I Love You Because
Encyclopedia
I Love You Because is a musical set in modern day New York, inspired by the Jane Austen
novel Pride and Prejudice
. It features lyrics by Ryan Cunningham, set to music by Joshua Salzman.
graduate program in musical theater writing, where they began writing the songs that became I Love You Because.
The show was first performed off-Broadway
in 2006 at the Village Theatre
.
The original off-Broadway cast included Farah Alvin
as Marcy, Stephanie D'Abruzzo
as Diana, Colin Hanlon as Austin and David A. Austin as Jeff, with Courtney Balan and Jordan Leeds playing a variety of bit parts as chorus members New York Woman and New York Man. All six actors performed on the original cast recording released in 2006.
The first regional production of the show ran from January 17-February 11, 2007, at the Actors' Playhouse in Coral Gables, Florida
.
The UK premiere opened at the Landor Theatre
, in association with producer Josephine Buchan, on September 19 2007. Directed by Robert McWhir, the cast was led by Daniel Boys
as Austin, with Richard Frame (Jeff), Jodie Jacobs (Marcy), Debbie Kurup
(Diana) with Lucy Williamson and Mark Goldthorp.
The Australasian premiere season is scheduled from August 8-16, 2008. Directed by Nathan Firmin and Brad Fischer for SHOOSH Productions, the play will be staged at the Cromwell Road Theatre in Melbourne
.
At the opening of the show, Austin Bennett prepares for a date with his girlfriend Catherine, but discovers her cheating on him ("Another Saturday Night in New York"). He tells his brother Jeff, who suggests that the best way to win Catherine back is by pretending not to care. Jeff volunteers to find dates for them and plans a night on the town ("Oh What a Difference"). Meanwhile, Marcy Fitzwilliams is agonizing over her breakup with a man named Larry. Her friend Diana Bingley, an actuary
, suggests some "dating rules" that will determine her ideal rebound time, telling Marcy that the best way to find Mr. Right is by finding Mr. Wrong ("The Actuary Song"). Austin and Jeff end up on a double-date with Marcy and Diana after setting one up on J-Date, despite none of them being Jewish. Diana is impressed with Jeff, but Marcy and Austin don't share a connection at all. Marcy reveals that she is a photographer, while Austin tells her that he writes greeting cards, but only as a way of supporting his passion for poetry. Austin is unable to explain this without frequently mentioning Catherine, to Marcy's annoyance ("But I Don't Want to Talk About Her"). Marcy decides Austin is "perfectly wrong" for her. Meanwhile, Jeff and Diana attempt to have sex, but Jeff throws his back out. Jeff's hospitalization gives Marcy a chance to try and continue seeing Austin. Over a conversation at the coffee shop, Marcy equates Austin's coffee preferences with his rigid lifestyle choices in general, and explains her own free-spirited nature ("Coffee"). Austin tries to call Catherine and win her back with an impromptu poem, which fails, and Marcy agrees to help him write a better one. As Jeff returns from the hospital and continues casually dating Diana, Marcy and Austin continue to work on a poem for Catherine, while fighting over details along the way. A bartender and cocktail waitress
muse that their differences make them a perfect couple ("The Perfect Romance".) After Austin completes the poem, Marcy tells him to wait six months before sending it, but Jeff accidentally mails it out with the bills. Catherine's negative response ends up in Marcy's hands before Austin has seen it, and she takes him to a Chinese restaurant that offers free wine, in order to get him drunk enough to break the news to him. A series of humorous conflicts with the waiter at the restaurant result in Austin and Marcy skipping out on their bill and stealing a box of wine from the restaurant. Austin is impressed with himself for standing up for Marcy, and thanks her for his acting out of character ("Because of You"). When they are about to kiss, Marcy stops him and shows him the letter from Catherine. He grows angry, and they have a heated argument, but end up having sex. Meanwhile, Jeff and Diana articulate the nature of their "friends with benefits" relationship ("We're Just Friends"). The next day, Austin is ecstatic over his night with Marcy, and has fallen in love with her, though Marcy doesn't know how she feels about what happened. Jeff tells Austin to tell himself that he doesn't love her. Austin tries, but ends up thinking their relationship might have a future ("Maybe We Just Made Love"). Austin admits his feelings to Marcy, who rejects him, telling him she isn't ready for true love ("Just Not Now"). Ashamed, Austin goes home, and finds Catherine waiting for him.
