and Georg experience. As they each plan to meet their secret admirer, they wonder to themselves; “will they like me as I truly am?”
It is not only Georg and Amalia that hide behind a facade. Each character on stage has an angle and persona that they present to the others. Some characters feign joy as they experience deep turmoil. Others present a persona of kindness, while they secretly scheme behind the backs of others. Why? Because it is more comfortable to hide behind a version of yourself that looks “perfect’.
It is only in revealing the flawed, very human self, that our characters find true happiness. Sharing who we truly are requires vulnerability. With that comes the opportunity for hurt, and an even greater opportunity for truth and love (both romantic and platonic).
I hope you enjoy this delightful little musical. Let it stand as a reminder of the importance of truth. For with it, friendship, love, and joy can flourish.
SETTING
A small perfume shop in Budapest, Hungary. 1937
CONTENT ADVISORY
This show contains mild language and references to depression and death.
CAST
George Nowak .....................................................................................................................
Amalia Balish .......................................................................................................................
Luke Allen
Tess Sollars
Ilona Ritter............................................................................................................................
Steven Kodaly ......................................................................................................................
Ladislov Sipos .......................................................................................................................
Arpad Laszlo .....................................................................................................................
Cait Coble
Zeke Harris
Ike McKee
Isaac Frenzel
Mr. Maraczek .....................................................................................................................
Josh Collins
The Waitress ....................................................................................................................
Inspector Keller
Paul ...................................................................................................................................
The Busboy/Featured Vocalist
Bella Dessert
Ethan Reyes
Jack Gelhaus
Oliver Busenhart
Cafe Violinist/Shop Vocalist ................................................................................................
Adie Balino
Shop Vocalist ..................................................................................................................
Mary Aguilera
Nora Butler
Sadie Lepper
Sophia Nguyen
Bebe Preux
Speaking Ensemble ......................................................................................................
Annie McGuire
Bria Sutherlin
Faith Thomas
Echo Turpin
Ensemble........................................................................................................................
Alex McBride
Lura Bracht
Nicholas Haggerty
Carleigh Heffron
Kaitlyn Kellerman
Kendra Scheve
Addison Schraeder
TECHNICAL DESIGNERS & CREW
Director: Kathryn Fitzsimmons
Music Director: Robin Christie
Scenic Designer/Technical Director: Mike Ritzel
Lighting Designer: Colton Rice
Stage Manager Cody Israel
Assistant Stage Manager ..............................................................................Taylor Cooper Balandron
Lighting Designer .......................................................................................................... Elise Oblepias
Assistant Lighting Designer ............................................................................................... Paul Fessler
Costumes ..........................................................................................................................
Lura Bracht
Layla Norris
Sound Designer .......................................................................................................... Spencer Moxley
Sound Assistant ........................................................................................................ Harper DeKeyser
Hair/Makeup ...............................................................................................................
Angie Alvarado
Addison Bolte
Paola Espino
Haley Wilson
Props Designer Adie Balino
Props Assistant .......................................................................................................Jackson McDonald
Props Assistant/Run Crew Gregory Arico Thomas Salmon
Assistant Technical Director ............................................................................. Quin Chaffee McClure
Run Crew ....................................................................................................................... Charlie Bloom
Grant Gelhaus
Anna Joseph Finn Joseph
Danny McClaren
Jackson McDonald
Sophia Radetic
Kira Zogleman
MEET THE CAST AND CREW
Luke Allen (Georg Nowack)
Luke is a Junior and is thrilled to be the lead in She Loves Me He would like to thank Mrs. Fitzsimmons for casting and directing such a great show and his family, especially his Mom and Grandpa, for all their support and excitement. Luke has appeared in The Man Who Came to Dinner, All Shook Up, and the two past One Acts. When not participating in a production, he is working at Mission Pool. He hopes you laugh lots and enjoy the show!
