By Sandi Masori
SAN DIEGO— It’s been a while since I’ve seen an old-fashioned romantic comedy musical, so I was excited to attend the new production of I Love You Because at Trinity Theater Company located in Mission Valley Mall.
According to the program notes, the play is a modern take on Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice, set in modern New York. Written by Ryan Cunningham, with music by Joshua Salzman, it first opened off-Broadway in 2006.
The basic story is that four New York singles, who are in various stages of post-breakup singlehood, meet through JDate, though none of them are Jewish. Jeff (Tim Baron) arranges a double date for himself and his brother Austin (Connor Boyd) as a rebound opportunity to help Austin get over his recent breakup. Why JDate? Jeff figures that no Jewish girl will want him long-term if he’s not Jewish, so it would be a safe rebound.
Diana (Jordan Hall Campbell) has the same idea, with largely the same reasoning, for herself and her recently single friend Marcy (Dylan Landau). After an awkward first meeting, Diana and Jeff embark on a friends-with-benefits journey, while Marcy and Austin become just friends as she tries to help him win back his ex.
There are some really funny moments, like when Diana tries to explain the math of the rebound formula to Marcy, which after some complicated mathematics seems to be “date the wrong guy for six months and then you will find the right one.” Of course being a romantic comedy things don’t quite work out according to the formula.
Campbell is delightful as Diana, and has some really good comedic moments, Baran is fun as the not-so-smart Jeff.
There was a technical issue during the performance I saw, and Boyd and Landau did such a good job improvising that the audience didn’t realize there was a problem until the director (Bobby Imperato) jumped on stage and halted the action so it could be resolved. The actors then came back to the stage and performed the song that had apparently gone awry.
Shout outs also go to ensemble cast members Lindsay Bates and Joslyn Elisabeth. Elisabeth especially shines and I hope we get a chance to see her in a leading role at some point- she’s definitely got the chops and voice for it.
The set design by Nathan Fogg DeSisto is simple, with a New York skyline and some iconic New York photos. Stools and crates are moved around the stage to take us from the apartment to the cafe to the bar. This being community theater, the director and some of the actors are also the set builders.
All in all, it’s a funny feel-good play that you’ll leave with a smile. The script is well written and relatable. There is some language and innuendo, so take that into account if you’re planning on bringing young children.
I Love You Because plays through April 21 at 1640 Camino Del Rio N in Suite 129.
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Sandi Masori is a theater and restaurant reviewer for San Diego Jewish World