Act 2
On the streets of New York, Marcy meets the bartender and cocktail waitress from her first date with Austin, and tells them what happened. They elaborate on the joys of singlehood, and assure her she's better off. Marcy agrees at first, but changes her mind after seeing a happy couple on the street ("Alone"). Meanwhile, Diana is with Austin and Jeff in their apartment, where Austin has ordered Chinese food. The delivery man turns out to be the same waiter Austin skipped out on earlier. While Austin and the delivery man are settling the bill in another room, Diana tells Jeff she wants to be exclusive. Jeff responds with fear, spelling out the negative impact that would result if they were to be a real couple ("That's What's Gonna Happen"). After the delivery man leaves, Marcy shows up and tells Austin she loves him despite all his flaws, which she mentions in great detail ("Even Though"). Austin is offended by the "anyway" aspect of her love, and rejects her, telling her Catherine has taken him back. Diana, Jeff, Marcy, and Austin sing separately about the hurt they feel from not being with the ones they love ("But I Do"). Marcy and Diana go back to the bar where they had the first double date to drink and forget. The bartender and cocktail waitress remember them, and they all tell tales of lost love in the past, vowing to give up dating. Marcy and Diana have a change of heart, and the bartender and cocktail waitress imply that they were trying to make that happen all along ("What Do We Do it For?"). Diana tries to talk to Jeff, but is interrupted by Austin, who is fretting that Catherine doesn't know how he takes his coffee, despite having dated him for five years. Diana explains to Austin that everyone needs someone to love, and Marcy is his. Jeff also admits that he loves Diana ("Marcy's Yours"). Austin vows to rid himself of his uptight nature, knowing Marcy will accept him no matter what ("Goodbye"). In the final scene, Austin is trying to write a poem for Marcy, but she arrives before he can finish it. He improvises one, spelling out the ways she is different from him, but saying that rather than loving her "anyway" (as she had said earlier), he loves her "because" ("I Love You Because").
Act II
Jane Austen
Jane Austen was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature, her realism and biting social commentary cementing her historical importance among scholars and critics.Austen lived...
novel Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice is a novel by Jane Austen, first published in 1813. The story follows the main character Elizabeth Bennet as she deals with issues of manners, upbringing, morality, education and marriage in the society of the landed gentry of early 19th-century England...
. It features lyrics by Ryan Cunningham, set to music by Joshua Salzman.
Production history
Cunningham and Salzman first met in New York University'sNew York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
graduate program in musical theater writing, where they began writing the songs that became I Love You Because.
The show was first performed off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
in 2006 at the Village Theatre
Village Theatre
Village Theatre is a 5013 non-profit professional producing musical theatre company founded in 1979. Village Theatre is based out of Issaquah and Everett, Washington, both near Seattle...
.
The original off-Broadway cast included Farah Alvin
Farah Alvin
Farah Alvin is an American songwriter and theatre actress. She is the daughter of cinematic poster artist John Alvin.-Career:...
as Marcy, Stephanie D'Abruzzo
Stephanie D'Abruzzo
Stephanie D'Abruzzo is an American actress and puppeteer.-Early life:D'Abruzzo grew up in McMurray, Pennsylvania, a Pittsburgh suburb she has described as a "plastic bubble kind of town." She graduated from Peters Township High School, where she was active in the theater program, and attended the...
as Diana, Colin Hanlon as Austin and David A. Austin as Jeff, with Courtney Balan and Jordan Leeds playing a variety of bit parts as chorus members New York Woman and New York Man. All six actors performed on the original cast recording released in 2006.
