The last time the musical “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” was performed by the Key Players was in 2004. The stage was inside the Key Largo Lion’s Den. The producer was Tom Butler, my late father, and the cast included Robert Sax and Brad Shank.
Fast-forward 19 years later and once again the curtain is rising on the popular musical comedy. This time the venue is the theater inside the Murray E. Nelson Government Center. Robert Sax, back from an eight-year teaching stint in China, is reprising multiple roles and is also the musical director. Brad Shank is making a comeback as well, this time behind the scenes as the audio and lighting director.
“What I find interesting is watching scenes that I did, and their take on it,” said Shank, who has been involved with the community theater troupe for 33 years. “It’s always a little different; everybody brings their own thing to the stage,” he added.
Recently Sax dug through boxes of old VHS tapes in his storage unit and found a video of the 2004 production, which he shared with his good friend and fellow Key Player, Shank.
“I found our version of it and digitized it and sent it to him and we had a good laugh over it,” said Sax.
The nine-member cast began rehearsing in December under the leadership of director Mary-Margaret Dale.
“We liked it because it’s a little different than your standard musical that takes you on a two-hour character journey; these are all scenes,” said Dale. “The story is contained to a scene, little vignettes,” she added.
This is Dale’s first time directing a musical, but theater has played a huge role in her life. Dale holds a master’s degree in theater management and has performed in many productions, including the Key Players musical “9 to 5” in 2020.
“When you have a director who’s passionate about a show, that’s contagious,” said executive producer Jonelle Kop. “That’s when you have a really good show.”
The musical comedy “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” was written by Joe DiPietro in the 1990s and centers on love and relationships. According to the show’s playbill, “this crowd-pleasing comedy takes on the truths and myths behind that contemporary conundrum known as the relationship.”
The off-Broadway show was revised a few years ago for the 21st century.
“It’s a fabulous show and they upgraded it so it’s the modern version,” said Kop.
“It’s been made more contemporary. There were a lot of social references in it that really needed to be updated, I guess,” added Sax.
The comedy contains adult humor and language and is recommended for adult audiences, 18 and up.
For this musical and other shows to follow, the Key Players decided to move up the curtain time.
“The one change is that curtain is now at 7:30 instead of 8. We’re getting people home a little earlier,” said Kop.
Opening night is Thursday, Feb. 23 at the Murray E. Nelson Government and Cultural Center, located at 102050 Overseas Highway in Key Largo. More information is at thekeyplayers.org.
