From Pride and Prejudice to modern day chick flicks, the relationship between love and annoyance has fascinated even the most cynical. But Spectrum Theater’s newest production I Love You Because ... offers a new and intriguing take on why we love who we love.
This production is University alumnus Myles Glancey’s “little baby.” Not only did he pick and cast the show, but he also set up its self-governing format in which each of the six cast members are all co-stars and co-directors. The auditioning process included an interview, as well as a typical theater audition, to establish directing and acting ability. This meant that all the actors contributed their own ideas and criticisms equally. They all contributed both advice and talent to the final production, making major decisions about the show’s choreography, lighting and blocking.
“Everyone is really working together,” Glancey said. “The cast members are all in charge.”
The inspiration for this style came from a recent Broadway show and favorite of Glancey’s called [Title of Show], a musical about making a musical with a similar governing structure. But the structure isn’t the only unique aspect of this show. Though there are four actors who play one character each, the remaining two actors play everyone else in the show, from bartenders to guardian angels. These two guardian angel characters push the plot along, helping the couples find each other.
“It’s definitely different than anything I’ve ever done,” said cast member and second-year University student Caitlin Alexander. “It not only involves lots of costume changes, but changing posture, habits and voice — basically everything.”
Actually based on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, I Love You Because ... is the story of Austin Bennet and Marcy Fitzwilliams falling in love through the schemes of a blind date, with the gender roles reversed from Austen’s original story. As they fall in love, Austin’s brother, Jeff, and Marcy’s best friend, Diana, also find themselves drifting closer together.
“Diana thinks that dating, like everything else in life, can be figured out by numbers and rules,” said fourth-year student Elizabeth Baxa about her character. “She sort of finds out that rules don’t apply.”
This is especially true because the character opposite her in the relationship is Jeff Bennet, Austin’s frat-star older brother.
“Jeff is a crass, gross, frat boy older brother,” said fourth-year student DJ Lick, who plays Jeff. “He’s much more interested in friends with benefits than relationships.” The differences between Jeff and Diana seem like they might make their eventual relationship impossible, but it only furthers the whole theme of the show — that individual quirks make up who we are, and that when we fall in love, we fall in love with a whole person, not just that person’s best qualities. We are our faults as much as we are our positive traits.
“This show sends a great message,” Alexander said. “We love because of differences and strange quirks — because of, not in spite of them.”
The show will run Thursday, Friday and Sunday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Student Activities Building.
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