Western Playhouse, the new summer professional theatre hosted by the Western Institute at Missouri Western State University, presents the off-Broadway smash “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” July 19-28 in the Potter Hall Theater on Missouri Western’s campus. It is the third and final production in Western Playhouse’s inaugural season, “A Season of Love.”

“Our first season has featured a lot of laughter, and ‘I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change’ may be the funniest show yet,” said Dallas Henry, director. “One reviewer called it ‘Seinfeld set to music’ and I completely agree. As a musical revue, each scene stands alone, but together they describe the progression of relationships throughout our lives. It’s fun and fast-paced, but has some touching moments that will sneak up on you.”

From dating and waiting to bridesmaids and babies, “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” with music by Jimmy Roberts and book by Joe DiPietro, cleverly covers everything you’ve secretly thought about romance, marriage, lovers, husbands, wives and in-laws, but were afraid to admit. With more than 5,000 performances, it’s the second longest-running musical in off-Broadway history, behind only “The Fantastiks” but ahead of such notables as “Little Shop of Horrors” and “Godspell.” The show’s New York run was also the setting of several marriage proposals: 61 men took to the stage to propose, and all were accepted. Additional productions have been performed in more than 500 cities around the world, and it has been translated into 13 languages. The play does contain mature humor, and parental guidance is suggested for children under 14.

Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. July 19, 20, 21, 27 and 28, with a matinee performance at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 22. Tickets are $18.50 for adults and $9.50 for children and are available online at www.westernplayhouse.com, by phone at 816-271-4452, or in person at the remote box office in Spratt Hall room 105 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday or the central box office in the Potter Hall lobby between noon and 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and two hours prior to any performance.

Extended intermissions at all shows will again include ice cream sundaes and root beer floats for just $1, a concession that proved very popular during the Western Playhouse’s first two productions.

The show presents a challenge for actors, Henry said.

“We have four actors playing more than 30 roles,” he said. “Fortunately, we’re again blessed with very talented cast members who are up to the challenge. We also have a terrific production team that will make sure the numerous scene changes flow smoothly throughout the performance.”

Members of the cast are:

  • Shaun Agnew. Agnew earned a Bachelor of Science in Vocal Music Education from Missouri Western in 2004 and a Master of Arts in Choral Conducting from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music in 2009. He is director of music and worship arts at Ashland United Methodist Church in St. Joseph and is currently president of Robidoux Resident Theatre, where he frequently acts and serves as musical director. He is also an adjunct faculty member at Missouri Western.
  • Tee Quillin. Quillin is assistant professor of theatre and cinema, artistic director of Western Playhouse and a member of the Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers. Quillin is a classically trained professional actor, with stage credits including performances with the Dallas Theater Center, Kitchen Dog Theatre, WaterTower Theatre and the Utah Shakespearean Festival. Earlier this summer, he played the title role in the Western Playhouse production of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.”
  • Jessica Elder-Agnew. As a 2009 graduate of Southwest Baptist University with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre, Elder-Agnew has hands-on experience in acting, directing, playwriting, front of house and stage management. After graduation, Jessica returned to St. Joseph and began working with Robidoux Resident Theatre as a board member. She designed the set for The Jungle Book, directed Bingo: The Musical, and acted in several productions. Most recently, she played Corie Bratter in the Western Playhouse production of “Barefoot in the Park.”
  • Leah Swank-Miller. Swank-Miller is a 2006 music theatre graduate of Wichita State University. Recent credits include Anna in “The Baltimore Waltz” and choreographer for “Urinetown: The Musical,” both at She&Her Productions in Kansas City, Mo. Last summer, she was the understudy for “The Honky Tonk Angels” at the American Heartland Theatre. Some of Leah’s favorite shows include the off-Broadway revival of “A Little Night Music,” the regional premiere of “Urinetown” and the American College Theatre Festival national finalist “Pippin.”

Crew members are:

  • Henry, director. Henry is an assistant professor of theatre and cinema at Missouri Western. In addition to his undergraduate and master’s degrees, he received theatrical training from the Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford Festival of Canada and Second City of Chicago. Among his directing credits is the music video for Craig Morgan’s “International Harvester,” one of CMT’s Top 20 Videos for 2008. He previously directed “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” for Western Playhouse.
  • Shaun Agnew, musical director.
  • Swank-Miller, choreographer.
  • Erick Voecks, scenic design/technical director. Voecks has designed and built sets or props for The Brownville Village Theatre, The Rose Theatre, The Blue Barn Theatre and The Grande Olde Players, Steve Thompson and Associates, The Delaware Theatre Company, TheatreVirginia and The Black Hills Playhouse. In Kansas City, Eric has designed lights for The UMKC Theatre Department and the Conservatory of Music and Dance, as well as lighting designs for the Coterie and Unicorn theatres.
  • Kelly Vogel, costume design. Vogel is a costume and scenic designer living in Lawrence, Kan. She designed costumes for all four Missouri Western productions last year, and has designed for the University of Kansas, the Nebraska Shakespeare Festival and elsewhere. She also worked as a costumer for the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of “Skylark” and as wardrobe supervisor for the Aerosmith music video “Blind Man.”
  • Shaun Allison, lighting design. Allison is a senior cinema and theatre major from St. Joseph, Mo. He participated as lighting crew for numerous Missouri Western productions and was light designer for “Arsenic and Old Lace.”
  • Grant Adkins, sound design. Adkins is a Missouri Western senior majoring in computer information systems with a minor in video production. Grant was the sound designer for three of Missouri Western’s four theatrical productions last year.

Voecks, Vogel, Allison and Adkins also worked on “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” and “Barefoot in the Park.”

Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.