Music by Joshua Salzman
Book and Lyrics by Ryan Cunningham
Directed by Shannon Benil
Music Directed by Ron Giddings
Produced by Beth Terranova
Performance Dates: June 10 - 13, 2021

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single person in Manhattan, must be in want of a date. Described as a gender-reversed modern-day retelling of “Pride and Prejudice", I Love You Because follows Austin Bennet, a young greeting card writer, whose life is turned upside down when he finds his long-term girlfriend Catherine, in bed with another man. Forced back out into the treacherous New York dating scene by his kooky brother Jeff, Austin meets Marcy Fitzwilliams, a flighty photographer whose spontaneity is matched only by her ability to drive him insane. This new musical comedy explores the 'rules' and nuances of dating and learning how to love someone, not in spite of their differences, but because of them.

I Love You Because is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized performance materials are supplied by Theatrical Rights Worldwide, 1180 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 640, New York, NY 10036. www.theatricalrights.com

 

About the Authors

Joshua Salzman (music) and Ryan Cunningham (book and lyrics) are Jonathan Larson Award winners as well as Drama Desk and MAC Award-nominated writers. Their Off-Broadway musical, I Love You Because, was in the NAMT Festival of New Musicals in 2005 and has been produced all over the world in five languages. Their musical, Next Thing You Know, has been produced at CAP 21 in New York, across America and in Europe. Their song Just Not Now was featured on Lauren Kennedy’s solo album Here and Now. Ryan and Joshua are graduates of the NYU Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program and are both members of ASCAP and the Dramatist Guild. Joshua lives in New Jersey with his wife and two daughters and Ryan lives in Chicago with his wife and son.

 

About the Director

Shannon Benil is thrilled to be directing her first full production at the Colonial Players. She is no stranger to this stage as she has been performing in shows at CP for 27 years, with her first role at age 16 as Belinda Cratchit in A Christmas Carol for director Eric Lund who is now the lighting designer for her in this show! She has also known several of the actors for as many as 20 years, having met them here at CP as well. To say this theater is her second home would be an understatement. It is her family. Some of her favorite roles at this theater have been in Calendar Girls, Shiloh Rules, Rumors, Bat Boy and I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change. During the day, she is the Associate VP of Accounting for an Annapolis ad agency which segues nicely to her current role as Treasurer on the Board for CP. She would like to thank her wife, Marcy (who is her “I Love You Because”), for doing single parent duty for their 8-year-old son. “It is an honor and a privilege to have my name as Director on this show with this wonderful cast. I could listen to you all sing forever!”

 

Director's Notes

When I was approached in March about directing this special project for the summer, I was pretty much an immediate YES! I did not know of this musical before agreeing to this, so I had a lot of catching up to do. We were using the original pub reading cast (minus one that had to be replaced) from 7 years ago, all of whom I knew and loved, and I would get to feed my soul again with the theater I so desperately missed during this pandemic. Having only directed college shows and a One-Act at Colonial Players years ago, this would be my first foray into directing a fulllength production here, and a musical no less! Little did I realize how quickly two months passes when you are mounting a full musical. To say we have “thrown together” this musical would be an insult to all those that have dedicated hours upon hours to make this happen on tight time restraints and a tighter budget. I cannot thank the staff of this show enough for jumping in with both feet. Your contributions are so evident and so appreciated. Our goal was to produce a show with minimal cost and time to show our community that live theater was BACK! Riding on the coattails of the success of our first reopening show, Maytag Virgin, we knew our theater-goers were ready to return to the seats. So I think the audience will find this show is anything but “thrown together” and holds up to the standards of any of our normal season shows. My ONLY regret is that all this work is for only ONE weekend of shows!

— SHANNON BENIL

 

The Cast

Zac Brightbill (Jeff Bennett) – Zac is a graduate from University of Maryland College Park with a double major in theatre performance and communications. Zac is thrilled to be performing for the first time with The Colonial Players and this stellar cast! Recent productions include Ragtime (Younger Brother), Legally Blonde (Emmett), Spring Awakening (Melchior), Avenue Q (Princeton), 9 to 5 (Joe), Heathers (JD), and Gypsy (Tulsa). Alumni of UMD’s improv troupe Erasable Inc.

