Review: I LOVE YOU BECAUSE at Our Productions Theatre Co.

Our Productions Theatre Co.'s new musical, I LOVE YOU BECAUSE by Joshua Salzman and Ryan Cunningham, glimmers with heart at Addison Theatre Center. Though the tuner relies heavily on classic rom-com tropes, this 500 DAYS OF SUMMER & YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN love-child is definitely worth a look.

I LOVE YOU BECAUSE opens with greeting-card writer Austin walking in on his girlfriend cheating on him, leading him and his brother Jeff to a rebound-focused night out. They arrange a blind date with recently broken-up-with Marcy and her friend Diana, and from here the rom-com begins. The plot is familiar, though none-the-less welcome as characters fall in and out of love, with focus placed on our aspiring poet and his manic pixie dram girl. While this at times seems quirky almost to a fault, the upbeat and lively songs, along with transitions and comic relief provided by the nameless New York Man and Woman (akin to the Mutes in THE FANTASTICS in function, but with great one-liners and strong voices of their own) keep the show moving - even through it's perhaps bulky first act.

The cast, lead by Rashaun Sibley and Juliette Talley as Austin and Marcy respectively, makes the noticeably difficult music look like a breeze. Kyle Montgomery as Austin's Goofy brother Jeff, and Monique Abry as Marcy's calculating best friend found out the central characters in the small cast, making no small contribution in the form of patter songs and a hilarious late first act duet that would be at home in any comedy cabaret. The ever-present "New York Man" and "New York Woman" (here Joey Donoian and Kathryn Taylor Rose) complete the cast, though their various characters and appearances are certainly more than nameless.

The vocal performances in I LOVE YOU BECAUSE alone are worth the trip, with Talley and Sibley each taking on their fair share of glowing top notes. Talley especially, sports a fantastic range with soulful wails and subtle vibratic verses. While at times the prevalence of key changes and belted bridges might become dull, each sustain is held wonderfully, and the harmonies in the group numbers (though much less common) are nothing short of vibrant. Music Director Mark Mullino leads the charge on these vocal acrobatics; Kyle Christopher West peppers the same songs with simple, clean, and deservedly quirky choreography. Direction by Stephanie Riggs completes the combination fittingly on a set (designed by Scott Kirkham) scrawled with such fittingly "quirky" phrases as: "I'm so glad I swiped right" and "I want to be your cat". Perhaps all of the late 2000s hipster rom-com tropes can be a bit much - some of the dialogue feels a little Joseph Gordon Levitt at times - but the show is nonetheless adorable and enjoyable.

Although I LOVE YOU BECAUSE runs a bit long, and the story isn't exactly revolutionary - the experience is still an enjoyable one. Much like the title song suggests, the audience will love the show not in spite of these tropes and sappy moments, but because of them.

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