Displaying items by tag: Scott Shallenbarger

Finding love has always been a challenge. In Jane Austen’s day, a time governed by strict rules of courtship, couples had to avoid mistakes that could potentially ruin a reputation. One might think that the complexities of dating would have eased over time, yet modern romance remains just as fraught with pitfalls. Exploring these timeless rules of attraction is Oil Lamp Theater’s production of I Love You Because, with music by Joshua Salzman and book and lyrics by Ryan Cunningham. Directed by Scott Shallenbarger, this musical, inspired by Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, examines two mismatched couples and asks a fundamental question: Do we love someone despite their differences, or because of them?

Meet our musical’s core couple. Austin Bennet (Aiden McCoy) is a straight-laced, slightly vanilla greeting card writer who fancies himself a "poet" yet struggles to craft anything with authentic depth. Marcy Fitzwilliams (Hanna Kipp) is a carefree photographer who balks at rules and lives in the moment. Having both recently gotten out of long-term relationships, Austin and Marcy decide to follow their friends’ advice and get back out there. This time, though, they’re not looking for “the one,” just someone.

Their first date couldn’t go worse. Austin is still hung up on his unfaithful ex, and Marcy makes little effort to hide her disinterest. Gradually, however, a friendship develops. When they least expect it, sparks fly, prompting both to reexamine what they were looking for in a mate.

Central to any compelling romance is chemistry. Perhaps it was opening weekend jitters, but the on-stage tension between McCoy and Kipp left something to be desired. While their initial awkwardness felt appropriate as the characters grew more familiar, the spark never really intensified. That missing connection made it difficult to fully invest in the material, because their relationship never felt entirely natural.

Part of the issue may stem from character interpretation. Although the script frames Austin as conventional and Marcy as unconventional, neither performer fully embraced those extremes. For example, Austin is written as a Type‑A personality who brings his own black coffee from home to a local café - a funny character trait meant to establish a tightly wound demeanor - but the joke didn’t quite land. If both actors pushed further into their contrasting traits, the show’s humor, which relies on highlighting their polar opposites, might be more effective.

Conversely, the "opposites attract" dynamic succeeded with the supporting couple. Kristin Brintnall plays Diana, an actuary who relies on her rigid mathematical system for love calculations. Maxwell J. DeTogne plays Jeff Bennet, a boyish man-child whose views on relationships are as jumbled as his vocabulary, leading to malapropisms like "duck in a line" or "barking up the wrong treehouse." What begins as a casual fling eventually forces them into the dreaded "Define the Relationship" conversation.

Brintnall and DeTogne play off each other wonderfully by fully embracing their characters' differences. Her rigid precision complements his easygoing demeanor, creating genuine stage friction and strong comedic timing. Their energetic performances helped elevate a relatively straightforward plot.

Unlike Austen’s rich source material, this musical offered few complications for its core couple. Other modern adaptations of classic texts, like 10 Things I Hate About You, which adapted Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, successfully updated stories while preserving their complexity. But once Austin and Marcy recognize their feelings, there really aren’t any obstacles in their way.

The strength of I Love You Because comes from its performers. Their vocal ability shined in each song, and when the ensemble came together for group numbers, they blended beautifully. As the cast settles into their roles, the chemistry between the leads should deepen and help the audience connect to the central love plot. In any case, the message of I Love You Because was effectively communicated. True love isn’t loving someone in spite of their quirks, but because of them.

I Love You Because runs through September 13 at Oil Lamp Theatre in Glenview, IL.

Advisory: Oil Lamp Theater advises that the production contains mature content, including explicit language and sexual situations.

https://www.oillamptheater.org/

Oil Lamp Theater, currently presenting The Last Five Years, now extended through July 19, is proud to announce the cast and creative team for its next production, I Love You Because, August 14 - September 13, book and lyrics by Ryan Cunningham, music by Joshua Salzman and orchestrations by Larry Hochman, directed by Scott Shallenbarger and music directed by Aaron Kahn, at Oil Lamp Theater, 1723 Glenview Road. The schedule includes two preview performances Friday, Aug. 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday Aug. 15 at 3 p.m., with an opening performance Saturday, Aug. 15 at 7:30 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with additional Wednesday performances Wednesday, Aug. 19 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday Aug. 26 at 7:30 p.m. (Understudy Performance); Wednesday, Sept. 2 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and Wednesday Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $30 for previews and $55 for the run at OilLampTheater.org.  

Modern dating is a mess. Sometimes to find Mr. Right you need to find Mr. Wrong – even if that means seeing someone stuck on their ex, awkward encounters of the intimate kind and lots of bad coffee dates. Opposites attract in this feel-good musical that will transport you into the heart of your favorite guilty pleasure rom-com. Created by acclaimed musical team Ryan Cunningham and Joshua Salzman and inspired by Jane Austen’s gold-standard romance novel “Pride and Prejudice,” this delightful modern musical will make you fall head over heels.

The cast of I Love You Because includes Aiden McCoy (any with respect, Austin Bennet); Maxwell J DeTogne (any with respect, Jeff Bennet); Hannah Kipp  (she/her, Marcy Fitzwilliams); Kristin Brintnall (she/her, Diana Bingley); Daria Koon (she/they, NYC Woman); Tommy Rothwells (he/him, NYC Man); Freddy Mauricio (he/him, Austin Bennet U/S); Nic Eastlund (he/him, Jeff Bennet U/S); Kaitie Bonds (she/her, Marcy Fitzwilliams U/S); Dominique Ruffalo (she/her, Diana Bingley U/S); Nikki Holladay (she/her, NYC Woman U/S) and Joe Dennis (he/him, NYC Man U/S).

