POTSDAM -- Community Performance Series has announced the 2011 summer musical will be the contemporary musical "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change," running from Aug. 11 to Aug. 13, in SUNY Potsdam's Barrington Student Union Multi-Purpose Room.

The show, by playwright/lyricist Joe DiPietro and composer Jimmy Roberts, is a comedic musical revue about courtship and marriage that touches on adult themes. The second-longest running off-Broadway show (from 1996 to 2008) takes a step outside the traditional musicals that CPS has produced in the past.

It showcases everything you ever secretly thought about dating, romance, marriage, lovers, husbands, wives and in-laws, but were afraid to admit.

CPS Productions is moving from its traditional summer venue, SUNY Potsdam's Sara M. Snell Music Theater, due to extensive renovations the college is conducting to improve the space. The theater will be closed to performances from May through September. This led CPS to investigate using non-traditional performance spaces.

"Without a proper theater, producing a traditional musical would have presented significant challenges," said CPS Executive Director Amy Flack. "We were concerned that fitting a well-known musical into a non-conventional space would have disappointed audience members who've come to expect a certain level of quality from CPS productions. Instead, we've chosen to think way outside the box and stage a production that is more reminiscent of a night at the comedy club than a traditional evening of theater, both in terms of the show's subject matter and the physical set-up of the space."

The production will be directed by Sara Simon-Shult, who will also serve as musical director. Simon-Shult was the musical director for the 2009 CPS production of "The King and I," as well as last summer's sell-out production of "Annie."

Simon-Shult has also directed several local productions, including "The Secret Garden," "Into The Woods," "Beauty and The Beast" and "Once Upon A Mattress."

A graduate of Vassar College and SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music, she has been active as a performer, director, musical director, accompanist and choreographer for the last 15 years.

"I am very proud and excited to once again be part of CPS through this unique directing opportunity," said Simon-Shult. "Although this show is quite different than previous summer productions, it humorously highlights various aspects of relationships that all adults should find familiar. The intimate staging coupled with witty dialogue and music assures an enjoyable evening of theatrical entertainment."

Auditions for the musical will be held on Monday and Tuesday, May 23 and 24 at 6 p.m. in the Crane complex on the SUNY Potsdam campus.

Patrons should enter through the Snell Theater entrance and follow the signs. Call backs will be held on Wednesday, May 25 at 6 p.m. on campus.

Those wishing to audition should prepare 16 bars of an up-tempo comedic song. Those auditioning need to bring sheet music in the appropriate key as there will be absolutely no on-site transposition done at auditions. An accompanist will be provided.

Those unable to attend auditions should contact Jared Carey at careyjt@potsdam.edu or (917) 837-1687.

Casting will be for two men and two women in their twenties and thirties, one man and one woman in their forties and fifties, and one man and one woman in their fifties to seventies. Rehearsals will begin July 5, 2011.

"CPS is looking forward to bringing this unique, contemporary work to the North Country," said Flack. "We are also looking forward to summer 2012 when we can celebrate the renovation of Snell Theater with a large community musical reminiscent of productions like 'Annie,' 'The King and I' and 'My Fair Lady.'"

More information about the production, including ticket prices, will be available online in mid-May at www.cpspotsdam.org. For questions, call the CPS Box Office at 267-2277.