The first regional production of the show ran from January 17-February 11, 2007, at the Actors' Playhouse in Coral Gables, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
The UK premiere opened at the Landor Theatre
Landor Theatre
The Landor Theatre is a pub theatre in Clapham, South London.Originally the Cage Theatre upon its opening in 1994, the Landor became "Upstairs at the Landor" in 1995 and finally the Landor Theatre in 1998, following a refit of the building....
, in association with producer Josephine Buchan, on September 19 2007. Directed by Robert McWhir, the cast was led by Daniel Boys
Daniel Boys
Daniel Boys is a British musical theatre actor, best known as a contestant on the BBC talent series Any Dream Will Do in 2007.-Acting Career:...
as Austin, with Richard Frame (Jeff), Jodie Jacobs (Marcy), Debbie Kurup
Debbie Kurup
Debbie Kurup is a British actress. She is the sister of singer and actress Helen Kurup. Kurup was educated at the Edmonton County School in the London Borough of Enfield and later trained at the North London Dance Studio.-Career:...
(Diana) with Lucy Williamson and Mark Goldthorp.
The Australasian premiere season is scheduled from August 8-16, 2008. Directed by Nathan Firmin and Brad Fischer for SHOOSH Productions, the play will be staged at the Cromwell Road Theatre in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.
Plot details
Act 1At the opening of the show, Austin Bennett prepares for a date with his girlfriend Catherine, but discovers her cheating on him ("Another Saturday Night in New York"). He tells his brother Jeff, who suggests that the best way to win Catherine back is by pretending not to care. Jeff volunteers to find dates for them and plans a night on the town ("Oh What a Difference"). Meanwhile, Marcy Fitzwilliams is agonizing over her breakup with a man named Larry. Her friend Diana Bingley, an actuary
Actuary
An actuary is a business professional who deals with the financial impact of risk and uncertainty. Actuaries provide expert assessments of financial security systems, with a focus on their complexity, their mathematics, and their mechanisms ....
, suggests some "dating rules" that will determine her ideal rebound time, telling Marcy that the best way to find Mr. Right is by finding Mr. Wrong ("The Actuary Song"). Austin and Jeff end up on a double-date with Marcy and Diana after setting one up on J-Date, despite none of them being Jewish. Diana is impressed with Jeff, but Marcy and Austin don't share a connection at all. Marcy reveals that she is a photographer, while Austin tells her that he writes greeting cards, but only as a way of supporting his passion for poetry. Austin is unable to explain this without frequently mentioning Catherine, to Marcy's annoyance ("But I Don't Want to Talk About Her"). Marcy decides Austin is "perfectly wrong" for her. Meanwhile, Jeff and Diana attempt to have sex, but Jeff throws his back out. Jeff's hospitalization gives Marcy a chance to try and continue seeing Austin. Over a conversation at the coffee shop, Marcy equates Austin's coffee preferences with his rigid lifestyle choices in general, and explains her own free-spirited nature ("Coffee"). Austin tries to call Catherine and win her back with an impromptu poem, which fails, and Marcy agrees to help him write a better one. As Jeff returns from the hospital and continues casually dating Diana, Marcy and Austin continue to work on a poem for Catherine, while fighting over details along the way. A bartender and cocktail waitress
Cocktail waitress
A cocktail waitress is a type of server who specializes in bringing drinks to patrons of bars, casinos, comedy clubs, live music venues and other drinking establishments and often wears revealing clothing in order to get more tips...