The production team includes Scott Shallenbarger (he/him, director); Aaron Kahn (he/him, music director/accompanist); Bob Knuth (he/him, scenic designer); Devin Meseke (he/him, properties designer); Maya Reter (she/her, sound designer); Sara Segneri (she/her, stage manager); Danielle Reinhardt (she/her, costume designer); Conner Nicoson (they/them, technical director); Connor Windle (she/her, production manager) and Rose Leisner (she/her, company manager).

ABOUT SCOTT SHALLENBARGER, DIRECTOR

Scott Shallenbarger makes his Oil Lamp debut with I Love You Because. Representative credits include Miracle on South Division Street, I And You, Baby the Musical (Citadel Theatre); Les Miserables (Uptown Music Theatre Company); The Glass Menagerie, Six Degrees of Separation, The Road to Mecca, Hot L Baltimore, The Children’s Crusade (Raven Theatre); Jeffrey and Love, Valor, Compassion (Hubris Productions) and Skyscraper (Piven Theatre). Shallenbarger is a published playwright and teaching artist who would like to thank you, dear audience, for attending live theatre. 

ABOUT AARON KAHN, MUSIC DIRECTOR

Aaron Kahn is thrilled to be returning to Oil Lamp after previously working on the productions of It’s A Wonderful Life: A Radio Play and The Marvelous Wonderettes. Kahn is also a private voice teacher at the Christopher Laughlin School of Music in Northbrook and is a staff accompanist at Carthage College. Other favorite music and assistant music direction credits include: Fugitive Songs (Stagedoor Manor); Mel Brooks’ The Producers (Music Theater Works); A Little Night Music (Theo Ubique) and Spring Awakening (4 Chairs Theatre). 

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Preview Performances: Friday, Oct. 2 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 3 at 3 p.m. 

Opening Night: Saturday, Oct. 3 at 7:30 p.m. 

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Alfred Hitchcock’s adored, chilling thriller gets a modern twist that no one will see coming. A murderous misstep begins a high-stakes hunt for the real criminal as time is quickly running out. This captivating, heart-racing play leaves audiences on the edge of their seats while the mystery of the year unravels before their eyes. Will the clues unlock the right person, or will an innocent victim pay the price? The suspense is to die for…

It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play

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Preview Performances: Friday, Nov. 20 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 21 at 3 p.m. 

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The holiday tradition returns for its 13th year. Audiences may experience unmatched holiday cheer with Frank Capra's beloved classic, “It's a Wonderful Life,” reimagined as a captivating live radio play, complete with foley sound effects and set in our own WBFR radio studio.

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*All productions, dates, creatives, etc. are subject to change.

ABOUT OIL LAMP THEATER

Oil Lamp Theater is a professional nonprofit performing arts organization in Glenview, Illinois, welcoming over 10,000 patrons annually from more than 225 communities—41% from Glenview and others from across the North Shore and Chicago. Since establishing its intimate 60-seat home in downtown Glenview in 2012, Oil Lamp has grown into a cultural beacon, earning recognition as “Best Live Theatre in the North Shore” for four consecutive years.

With more than 70 productions to date, Oil Lamp is known for its dynamic Mainstage season, special events and its resilience during the pandemic, when it innovated with drive-in performances and outdoor productions. Today, the theatre continues to foster connection, broaden horizons and illuminate the human condition through professional theater and year-round programming.

In addition to its productions, Oil Lamp Theater operates Oil Lamp Academy, its education branch dedicated to “Training for Life Through the Performing Arts.” In 2025 alone, the program served more than 230 students ages three to 97 years old, offering classes that use theater as a pathway to build confidence, creativity and lifelong skills.

This past September, Oil Lamp launched  Light The Way, a transformative fundraising campaign designed to expand arts education, strengthen essential staff and establish a larger performance venue with the goal of staying in downtown Glenview. Building on its roots as a scrappy storefront, Oil Lamp is evolving into a more robust organization—without losing the intimacy and warmth that define its theater experience. Oil Lamp Theater hopes this announcement inspires excitement throughout the community. Stay tuned as additional news is shared in the near future. For information or to support the campaign go to OilLampTheater.org/Light-the-Way or reach out to Oil Lamp at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Oil Lamp Theater, currently presenting The Last Five Years, now extended through July 19, is proud to announce the cast and creative team for its next production, I Love You Because, August 14 - September 13, book and lyrics by Ryan Cunningham, music by Joshua Salzman and orchestrations by Larry Hochman, directed by Scott Shallenbarger and music directed by Aaron Kahn, at Oil Lamp Theater, 1723 Glenview Road. The schedule includes two preview performances Friday, Aug. 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday Aug. 15 at 3 p.m., with an opening performance Saturday, Aug. 15 at 7:30 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with additional Wednesday performances Wednesday, Aug. 19 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday Aug. 26 at 7:30 p.m. (which is an understudy performance); Wednesday, Sept.. 2 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; and Wednesday Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $30 for previews and $55 for the run at OilLampTheater.org.