Harper Smith and Sayer Roberts grew up on the same street, went to the same elementary school and stayed friends through their New Westminster Secondary School years.
Now, the two 21-year-olds have the chance to appear together onstage - in the musical I Love You Because, being staged this month by the new company Intimate Theatre Productions. It opens Feb. 8 and runs until Feb. 25 at Studio 1398 on Granville Island.
The musical tells the story of an uptight greeting card writer, Austin (played by Roberts), who meets a flighty, free-spirited photographer, Marcy (played by Erin Palm) on a blind date.
With the help of Austin's brother, Jeff (Victor Hunter) and Marcy's best friend, Diana (Smith), along with a few of the neighbourhood locals (Sheryl Anne McMillan and Aaron Lau), the two discover that they love each other not in spite of their differences but because of them.
"It's a very endearing roman-tic comedy, with an emphasis on the romance part," explains Lau - who, besides acting in the production, also happens to be the founder and the managing artistic director of Intimate Theatre Productions.
The musical, with music by Joshua Salzman and book and lyrics by Ryan Cunningham, fits in with Lau's vision for his company: to produce contemporary, small-cast productions that aren't often seen on stage in an era of bigger-is-better musical theatre.
It's a vision that attracted Roberts to audition.
"The thing that's so great is the company, it's called Intimate Theatre Productions - it so clearly states what it's all about," he says. "There are so many small-cast shows that never get done. There's so much good theatre that's not seen because of that."
What's more, he says, I Love You Because is an honest portrayal of contemporary romance.
"The show is so truthful to how people work," he says. "There's so many stories that overexaggerate relationships."
This story, Smith notes, isn't one of them: "It's complicated, but it's simple."
And, as in real life, she notes, all the complications are caused by the characters themselves - not by the circumstances around them.
There's an added joy for both Roberts and Smith in actually appearing together on stage. Despite their longstanding friendship, the two have never worked on theatre projects together - in fact, they admit that they each didn't know the other was into theatre.
Roberts grew up in a theatrical household - mom Colleen Winton and dad Russell Roberts are both noted professional actors on the Vancouver theatre scene. Although the younger Roberts didn't actually try his hand at musical theatre until a Grade 12 production of Annie, he has already amassed a list of credits with such companies as Capilano University, Theatre Under the Stars and Gateway Theatre.
Smith, mean-while, got drawn into theatre after she attended a performing arts camp on Gabriola Island at the age of seven. Before that, she had danced but never acted - after the camp, she started attending the Jennings Institute for Performing Artists, where she has pursued studies in piano, voice, theory and acting. She performed in many school shows, but it was an experience in Theatre Under the Stars' Bye Bye Birdie that exposed her to the wider world of musical theatre and to many of the people she's now working with, including Lau.
Lau notes, with a laugh, that just about everybody connected to the show has some link to Theatre Under the Stars. In fact, he says, it was his own Theatre Under the Stars experience that in many ways paved the way for him to set up the company.
It was through TUTS that he met Shel Piercy, who's directing I Love You Because.
"He's really been essential as a mentor," Lau says, noting it's been invaluable to get advice and assistance from someone with more than 20 years in the industry. "Any insight and advice he has, I can't take with a grain of salt."
With his help, Lau says, setting up Intimate Theatre Productions and getting the inaugural show off the ground became just that much easier. Finding other experienced professionals to serve the creative team - among them associate producer Chris Adams and music director Kerry O'Donovan - has also been key.
Lau admits the process hasn't been without its hassles. The inaugural production was originally expected to be in October but got delayed by a number of setbacks, including the search for a music director and the loss of a cast member who dropped out shortly before rehearsals were to begin.
But now that he's ever-so-close to opening night, he couldn't be happier with the way it's turning out for his new company.
"I want to take this, and I want to make it one of the steady companies," he said, noting he envisions a future of regular productions not just in Vancouver, but hopefully elsewhere in Canada and the U.S. as well. "I don't want to just stop here."
CHECK IT OUT
What: I Love You Because, presented by Intimate Theatre Productions at Studio 1398 on Granville Island
When: Feb. 8 to 25
Tickets: $20 to $28. Call 604-307-9451 or see www. brownpapertickets.com.
More info: www.intimate theatreproductions.com
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