Mary Aguilera (Shop Vocalist)
Mary is a junior, and this is her second Bishop Miege production. You may have seen her in the ensemble of last year’s production, All Shook Up. Mary is also involved in basketball, softball, choir, and is a member of the NHS at Miege. She would like to thank all of the people who have made this amazing musical possible. She is overjoyed to be a part of She Loves me and she hopes you enjoy the show!
Adie Balino (Cafe Violinist/Shop Vocalist)
Adie is a Sophomore and is absolutely thrilled to be part of She Loves Me This is her fourth production at Bishop Miege, and you may have seen her in the One Act Check Please! (Karen). She would like to thank her family, friends, and directors for helping her continue participating in theater! (especially her brother for driving her everywhere). She is also involved in Choir and Tri-M, and she hopes you enjoy the show.
Addison Bolte (Hair and Makeup)
Addison is a Junior and this is her first production with Bishop Miege Theater. She is happy to be part of such an amazing group of people, as well as to work along side her two close friends doing hair and makeup for the show. Addison is also a third year wrestler at Miege with a background in tae-qwan-do and is excited to be more involved with school activities. She hopes you enjoy the show. Go Stags go!
Lura Bracht (Ensemble/Costumes)
Lura is a Sophomore and is super excited for She Loves Me This is her third Bishop Miege production. You may have seen her in All Shook Up or last year’s One Acts. In addition to helping with costumes for She Loves Me, Lura is also a member of the Bishop Miege Drumline and Choir. She hopes you enjoy She Loves Me just as much as she enjoyed rehearsing for it!
Oliver Busenhart (The Busboy/Caroler)
Oliver is a Senior and is so happy to be a part of She Loves Me his fourth musical at Bishop Miege. He is also involved in Tri-M, NHS, Debate and Forensics. He would like to thank Mrs. Fitzsimmons and Mr. Ritzel for putting together such an amazing show, and his parents, Erin Busenhart and Chris Busenhart for their love and support over the years. He is extremely proud to be member of this wonderful program and hopes you enjoy the show.
Nora Butler (Featured Dancer)
Nora is a Junior and this is her third Bishop Miege production! You may have seen her in the One Act Check Please! the Musical (Karyn). Nora made her Carnegie Hall debut in New York as a 9 year member of Allegro Choirs of Kansas City. She is also a member of the Bishop Miege Dazzlers Dance Team and Choir. Nora would like to thank her friends, family, and everyone who has impacted who she is today, she hopes you enjoy She Loves Me.
Quin Chaffee-McClure (Assistant Technical Director)
Quin is a Freshman who is extremely delighted to be a part of the musical this year. He was part of his middle school musical last year, and this is his first time on tech crew. He is also involved in Debate and plans on trying out for Tennis in the spring. He hopes you love the show.
Cait Coble (Ilona Ritter)
Cate Coble is a Senior and is thrilled to return to the Bishop Miege stage for her second production. Previously, she has performed with Starlight, Theatre in the Park, StageRight, MTKC, and more. Cate extends heartfelt thanks to her family, friends, boyfriend, and the incredible cast and crew of She Loves Me for their unwavering support. Catch her next as Marie in the world premiere of Sugarplum at MTKC Pro this December. She hopes you enjoy the show!
Joshua Collins (Mr. Maraczek)
Joshua is a Junior and is ecstatic to be a part of the cast of She Loves Me. This is his third year and his sixth show as a member of the Bishop Miege Theater Department. He would like to give a huge thank you to his family, especially his parents for all their support in these last 3 months. He would also like to extend gratitude towards Mrs. Fitzsimmons, Mrs. Christie, Mr. Ritzel and everyone who has contributed to the success of this show!
MEET THE CAST AND CREW
Bella Dessert (The Waitress)
Bella is a Junior and is so excited for this year’s production, her third musical at Bishop Miege. She is involved in Stage Right, MTKC, Starlight, and dances at Miller Marley and Kansas City Ballet School. She would love to thank her friends and the directors, as well as her family, her biggest support system. She hopes you enjoy the show!