Katie Gardner (Marcy Fitzwilliams) – Katie is thrilled to be back at The Colonial Players after this unforgettable year. Some of her most recent and memorable roles include Stephanie Necrophorus in Nine at CP, ensemble in Mamma Mia at DCT, and Cindy Lou Huffington in The Marvelous Wonderettes at the Annapolis Summer Garden Theater. When not performing, Katie is in her tenth year of teaching physical education in Anne Arundel County Public Schools. In her spare time, Katie supports and performs in the local music scene and spends time with her new fur-child, Hudson. Katie would like to dedicate her performances to Mike and her wonderful family and friends for their unwavering love and support.

Ron Giddings (Austin Bennett) Ron is so excited to finally be appearing in one of his favorite shows with some of his favorite people. He most recently appeared as Gordon Schwinn in CP's production of A New Brain. He has also appeared at CP over the last few years as Aaron Port in The Babylon Line, as Nick in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (WATCH award for Featured Actor in a Play), and Edgar/Bat Boy in Bat Boy (WATCH award for Best Actor in a Musical). He has acted in the area with Dundalk Community Theatre, Cockpit in Court, Dignity Players, Moonlight Troupers, 2nd Star, Phoenix Festival Theatre, the Maryland Arts Festival, Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre, and with Standing O, as John in 2008’s production of john & jen, in The Musical of Musicals (Jitter), Tracers (Scooter), This is Our Youth (Dennis), and in the US Premiere of After the Dance (Peter). “Thanks to my parents, family, and friends for being more supportive than I could ever express.”

Jamie Erin Miller (Diana Bingley) – Jamie is so grateful to be back “home” at The Colonial Players with some of her very favorite people in this amazing cast and crew. This is just what her heart needed after this crazy year we have all been through! Jamie majored in theater at The University of Central Florida and received her Masters Degree in Elementary Education. She is currently working as an Elementary School Principal for AACPS. Jamie has been seen performing in the Maryland and DC area with Annapolis Summer Garden Theater, The Colonial Players, Dignity Players, Second Star Productions, Standing O Productions, Vagabond Players and Winters Lane Productions. Some of her favorite roles include Adelaide in Guys and Dolls (WATCH nominee), Maureen in Rent, Woman 1 in I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (WATCH nominee), Millie in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Christine in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Carla in Nine and Izzy in Rabbit Hole (WATCH nominee). Jamie would like to thank everyone who put their heart and soul into this special project of ours! And a special thank you goes out to her family and friends for their endless love and support, especially her husband, Andrew, and their nine-year-old daughter, Sophie.

Alicia Sweeney (NY Woman, et.al.) – Alicia has been involved with The Colonial Players as a performer, choreographer, actress, and director. She is thrilled to be on stage again with friends she met almost 20 years ago right here at this very special theatre. Thank you to Shannon, David, Ron, Jamie, Katie, Zac and everyone in the theatre community but most especially to you, our audience for supporting live theatre.

David Thompson (NY Man, et.al.) – David is very grateful to be back on stage at The Colonial Players where he has been in A Few Good Men, Jekyll & Hyde, Assassins, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, and Pippin. Other local credits are Children of Eden, Chess and Sweeney Todd. Endless thanks to all his wonderful family & friends!

 

The Production Staff

Richard Atha-Nicholls (Music Producer) Richard was excited and daunted to be asked to record and mix the music for I Love You Because, but he likes to be challenged. A big thank you to Wes Bedsworth for his assistance during the recording session. Richard has previously engineered or designed sound for numerous productions primarily at Colonial Players of Annapolis, Bowie Community Theatre, and Laurel Mill Playhouse. His sound design has garnered two WATCH nominations. Richard has appeared on area stages and in his spare time helps run Discworld conventions. Occasionally he has been known to direct. Love to C, A, P & K. Always in my heart, O.

Kathy Garrity (Stage Manager) Kathy has been involved behind the scenes in local Theatre for the past 16 years but is relatively new to The Colonial Players beyond being a spectator. Her first on-stage production in 30 years was with CP's production of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever! in 2019. She loved it! After the COVID recess, Kathy is so excited to be back at the theater as Stage Manager for this amazing show!

