I Love You Because

Infobox Musical
name= I Love You Because
subtitle=


caption= Off-Broadway Poster
music=Joshua Salzman
lyrics=Ryan Cunningham
book=
basis=Jane Austen's novel
"Pride and Prejudice"
productions= 2006 Off-Broadway
awards=

"I Love You Because" is a musical retelling of the Jane Austen novel "Pride and Prejudice", with the genders reversed.Fact|date=January 2008 It features lyrics by Ryan Cunningham, set to music by Joshua Salzman.

Production history

Cunningham and Salzman first met in New York University's graduate program in musical theater writing, where they began writing the songs that became "I Love You Because". [cite web|url=http://theater2.nytimes.com/2006/02/15/theater/reviews/15you.html|title=I Love You Because - Review|date=2006-02-15|accessdate=2007-04-02|publisher=The New York Times]

The show was first performed off-Broadway in 2006 at the Village Theatre. [cite web|url=http://www.iloveyoubecausethemusical.com/contact.htm|title=I Love you Because: Contact|accessdate=2007-04-02|publisher=iloveyoubecausethemusical.com]

The original off-Broadway cast included Farah Alvin as Marcy, Stephanie D'Abruzzo as Diana, Colin Hanlon as Austen 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. [cite web|url=http://www.iloveyoubecausethemusical.com/productions.htm|title=I Love You Because: Productions|date=2007-01-03|accessdate=2007-04-02|publisher=iloveyoubecausethemusical.com]

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. [cite web|url=http://www.iloveyoubecausethemusical.co.uk/|title=I Love You Because: UK musical|accessdate=2007-10-07]

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.

Plot details

As the show begins, greeting card writer Austen Bennet discovers his girlfriend, Catherine, is cheating on him with another man.

Austen later meets and develops feelings for bohemian photographer Marcy Fitzwilliams. At the same time, Marcy's best friend, uptight actuary Diana Bingley, begins an unlikely affair with Austen's slacker brother, Jeff.

A double blind-date between all four characters sets the plot in motion, with the main storyline focusing on Austen's conflicting feelings over returning to his cheating ex-girlfriend, Catherine, or taking a chance and dating Marcy.

ongs

;Act I
* Another Saturday Night In New York — Company
* Oh What a Difference — Austen and Jeff
* The Actuary Song — Marcy and Diana
* ...But I Don't Want To Talk About Her — Austen and Marcy
* Coffee — Marcy and Austen
* The Perfect Romance — New York Man and New York Woman
* Because Of You — Austen and Marcy
* We're Just Friends — Diana and Jeff
* Maybe We Just Made Love — Austen
* Just Not Now — Marcy;Act II
* Alone — Marcy, New York Man and New York Woman
* That's What's Gonna Happen — Jeff, Austen, New York Man and Diana
* Even Though — Marcy
* But I Do — Austen, 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 Austen
* Goodbye — Austen
* I Love You Because — Company

References

External links

* [http://www.iloveyoubecausethemusical.com/ "I Love You Because"] official Web site
* [http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=44284595 "I Love You Because"] official MySpace profile
* [http://www.iloveyoubecausethemusical.co.uk/ I Love You Because] official UK website