Paola Espino (Hair and Makeup)
Paola is a Junior and this is her first production with Bishop Miege. She is excited be part of such a lively crew and thrilled to contribute her passion for makeup and creativity to help bring the characters to life without having to step into the spotlight. She’d like to thank Mrs. Fitzsimmons and the rest of the cast for giving her the chance to be a part of such an amazing team! She hopes you enjoy the show and seeing the hard work of all the members pay off!
Paul Fessler (Assistant Lighting Designer)
Paul is a Junior who is very excited to be part of this year’s musical production, his third production at Bishop Miege. This is his first time working the lights, but he has also worked on sound and props management in previous productions. He is also involved in Bishop Miege Robotics and Newspaper teams. He would like to thank Mrs. Fitzsimmons and his parents for supporting his participation in Miege productions.
Isaac Frenzel (Arpad Laszlo)
Isaac is delighted to be a part of She Loves Me with Bishop Miege! This is his fourth Miege production and eighth overall! This is his first big role in a Miege musical, but he has been in many shows with Theatre at Vis, playing Donkey in Shrek, and most recently, Rooster in Annie. He is also a member of Stage Right’s Vocalocity. He would like to thank Mrs. Fitzsimmons, Mrs. Chrisitie, and everyone else who has helped make this wonderful show possible. He hopes you enjoy!
Jack Gelhaus (Paul)
Jack is a Junior who is very excited to be a part of She Loves Me. You may recognize him from The Man Who Came to Dinner (John) or from the One Acts production. He would like to thank his friends who got him into theater and his parents for giving birth to him. He also thanks YOU, yes YOU, for coming to see this show.
Nicholas Haggerty (Ensemble)
Nicholas is a Sophomore and is excited to be a part of She Loves Me. This is his 4th Bishop Miege production. You may have seen him in The Man Who Came To Dinner (Expressman). He hopes you enjoy the show.
Zeke Harris (Steven Kodaly)
Zeke is a Senior who is ecstatic to appear onstage in She Loves Me. This is his first musical at Bishop Miege and you’ll see him as Steven Kodaly in this production. He is so glad you came and is excited to perform for you!
Carleigh Heffron (Ensemble)
Carleigh is a Sophomore in her first year of Bishop Miege theater and is so excited to be performing in She Loves Me. She also is in the Bishop Miege choir and participates in choirs outside of school. She would like to thank the cast and crew for their time and effort making this amazing show! She would also like to thank her parents for helping her in all ways possible!
Cody Israel (Stage Manager)
Cody is a Junior and is so happy to be a part of She Loves Me. This is his third production at Bishop Miege. You may have seen him in One Acts last year (Officer Willis). He would like to thank his friends and family for supporting him and he hopes you enjoy the show!
Finn Joseph (Crew/Runner)
Finn is a Freshman and is so excited to be joining the Bishop Miege Theatre Department as a runner on the crew for She Loves Me. You may have seen Finn recently in Annie. Enjoy the show!
Kaitlyn Kellerman (Ensemble)
Kaitlyn is a Freshman and this is her first Bishop Miege production. You may have seen her in St. Ann’s production of Frozen Jr. (Queen Iduna). She would like to thank the entire cast and crew for making her first production at Bishop Miege a wonderful experience. She would also like to thank her parents for their support and driving her to every rehearsal.
MEET THE CAST AND CREW
Sadie Lepper (Featured Dancer)
Sadie is a Sophomore and is happy to be appearing in her second Bishop Miege production. Sadie is a part of many activities at Bishop Miege including Basketball, Dance Team, and Track. Sadie has also appeared in Stage Light Theater and Kansas City Young Audiences productions. She is excited for everyone to see She Loves Me, and would like to thank the directors and staff that make this show possible. Enjoy the show.
