Alumnus returns for “She Loves Me”
Oct. 19, 2007
Demetrice Tuttle, left, and Ken Chapman go over their roles in the new musical. |
He was a young man, Ken Chapman was, the last time he “trod the boards” in a LaGrange College theatrical production … two generations ago. Today, Chapman is a retired businessman, and the boards he walked on in that earlier epoch are now the dust of a billion cinders, burned in the great conflagration that consumed Dobbs Hall in the winter of 1970.
Forty-one years is a long stretch between encores, but Chapman is back on campus this fall hammering out the role of Mr. Maraczek in the College’s upcoming production of “She Loves Me.” Theatre Chair Kim Barber Knoll, a longtime friend and professional colleague, invited him to return to his alma mater to perform a part he’d excelled in years before in her production of the Broadway musical at the Papermill Theatre in New Hampshire.
“We’re so lucky to have him,” Knoll said. “When we were thinking about doing this, I was so hoping we could get him to come back to LC. He brings a real maturity and warmth to the production.”
For Chapman, taking the part was a big commitment. By the time the musical opens on Oct. 25, he will have trekked back and forth from his home in New Hampshire three times. Though the travel has been tough, Chapman said he’s enjoying himself.
“It’s just been terrific,” he said. “I feel very supported, and I’m treated with a great deal of tenderness and respect by the students and crew. I’ve heard more “yes, sirs” and “no, sirs” than I’ve heard in 40 years. So I’m really impressed.”
Knoll said the experience has been a good one for the students, as well.
“It’s been wonderful for our students to be on stage with and work with a professional actor of Ken’s experience,” she said of Chapman, who has appeared in dozens of productions over the past four decades.
The play, “She Loves Me,” is a joint collaboration between the Theatre Department and the Music Department. Knoll is directing/choreographing and Music Chair Dr. Toni Anderson is providing the musical direction.
“Toni and I have really enjoyed working together on a play that is this well-written, with songs and numbers that truly advance the plot. No one just stops and sings. The songs come directly from the characters’ anxieties and hopes and dreams.” Knoll said.
Sharon Coffey as Amalia and Allen Cheney as Georg rehearse a scene for “She Loves Me.” |
Based on the 1937 play “Parfumerie” by Hungarian playwright Miklos Laszlo, “She Loves Me” is a well-loved tale that has inspired a number of productions, including the 1940 Jimmy Stewart film “The Shop Around the Corner,” the 1998 Tom Hanks-Meg Ryan film, “You’ve Got Mail,” and a 1963 Broadway musical that was successfully revived in 1993 and serves as the basis for the LaGrange production.
“It’s one of my favorite musicals of all time because it has a little bit of everything…drama, charm, innocent true love and a great sense of humor. We really root for and laugh with these characters.” Knoll said. “It is an excellent musical for Homecoming Weekend in that you can bring the entire family to it.”
According to Knoll, the set is “probably one of the largest sets we’ve ever built. It’s a two story turntable that takes us to six locations.”
Additionally, she said the musical is one of the most technically complex productions ever seen on the Price stage.
“We’re borrowing the sound system from the Papermill Theatre in New Hampshire, and we’ll be using 10 state-of-the-art body mics,” she said. “The prop list alone is four pages long!”
Set in 1930s Budapest, the play stars Sharon Coffey and Allen Cheney in the lead roles. Guest design artists include costumer Alan Yeong, set designer Jen Price and lighting designer Matthew Fick.
“She Loves Me” opens Thursday, Oct. 25, and runs through Sunday, Oct. 28. It then resumes its run Nov. 1 through Nov. 3. The Oct. 27 Homecoming performance is a 2 p.m. matinee, and the cast will sing the National Anthem at the Homecoming football game that evening. The Oct. 28 Sunday matinee performance is at 2:30 p.m. All other performances begin at 7:30 p.m. For more information or tickets, call the box office Monday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m. at 706-880-8080.
