People might have the tendency to think that a Broadway musical from 1966 about a married
couple that covers a time period of 50 years from 1895 to 1945 would be outdated or corny—not
really relevant anymore. When the musical is I Do! I Do! with just two actors and a four-poster
bed, this public perception couldn’t be farther from the truth. Starring in the production, Paige
Davis wholeheartedly agrees, “We don’t [Patrick Page and I] think that. We think the show is just
full of richness and depth and truth. One thing that becomes very clear is that when you look at
the music, there is just not a clunker in the bunch. It’s just an incredible score.” When you have
two well-known Old Globe and Broadway actors Patrick Page and his wife Paige Davis [Sweet
Charity, Boeing-Boeing, Chicago] portraying the two characters of Michael and Agnes, that spark
of talent and energy adds a crucial element in creating theatre magic. Another exciting aspect of
this production is it christens the new Conrad Prebys Theatre Center and the Sheryl and Harvey
White Theatre at The Old Globe. The new theatre is in-the-round and wonderfully intimate.
Just how did this all-around winning combination come To create a musical that is sentimental, passionate, struc-
The interior of the 250-seat Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre.
about for the two stars? Paige explains, “Someone, years tured in this way and universal in the overall exploration of
ago, suggested it for the two of us. Then, we didn’t think too marriage is quite a task. Tom Jones wrote the book and lyrics
much of it. When it was first suggested to Patrick years ago he and Harvey Schmidt wrote the music for I Do! I Do! Their
thought ‘Oh, that corny old thing! When he listened to it, he collaboration together also brought forth The Fantastiks on
had the experience you had which was ‘Wow! These are good Broadway. This is a far cry from the exploration of relation-
songs and this is really incredible material.’ So, he brought ships in musicals today…Paige adds, “Just in general for
it up to me and said, ‘Hey, my friend suggested this for us. musicals, there was a line not to be crossed, especially if you
What do you think?’ We wanted to map a production for a bought a theatre ticket and you were headed in to see a mu-
very long time. But you know, schedules get in the way, for sical! You could only go so deep and the audience probably
me Trading Spaces got in the way and all this stuff. This time only wanted you to go so deep. But with musicals…say West
slot [December 11-20] when the show is happening now, Side Story and even today with Spring Awakening, that whole
just kind of came up very spontaneously…it was something paradigm has been completely blown open. Something like
that we actually suggested to The Old Globe. ‘Hey. What do I Do! I Do! initially approached only the surface elements of
you think? Your new theatre’s gonna be ready before you what a relationship can go through…all honest things, but
thought. There won’t be anything in it. What if we came in maybe only hit it on the surface. Today, audiences are willing
and did a limited-run engagement?’ They said ‘okay!’ Patrick to embrace even more depth in the musical format. So, we
and I looked at each and said, ‘Oh shit. Now we gotta do it!’ can quote-unquote ‘go there,’ so to speak, without really
(laughter).” As mentioned earlier, the musical spans a time changing anything in [I Do! I Do!] and make it as deep as the
period from 1895 to 1945. Paige stresses why she feels this material allows. I think that what is there, frankly, is so much
timeline should not be tampered with, “Absolutely. It has to more than what most people go for.”
be [1895 to 1945]. When we were quite initially looking at it, The story of I Do! I Do! is so human and universal that pretty
we wondered, ‘Could we update it? Could we take it more much everyone can relate to it. In closing, Paige elaborates
into the realm of a contemporary feel?’ What we found is that on this common bond, “That’s very true. Even though there
was impossible given the social mores of the time and what are some things that are clearly from a different day and
happens in terms of the relationship between husband and age…for instance, their wedding night…but what hap-
wife. There are definitely gender roles that are clear in the pens to this couple is so universal and so across-the-board
piece. They don’t hold up if you go into 1970 to 2000. It would that even though we commit to a time period, that anyone,
not sustain being put in a different time.” regardless of their age, can see their own relationship within
Paige shares what she would like to bring to the role of the relationship that Michael and Agnes have. It’s completely
Agnes in her portrayal. “ I think it’s the same as any role that withstood the test of time. It’s a love letter to marriage but
I approach. I want to bring myself. I want to bring honesty what is beautiful about I Do! I Do! and I think will be enriching
and truth and depth and humor. Anything that makes Agnes about how Patrick and I do this show, it’s also about what it
a part of me and me a part of Agnes. One of the things that costs to have those rewards. It costs something. There’s fear
hopefully Patrick and I will bring to this production and and sacrifice, not the negative connotations that people
it might be different than in the past is we want to play the think of when you hear ‘sacrifice’ and ‘compromise.’ They are
reality of how truly hot they are for each other. Once they not necessarily dirty words. They are part of the cost that
get past that awkward night that there is something truly at leads to the reward. All the colors of marriage…the dark, the
stake when things start to change. When it looks like there deep and the happy…that’s what marriage is. It’s worth it in
is the threat of divorce or the threat of something coming the end. You will leave the theatre believing in the institution
between them, that there is something really to be lost.” of marriage and certainly, believing in love.”
December 2009 | RAGE monthly 11
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