Alex McBride (Ensemble/Caroler)
Alex is a Sophomore and this is his 4th Bishop Miege Production and 10th overall. He previously performed as a Main Street Player for the Kansas City Young Audiences and the Heart of America Shakespeare Company. At Bishop Miege, he’s a member of the Debate Team, Robotics Team, Concert Band, and Tri-M Musical Honor Society.
Jackson McDonald (Props)
Jackson is a Freshman who has little experience in the umbrella that is theater and is excited to be part of the show!
Annie McGuire (Speaking Ensemble)
Annie is a junior, and is very excited to be a part of She Loves Me. This is her second musical here at Miege, as you may have seen her in last years production, All Shook Up. She is also involved in yearbook and a member of the NHS at Miege. She would like to thank Mrs. Fitzsimmons, Mrs. Christie, the whole cast, and everyone who has brought this show to life. She hopes you enjoy the show!
Ike McKee (Ladislov Sipos)
Ike is a Senior and is delighted to return to the Bishop Miege stage for his fourth show. In addition to his Bishop Miege performances, Ike is active in the Kansas City theater community with the KC Rep, Starlight,and the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival. Thank you for supporting high school theater. Enjoy the show! IG: @Theike_Mckee
Spencer Moxley (Sound Designer)
Spencer is a Junior who is so happy to be a part She Loves Me, his seventh show at Bishop Miege! He has experience in both tech support and acting in productions and has enjoyed being a part of the theatre department, especially Cappies and Blue Star. He would like to thank Mrs. Fitzsimmons, Mr. Ritzel, and his parents for the many rides to and from school. He hopes you enjoy the show!
Sophia Nguyen (Shop Vocalist)
Sophia is a Junior and is ecstatic to be a part of She Loves Me, her seventh production with Bishop Miege. You may have seen her previously in The Man Who Came to Dinner (Ms. Preen). She wants to thank her family and friends for their incredible support, especially her parents, who have put up with Sophia’s many activities (and flat tires) this year. Sophia is also involved in Tri-M, NHS, Miege Debate, Forensics, and Choir. She hopes you enjoy the show.
Layla Norris (Costumes)
Layla is a Freshmen and is so excited to have She Loves Me as her first musical at Bishop Miege. You might have most recently seen her in the ensemble of Saint Agnes’ production of Frozen Jr. She has enjoyed helping with costumes and working along side such an amazing group of people. She would love to thank her parents and friends who have encouraged her to be a part of the musical.
Elise Oblepias (Lighting Designer)
Elise is a Junior and is so excited to play a part in the production of She Loves Me. This is her third year in theater, and her second year working on lighting. She wants to thank everyone who has worked to help make this musical a reality, and she hopes you enjoy the show!
Bebe Preux (Shop Vocalist)
Bebe is a Junior and this is her second Bishop Miege production. She was a featured vocalist in All Shook Up last year and hopes to join next year’s musical as well! Bebe is also involved in Bishop Miege Choir and Soccer. She is super excited for you to watch She Loves Me and hopes you enjoy the show.
Sophia Radetic (Stage Crew)
Sophia is a Freshman and this is her first Bishop Miege production. She hopes you enjoy the show.
MEET THE CAST AND CREW
Ethan Reyes (Inspector Keller)
Ethan is a Junior and is thrilled to be a part of She Loves Me. This will be his third year and fifth show as a member of the Bishop Miege Theater Department. You may have seen him in past One Acts but this is his first appearance in a larger production. He would like to thank his family, friends, and teachers for supporting him to get him where he is today. Now he hopes you enjoy and love She Loves Me.
Thomas Salmon (Props Assistant/Run Crew)
Thomas is a Junior and this is his third Bishop Miege production. He was Prop Manager for All Shook Up and ran tech crew for The Man Who Came to Dinner. While not working tech crew, he is also a member of Miege Robotics. He would like to thank Mrs. Fitzsimmons for putting this show, Ms. Christie for leading the music, Mr. Ritzel for his realistic sets. He would like to thank his family for coming to every show, his friends for their support. He hopes you enjoy the show.
