BWW Reviews: I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE - A Joy

I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE:  a nice escape at Actors' Summit

Roy Berko (Member, American Theatre Critics Association & Cleveland Critics Circle)

Every once in a while it's nice to go to a theatre, relax, hear some pleasant music, enjoy stories of love and life, and smile.  That's the situation at Actor's Summit with their present offering, I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE.

ILY,YP, NC is a review by Joe DiPietro (book)  and Jimmy Roberts (music) which takes a journey from dating and waiting to fall in love, to  marriage.  Then it lightly probes into the agonies and triumphs of newborns, children, and the pick-up attempts of geriatrics.  Not mind blowing, not even mind bending, just a series of songs, some light hearted vignettes, and an occasional emotional twist.

The music is nice.  Not memorable, but pleasant.  No top ten hits on the play list here, but also nothing grating, ear splitting, or heavy bass. 

The Actors' Summit cast have nice voices, interpret the songs well, hit the right emotional levels and make the ideas flow right along.  Stephen Brockway, Aubrey Caldwell, Abigail Allwein,  and Keith Stevens play multi-roles with comfort.  

It is ironic that Stevens does a charming song, complete with baby talk about the joys of fatherhood, since he is a very, very recent new daddy!  

Neil Thackaberry's directing keeps the show moving at a pleasant pace.  

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:  I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE makes for a pleasant afternoon/evening of theatre.  

Roy Berko, a life-long Clevelander, holds degrees, through the doctorate from Kent State, University of Michigan and The Pennsylvania State University. Roy was an actor for many years, appearing in more than 16 plays, 8 TV commercials, and 3 films. He has directed more than 30 productions. A member of the American Critics Association, the Dance Critics Association and The Cleveland Critics Circle, he has been an entertainment reviewer for more than twenty years. For many years he was a regular on Channel 5, ABC-Cleveland's "Morning Exchange" and "Live on 5," serving as the stations communication consultant. He has also appeared on "Good Morning America." Roy served as the Director of Public Relations for the Volunteer Office in the White House during the first Clinton Administration. He is a professor of communication and psychology who taught at George Washington University, University of Maryland, Notre Dame College of Ohio and Towson University. Roy is the author of 31 books. Several years ago, he was selected by Cleveland Magazine as one of the most interesting people in Cleveland.

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