Photo Flash: First Look at I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE, Opening Tonight at Walnut Street

Walnut Street Theatre's 2013-2014 Independence Studio on 3 season concludes with a musical fit for the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection, I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE. Written by Joe DiPietro, with music by Jimmy Roberts, and directed by Christopher Sutton, the production began with previews on April 29th, opens tonight, May 1st and continues through June 29th in the Walnut's Independence Studio on 3. Scroll down for a first look at the cast in action!

I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change is everything you have ever secretly thought about dating, romance, marriage, lovers, husbands, wives, and in-laws, but were afraid to admit. This hilarious revue pays tribute to those who have loved and lost, to those who have fallen on their face at the beginning of romance, to those who have dared to ask, 'Say, what are you doing Saturday night?' This delightful musical comedy ran for more than 5,000 performances Off-Broadway and has kept audiences laughing from London's West End to Beijing.

The musical had its premiere at New Jersey's American Stage Company in 1995, followed by its Off-Broadway premiere at The Westside Theatre in 1996. After a successful 12 year run, the production closed in 2008. There is no doubt that the performances filled the audience with sweet thoughts of love, as during its Off-Broadway run, the theatre was the site of over 50 marriage proposals. Showcasing the hilarity of the dating game, marriage, love and lust, the show has a universal appeal having been translated into languages including Hebrew, Spanish, Dutch, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Japanese, Korean, Italian, Portuguese, German, Catalan, Finnish, Mandarin, Norwegian and French.

I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change was written by playwright and lyricist Joe DiPietro, with music composed by Jimmy Roberts. The two also collaborated on the 2003 Off-Broadway musical The Thing About Men, which the Walnut produced in 2006. DiPietro's work has been recognized with Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical for Nice Work If You Can Get It, and Tony Awards for Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score Written for the Theatre for Memphis. His additional works include All Shook Up (book), The Toxic Avengers (book and lyrics) and Love Lemmings (book and lyrics). Roberts wrote the children's musical The Velveteen Rabbit, as well as having songs featured in Off-Broadway revues A . . . My Name is Still Alice and Pets.

Christopher Sutton returns to the Walnut after his unforgettable appearance as Buddy the Elf in this season's hit holiday show Elf. In addition to performing as Man 1 in I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, Sutton will also tackle the role as director. He was a member of the Off-Broadway cast, and more recently director and cast member of Surflight Theatre's production. In 1999, Sutton lit up the Walnut as Buddy Holly in The Buddy Holly Story, a role which he reprised in 2012. His additional Walnut Street Theatre credits include Finian's Rainbow (Og the Leprechaun); Hello, Dolly! (Cornelious Hackl); Blood Brothers (Mickey Johnstone); and Singin' in the Rain (Don Lockwood). David Jenkins (DINO!, Plaid Tidings, Rodgers and Hammerstein's A Grand Night for Singing) joins Sutton as music and vocal director.

Lyn Philistine, Sutton's real-life wife, joins the cast as Woman 1 and choreographer. Philistine was last seen on the Walnut's stage as Maria Elena in The Buddy Holly Story. She has performed on Broadway in Gypsy starring Bernadette Peters, as well as in the National Tours of Monty Python's Spamalot (Lady of the Lake), A Christmas Story, Cinderella starring Eartha Kitt and Disney's On the Record. Fran Prisco (Elf, My Way, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and Ellie Mooney (The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, Amadeus, Forbidden Broadway's Greatest Hits), play Man 2 and Woman 2, respectively, rounding out the cast of four. Together, this quick changing cast will play over 30 characters during each performance, from career-obsessed singles, to lustful love birds, to hopeful newlyweds, to first time parents.

Audiences will feel right at home with a set inspired by love and romance in Philadelphia. Setting the stage for the tricky tango known as the modern-day mating dance is Set Designer Glen Sears (Beautiful Boy, The Prescott Method, The Mousetrap). Costume Designer Julia Poiesz returns having most recently designed for Walnut's touring production of Driving Miss Daisy. Sound Designer Nicholas Gackenbach and Lighting Designer Joseph Glodek make their Walnut debuts with this production.

For more information, visit www.WalnutStreetTheatre.org.

Photo Credit: Mark Garvin