Eric Lund (Lighting Designer) Eric's most recent work at CP was as Lighting Designer for Book of Days. On stage, he was last seen playing Gloria in Casa Valentina and before that he appeared as Rod in Calendar Girls. He also designed lights for The Secret Garden and was nominated for a Washington Area Theatre Community Honors award for his designs for Sideman and Venus in Fur. He has worked extensively in area theaters including Dignity Players, Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre, Vagabonds in Baltimore, and others. On CP’s stage, he has appeared in productions of Rebecca, The Clearing, and various iterations of a A Christmas Carol. He appeared in Dignity Players’ productions of The Laramie Project, Gross Indecencies, and The 39 Steps and has directed for CP with The Voice of the Prairie and two seasons of A Christmas Carol and for Dignity Players with a production of The Vagina Monologues. He is also very excited to be directing CPs 2022 production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. He is a founding board member of Annapolis Pride. And he is very honored to be working with this amazing cast and crew. And, as always, thanks his husband of 26 years, Mickey, for his support and endless patience!

Kathy Parrott (Stage Manager) Kathy is thrilled to be back at The Colonial Players and to work with such talented people! She has always considered herself a thespian even though her talents are definitely more in costume and prop design. This time Kathy is excited to try her hand at Stage Management. While she has always loved the theater, her daughter Hallie was responsible for getting her involved in community theater. During Kathy’s middle and high school years, she designed costumes, props and makeup for The Colonial Players, The Children’s Theater of Annapolis and The Talent Machine. When she is not at the theater, she is an Interior Designer and Project Manager. “I hope you enjoy the show as much as I have enjoyed working on it!”

Constance Robinson (Properties Designer/Set Decorator) Since 2003 Connie has volunteered as a public relations consultant, graphic designer, box office assistant, properties designer and set decorator for The Colonial Players. She serves on the current Marketing Committee, and has collected props or decorated sets for over TWENTY-FIVE productions at The Colonial Players Theater, and other local theaters. She is proud to have received three WATCH nominations for Properties Design. Connie enjoys her volunteer hours because of the friendly, dedicated people she works with. She also thanks her husband, John, for his continued assistance fixing, creating, or donating props. Connie is also grateful to friends for their support and loaning their household items for props. During the past year of the COVID-19 pandemic, she has missed being with the CP family. But, Connie said it has been fun being “back in business” now, working with the creative Director/Set Designer, Shannon Benil, for this show.

Beth Terranova (Producer) I Love You Because marks Beth’s 53rd effort with The Colonial Players. Beth previously produced Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolfe?, A Few Good Men, Moonlight and Magnolias, Chapter Two, three One Act Festivals, and Ben Franklin: An Ingenious Life. Most recently, she designed costumes for Maytag Virgin. Among other backstage credits, Beth directed and designed the sets for Shiloh Rules, Sherlock’s Last Case, 1776, She Loves Me! and Hauptmann, and designed the set for The Spitfire Grill. She has Stage Managed Lucky Stiff, Superior Donuts, Kindertransport and Romantic Comedy. In addition to Maytag Virgin, Beth’s costume designs have also been seen in A Christmas Carol, Nine, A Few Good Men, These Shining Lives, Coyote on a Fence, Going to St. Ives, Cinderella Waltz, Lettice and Lovage, The Diviners, The Lion in Winter, The Philadelphia Story, Hauptmann, and Moon Over Buffalo. On the CP stage, Beth was most recently seen as Williamina Fleming in Silent Sky. Beth is a 10-time nominee for Washington Area Theater Community Honors (WATCH): Outstanding Play [Producer or Stage Manager] - Lucky Stiff, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolfe?, A Few Good Men, Moonlight and Magnolias; Costumes - Nine, Cinderella Waltz, Going to St. Ives; Set Decoration and Special Effects - Sherlock’s Last Case; Featured Actress - Two Rooms (Ellen van Oss); and Director - Hauptmann. She won the Outstanding Director award for Hauptmann and shared the win for Outstanding Play [Producer] for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolfe? Beth recently retired from 30 years of Government Service.