Harper College Theatre Ensemble presents 'She Loves Me,' a timeless musical with heart

Before the letters, laughter and love songs of She Loves Me hit the stage this November, Harper College is offering audiences a cinematic prelude – free screenings of You’ve Got Mail and The Shop Around the Corner.

All three stories trace their roots to Miklós László’s 1937 play Parfumerie, following a pair of coworkers whose everyday bickering hides an anonymous romance.

To build excitement for its production of She Loves Me (November 14-23 at Harper’s Performing Arts Center), the Harper College Theatre Ensemble will participate in a pair of movie screenings, which include special introductions, discussions with She Loves Me’s director and dramaturg, and a live performance from the musical’s cast. You’ve Got Mail (1998) will screen at 7 p.m. Wednesday, October 29 in Harper’s Film Lab, Building E, Room E109, 1200 W. Algonquin Road, Palatine. The Palatine Public Library is partnering with the Ensemble to host a screening of The Shop Around the Corner (1940), 1 p.m. Saturday, November 1, at the library, 700 North Court.

Director Kevin Long describes She Loves Me as a story that continues to resonate across generations, whether set amid the rise of Nazism in Europe or the onset of the digital age.

“For me, this is a show that has a gigantic heart,” said Long, also a Theatre Arts professor at Harper. “In times of hardship and struggle, this story always seems to resurface to comfort us. It’s about connection, about the family you find rather than the family you’re born with.”

Set in a 1930s perfume shop, the musical follows two clerks who, unaware that they are secret pen pals, argue by day and pour their hearts out in letters by night. Long said that in an age of digital avatars and fleeting text messages, the show’s premise feels refreshing.

“When’s the last time you wrote a letter?” he asked. “That’s a beautiful commitment. This musical dares us to reveal our true love for one another.”

With its witty dialogue, elegant score and heartfelt message, She Loves Me offers audiences a warm and hopeful escape, which Long called “a nice balm for a troubled time.” But it’s more than only that, given that composer Jerry Bock and lyricist Sheldon Harnick went on to co-create Fiddler on the Roof.

“This is some of the best music ever written. Some of the best lyrics ever written. Every theatre critic knows this is one of the top shows of all time,” Long said. “It’s such a finely crafted musical where the characters need to sing to affect change. Their movement is based out of necessity.”

The production features students from across disciplines, working with professionals such as scenic designer Lauren Nichols, who recently won a Jeff Award. Long emphasized that learning opportunities are endless for students who get to interact with such world-class theatrical talent.

He said he has been equally impressed by this ensemble’s dedication and openness.

“They’re gracious, kind and fearless,” he said. “For two and a half hours, audiences will forget about all the junk that’s going on in the world and just see people opening up to each other and sharing themselves. You’re going to walk away holding your loved ones that much closer.”

Performances of She Loves Me will take place at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays, November 14-23, at Harper’s Performing Arts Center, 1200 W. Algonquin Road, Palatine. Sunday shows are preceded by Coffee Talk with Long and dramaturg Mary T. Christel. For tickets and information, visit the Harper Box Office or call 847.925.6100.

You’ve Got Mail will screen at 7 p.m. Wednesday, October 29, at the Harper Film Lab, Building E, Room E109. The Shop Around the Corner will screen at 1 p.m. Saturday, November 1, at the Palatine Public Library, 700 North Court, Palatine. Both screenings are free and open to everyone.