muse that their differences make them a perfect couple ("The Perfect Romance".) After Austin completes the poem, Marcy tells him to wait six months before sending it, but Jeff accidentally mails it out with the bills. Catherine's negative response ends up in Marcy's hands before Austin has seen it, and she takes him to a Chinese restaurant that offers free wine, in order to get him drunk enough to break the news to him. A series of humorous conflicts with the waiter at the restaurant result in Austin and Marcy skipping out on their bill and stealing a box of wine from the restaurant. Austin is impressed with himself for standing up for Marcy, and thanks her for his acting out of character ("Because of You"). When they are about to kiss, Marcy stops him and shows him the letter from Catherine. He grows angry, and they have a heated argument, but end up having sex. Meanwhile, Jeff and Diana articulate the nature of their "friends with benefits" relationship ("We're Just Friends"). The next day, Austin is ecstatic over his night with Marcy, and has fallen in love with her, though Marcy doesn't know how she feels about what happened. Jeff tells Austin to tell himself that he doesn't love her. Austin tries, but ends up thinking their relationship might have a future ("Maybe We Just Made Love"). Austin admits his feelings to Marcy, who rejects him, telling him she isn't ready for true love ("Just Not Now"). Ashamed, Austin goes home, and finds Catherine waiting for him.
Act 2
On the streets of New York, Marcy meets the bartender and cocktail waitress from her first date with Austin, and tells them what happened. They elaborate on the joys of singlehood, and assure her she's better off. Marcy agrees at first, but changes her mind after seeing a happy couple on the street ("Alone"). Meanwhile, Diana is with Austin and Jeff in their apartment, where Austin has ordered Chinese food. The delivery man turns out to be the same waiter Austin skipped out on earlier. While Austin and the delivery man are settling the bill in another room, Diana tells Jeff she wants to be exclusive. Jeff responds with fear, spelling out the negative impact that would result if they were to be a real couple ("That's What's Gonna Happen"). After the delivery man leaves, Marcy shows up and tells Austin she loves him despite all his flaws, which she mentions in great detail ("Even Though"). Austin is offended by the "anyway" aspect of her love, and rejects her, telling her Catherine has taken him back. Diana, Jeff, Marcy, and Austin sing separately about the hurt they feel from not being with the ones they love ("But I Do"). Marcy and Diana go back to the bar where they had the first double date to drink and forget. The bartender and cocktail waitress remember them, and they all tell tales of lost love in the past, vowing to give up dating. Marcy and Diana have a change of heart, and the bartender and cocktail waitress imply that they were trying to make that happen all along ("What Do We Do it For?"). Diana tries to talk to Jeff, but is interrupted by Austin, who is fretting that Catherine doesn't know how he takes his coffee, despite having dated him for five years. Diana explains to Austin that everyone needs someone to love, and Marcy is his. Jeff also admits that he loves Diana ("Marcy's Yours"). Austin vows to rid himself of his uptight nature, knowing Marcy will accept him no matter what ("Goodbye"). In the final scene, Austin is trying to write a poem for Marcy, but she arrives before he can finish it. He improvises one, spelling out the ways she is different from him, but saying that rather than loving her "anyway" (as she had said earlier), he loves her "because" ("I Love You Because").
Songs
Act I- Another Saturday Night In New York — Company
- Oh What a Difference — Austin and Jeff
- The Actuary Song — Marcy and Diana
- ...But I Don't Want To Talk About Her — Austin and Marcy
- Coffee — Marcy and Austin
- The Perfect Romance — New York Man and New York Woman
- Because Of You — Austin and Marcy
- We're Just Friends — Diana and Jeff
- Maybe We Just Made Love — Austin
- Just Not Now — Marcy
Act II
- Alone — Marcy, New York Man and New York Woman
- That's What's Gonna Happen — Jeff, Austin, New York Man and Diana
- Even Though — Marcy
- But I Do — Austin, Jeff, Marcy and Diana
- What Do We Do It For? — New York Man, New York Woman, Marcy and Diana
- Marcy's Yours — Diana, Jeff and Austin
- Goodbye — Austin
- I Love You Because — Company, Jeff
External links
- I Love You Because official Web site
- I Love You Because official MySpace profile
- I Love You Because official UK website