Well-acted musical withstands test of time At a glance

“I Do! I Do!,” a 1960s Broadway vehicle for Mary Martin and Robert Preston, is rarely revived these days.

But CATCO makes a sentimental case for the musical’s old-fashioned story of a 50-year marriage, thanks to the warm humor and affectionate sweetness of two top-notch performers.

Joe Bishara and his wife, Liz Wheeler, have both a comfort level and chemistry that naturally anchor their roles through the two-hour two-act.

As Michael and Agnes Snow, the pair build an amusing, touching and

CATCO will present “I Do! I Do!” at 8 tonight through Saturday night, 2 p.m. Sunday and various other times through June 18 in the Riffe Center’s Studio Two Theatre, 77 S. High St. Tickets cost $15-$40. Call 614-469-0939, or visit www.catcoistheatre.org convincing relationship from wedding night until well past honeymoon’s end.

At the opening last week in the Riffe Center’s Studio Two Theatre, Wheeler shaped a compelling arc from the nervousness of a naive bride to the maturity of a patient (well, up to a point) housewife and mother.

Bishara embodies Michael’s romantic idealism but also his flaws, from unconscious arrogance and a writer’s self-absorption to a male chauvinism more common (and less disturbing) generations ago.

Director Steven C. Anderson trusts the material even when it’s quaint but also highlights the gentle humor and lilting melodies.

The singing is especially lovely in “My Cup Runneth Over,” the stand-out hit by composer Harvey Schmidt and author-lyricist Tom Jones. But the duet “Nobody’s Perfect” has greater comic effect because the lyrics ring true.

Parental issues enliven the shorter second act, whose stand-outs include the funny “The Father of the Bride” and the wish-fulfillment duet “When the Kids Get Married.”

Music director Quinton Jones expertly backs the performers on piano.

The crisp staging, Darin Keesing’s abstracted-grid scenic design and Cynthia Stillings’ golden lighting help make the somewhat-dated script seem timeless.

Older couples, in particular, are likely to appreciate the musical because they’ve lived through much of it.