Kendra Scheve (Ensemble)
Kendra is a Freshman and is so excited to join the Bishop Miege Theatre Department and Choir. Kendra most recently appeared in Les Miserables at the Culture House. She hopes you enjoy She Loves Me
Addison Schraeder (Ensemble)
Addison is a Freshman and is grateful to have She Loves Me as her first theater production at Bishop Miege! She most recently appeared in St. Agnes’ production of Frozen Jr. (Elsa). She would like to thank her parents for their support and love, the cast and crew for such a great first Bishop Miege show, and finally Mrs. Fitzimmons for giving her this opportunity.
Tess Sollars (Amalia Balash)
Tess is over-joyed to be part of the beautiful show, She Loves Me, in a role that holds a special place in her heart. Performing on the Bishop Miege stage since she was a Freshman, you may have seen her in Oklahoma! (Laurey Williams) and Anne of Green Gables (Anne). Most recently, she performed in Theatre in the Park’s production of Bye Bye Birdie (Kim Macaffee). She is endlessly grateful for the support of her family, friends, Stage Right, Cathy Barnett, Elaine Fox, Mrs. Fitzsimmons, and Mrs. Christie who have cheered her on every step of the way. Enjoy!
Bria Sutherlin (Ensemble)
Bria is a Junior who is so excited for everyone to see what this wonderful cast has been working on. This is her second show at Bishop Miege and she wants to thank Mrs. Fitzsimmons, Mrs. Christie, and everyone who made this show possible. She hopes you enjoy the show!
Faith Thomas (Speaking Ensemble)
Faith is a Junior and is so excited to be a part of She Loves Me. This is her sixth Bishop Miege theater production. You may have seen her in The Man Who Came to Dinner (Mrs. McCutcheon) or in a Bishop Miege Choir Concert. She hopes you enjoy the show.
Echo Turpin (Speaking Ensemble/Featured Dancer)
Echo is a Senior and is so happy to be a part of She Loves Me. This is her third Bishop Miege Theatre Production. The last time you would have seen her was her Freshman year tapping across the stage as a chimney sweep in Mary Poppins. She would like to thank the entire case and crew for an amazing Senior year experience!
Haley Wilson (Hair and Makeup)
Haley is a Junior. Although this is her first time participating in a Bishop Miege production, Haley is on the Miege softball team as well as the club volleyball team. She is excited to be a part of such an incredible team and to be able to show her creativity in hair and makeup. She is honored to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of such a hardworking crew. She’d like to thank Mrs. Fitzsimmons and the rest of the team for letting her be a part of this amazing show and hopes everyone enjoys!
SPECIAL THANKS
This production would not have been possible without a multitude of members of the Bishop Miege community. Thank you to Phil Baniewicz, Alex Keith, Maureen Engen, and Joe Schramp for their support of the arts program. Thank you to our Acting I and Digital Design classes. Thank you to A to Z Theatrical Supply & Service, INC., The Lucky Tiger Vintage, Vinyl, and Curiosity Shop, the owners of Boomerang Vintage Clothing and Accessories, and Andy and Allen and their team at Wonderland Unique Vintage Clothing, Accessories and Housewares for all of the help with costuming our cast, and educating us about dressing in the 1930’s!
Finally, thank you to all parents for the countless hours unseen as they drive their students to rehearsal, provide props, food, and support. These productions could not be created without you. A special thanks to Jamie Ball, Pam Sollars, LeAnna Lepper, Alex Ayala, and Christina Craig for their assistance on costumes. A special thanks to Jenny Frenzel, Alison Collins, Jennifer Thomas, and Matt Thomas for their assistance curating and creating our fantastic programs and organizing meals.