STILLWATER, Okla. — On 50th Street, past Broadway but before you get to Eighth Avenue, is a New York theatre called Circle in the Square.

Its stage has felt the footfalls of George C. Scott in “Death of a Salesman” and James Earl Jones in “The Iceman Cometh”; John Lithgow in “Spokesong” and Lillian Gish in “Uncle Vanya.” “MacBeth” has unfolded across the wood, as have “The Glass Menagerie” and “Sweeney Todd.”

And with every scene and song and sound, the audience wraps around the stage as arms hug and hold and calm and support a friend, a child, a love.

I feel a little of that when I go to Town & Gown, Stillwater’s community theatre. Town & Gown’s performances all play out center stage because, as with Circle in the Square, the center IS the stage. And the result is almost a conspiracy between the actors and the audience as the production unfolds. The crowd is in on every joke, every raised brow, each sigh and every nuance from the opening line to the final applause.

I look forward to each opportunity to return to the comfortable seats and painstakingly prepared productions of Town & Gown. (You haven’t been? Really?)

The theatre’s latest production, “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” opened Thursday night. Starring in the musical revue are Tracy Speed-Freeman, Lincoln Gibbs, Tim Hooker, Jason Kennedy, Valerie Kisling and Tiara Young. Director is Kyle Shifflett, with Cody Whittenburg directing music, Gloria Short performing on keyboard and Eric Reitan on violin. The talents and energy of many more come together to make each show a success.

The performances in “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” provide a delightful evening of laughter and music, with moments both poignant and, as can be the case in love sought, survived and sometimes simply endured, painfully true.  

I will point out, this Valentine’s month show about love and lust and hearts that sing and hearts that break, love grown cold and lovers grown old is not a family outing. The material covers adult situations and insinuations. You don’t want to see it with your kids. I’m not sure I would want to see it with my mother. But age-appropriate audiences will laugh and laugh and laugh.

I wanted to have a favorite joke, a favorite scene, to point out the best song, the most accomplished actor. But I can’t. Each scene was my favorite, until the next. Each performance was at the top of the scale, until the succeeding scenario unfolded. There were no moments less special, voices less enticing, scenes that fell short.

It’s clear by now to readers that those looking for a theatrical checklist for opening night won’t find it here. Was she stiff? Did he know his lines? Did he have perfect pitch? Did she hit the mark?

The truth about “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” and every production I have seen at Town & Gown remains: These are entertaining and very personal performances by talented people who truly love their craft and honor us by allowing us to watch.

“I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” has performances at Town & Gown on South Perkins Road through this weekend and again Feb. 16 through Feb. 19. Find out about times and tickets at www.townandgown.org.

Go early and enjoy the art. Town & Gown Theatre’s Wagner Gallery features exhibits that change with each new production. Right now you can see intriguing watercolors by Moh’d Bilbeisi and sculpture by Vallory Vencill. Bilbeisi is a Jordan-born, self-taught artist who came to Stillwater to teach architecture at Oklahoma State University. Vencill took her first sculpting class 10 years ago at the Stillwater Multi Arts Center. Their work presents detail not always found in these media.



— J.B. Bittner, Stillwater NewsPress editor