“I Wanna Fall In Love”

A NoHo Arts theatre review of “I Wanna Fall In Love,” written and performed by Shelley Cooper, music and lyrics by Alexander Sage Oyen, directed by Heather Dowling and produced by Jessica Lynn Johnson at this year’s Hollywood Fringe Festival.

I remember being absolutely blown away by Shelley Cooper’s previous Hollywood Fringe show, “La Divina,” which won loads of awards…quite rightly. This new show is very different. “LA Divina” was Maria Callas, this show’s music is modern. While Shelley did an amazing job of quite literally channeling Maria Callas, “I Wanna Fall In Love” is her voice now. And she fully owns it.

This play is her story of love. First love, deep love, losing love, deciding “do I even need love?” And, ultimately, concluding that yes, yes she does need it. So, that’s the premise, and as the world of Shelley Cooper unfolds on stage, we are hooked. 

The songs are pretty spectacular, written by the clearly amazing Alexander Sage Oyen, and Shelley is a really incredible singer. so I found myself fully falling into the songs, deeply. 

Her voice is compelling and relatable and just so full of emotion and texture. But she is also absolutely hilarious and a very accomplished performer and so she deftly manages the spirit of the story, bouncing around between the falling part of love, the being in it and the letting go.  However, she is so full of hope you know she will find it again and, when she does, it will knock her socks off!

I love how this story lifts you up. Shelley Cooper is a strong, beautiful and insanely powerful presence. She owns the stage and her choice to make this play about herself and her own love story shows us just how wonderful a communicator she truly is.  

She is open, like a book. Nothing gets between her and the audience and she has that rare ability to create instant intimacy.  Utterly mesmerizing and truthful and raw. Which is what love should be, shouldn’t it?

“I Wanna Fall in Love” has a couple more dates, so there’s no excuse, don’t miss it!!!

When:

Saturday, June 11 at 3:30PM

Saturday June 25 2022, 6:30 PM

Where:

Asylum @ Stephanie Feury Studio Theatre

5636 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90038

Tickets:

https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/7517?tab=tickets