Love is in the air and the Bay Street Cabaret has just the show for the occasion.
Award-winning writer-producer Rick Garman, a novelist, playwright, and veteran of more than two dozen Hallmark Channel movies, has written “Love Stories/Love Song” an all-new Valentine’s Day themed show for the Bay Street Cabaret.
The show will be performed Friday, February 11 at 7:30pm and Sunday, February 13 at 7:30pm at Club One’s Bay Street Theatre.
The Bay Street Cabaret were doing different themed Broadway shows but for their Christmas show they went a different route with the Christmas song themed improvised play “Vivian and Bill’s Christmas Party.”
“The audience seemed to have really enjoy it so we have decided to try something like that again but bump it up another notch. “Love Stories/Love Song” is a similar concept in that we have characters and a storyline and we worked all these classic love songs into our stories. This time with a full script that I have written,” said Garman.
Garman is no stranger to the genre of romance. Garman has written, co-written, or executive produced 30 movies since 2016 for Hallmark Channel, PixL, and the Lifetime Movie Network including blockbuster fan favorites such as “Valentine in the Vineyard “with Rachael Leigh Cook and Brendan Penny; “A Shoe Addict’s Christmas” with Candace Cameron Bure and Emmy Award-winner Jean Smart to name a few. He also writes the Savannah-set YA novel series entitled “Interitas,” with the fourth volume expected to be published this year.
“I love writing movies,” Garman said, “but getting a chance to tell different kinds of romantic stories for Valentine’s Day in a live theater setting takes me back to my roots as a playwright. I get to step out of the Hallmark world to tell different kinds of stories that we normally don’t tell on the Hallmark Channel.”
Garman described Hallmark films as upbeat and romantic comedy types and elements of those are in his script but he digs deeper with this script than the simple made for TV movie romance.
The movie “Love, Actually” and TV show “This is Us” were bases of inspiration for Garman as he wrote this production with scripted scenes about four couples at four different stages of their relationships: Alex and Jamie meet and it is love at first sight; Nicky and Taylor break up and try to find their way back to one another; Spencer and Jordan are best friends who harbor romantic feelings for one another; and Charlie and Quinn are married but have hit the point where they wonder what the future holds for them.
“I was inspired by “Love, Actually” and “This Is Us” because you have different stories that are all interconnected and often in surprising ways. These four couples sing and have scenes that track their relationship,” said Garman.
The stories tie into the live cabaret performances as the inner thoughts of the characters are expressed through some of the most beloved songs about love, longing, and loss. Audiences may want to bring some tissue as they are taken on a musical love journey that spans decades.
The show will feature songs like “When I Fall in Love” by Nat “King” Cole, “I Will Always Love You” by Dolly Parton, “At Last” by Etta James, “The Way You Look Tonight” by Tony Bennett, “Make You Feel My Love” by Adele, and many more.
“We’re starting with some of the most romantic and heartfelt songs of all time,” Garman said, “but by interspersing them with funny, touching, and emotional stories about love, it creates a unique experience that everyone can to connect to. It’s a great way to spend Valentine’s Day weekend.”
The show is directed by Travis Harold Coles, a veteran of the Savannah theater scene, and is written and produced by Garman.
The show is performed by a powerhouse of Savannah talent including Richie Cook, Hannah Dodson, Daniel J. Hilton, Kevin Hincapie, Brandon Kaufman, Gwen Leahy, Taylor Mercier, and Dani Vazquez.
Limited, reserved table seating is available for $30 per ticket, limited reserved box seating is available for $25 per ticket, and general admission seating is available for $20.
Tickets can be purchased by visiting baystreetcabaret.com
