DATE: Saturday, May 10, 1997                TAG: 9705100573

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Column 

SOURCE: Guy Friddell 

                                            LENGTH:   59 lines

YOU WILL, YOU WILL UNDOUBTEDLY ENJOY ``I DO! I DO!''

A friend, an expert on drama, urged me to see ``I Do! I Do!'' playing two more weekends at the Little Theatre of Norfolk.

``It's a romantic musical comedy,'' he said, ``but it is not soppy.

``It covers 50 years of a mostly happy marriage. The couple's adventures will remind many viewers of moments in their own lives.''

The wife, played by Heather Renken, tends to keep them moving through obstacles, he said, and the husband, portrayed by Michael Skoraszewski, is a bit flaky.

``He reminds me of you,'' he said.

Great! Depend on a friend, with the best intentions, to skewer you.

The two do splendidly with 18 musical numbers, which include ``My Cup Runneth Over,'' a duet, and ``What Is a Woman?'' by her.

``The show ought to be quite popular,'' my frank friend said.

It drew a standing ovation last week, said director David Burton when I dropped by the theater Friday. Since the play extends from 1895 to 1945, it offers four decades of fashions. Two teams help the actors get in and out of costumes.

There are five sets, a permanent bedroom and four solid sets which drop from the loft, including a church with a stained glass window, a line bedecked with clothes and toys, a chandelier denoting wealth, and a waterfall of ribbons through which the couple dances.

``They're fine actors, very professional, a joy to work with. It's as close to Broadway as we can get,'' he said. ``I'm being modest.''

After two plays in Norfolk, Renken is being welcomed as ``a new luminary,'' my friend said.

In the first grade in Chicago, she was the smallest bumblebee in ``Winnie the Pooh'' and was hooked on the stage for life. She acted, sang, and worked backstage in high school and college and then with professional theaters in Chicago and Denver.

``When I came to town, I found several theaters in the phone book,'' she said. ``I called them all and the Little Theatre of Norfolk called back.

``I ran the light board for two shows before I auditioned for `Bell, Book and Candle.' ''

In it she played Gillian the witch, who falls in love with a mortal.

``It's great to work in community theater where wonderful creative people have such varied experience,,'' she said.

As she talked with me, she jollied along her son, age 2, playing at her feet. Throwing a sheet over his head, he announced he was ``a Mess,'' obviously preparing to beat his mother to the stage, in kindergarten.

The play will run tonight at 8 and Sunday at 2:30 and next week on Friday and Saturday night at 8 and Sunday at 2:30.

Tickets are $8 for adults; $5, children under 12; $7, senior citizens. For information, call 627-8551. ILLUSTRATION: IF YOU GO

WHAT: ``I Do! I Do!'' with Heather Renken, above, at the Little

Theatre of Norfolk.

WHEN: Tonight, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2:30 p.m.; next Friday, Saturday,

8 p.m.; Sunday, 2:30 p.m.

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