"Shop Around the Corner" started its journey as a Hungarian play titled "Parfumerie," written by Miklós László in 1937. The play revolves around the romantic entanglements of employees working in a Budapest perfume shop. In 1940, the play caught the attention of Hollywood, and filmmaker Ernst Lubitsch adapted it into a film called "The Shop Around the Corner," starring James Stewart and Margaret Sullivan.
Since the 1940 version he play has undergone three other iterations you may be aware of:
"In the Good Old Summertime" (1949): A musical adaptation of the story, starring Judy Garland and Van Johnson. This version transplants the tale to a music store in Chicago.
"She Loves Me" (1963): A Broadway musical based on the same source material, with a book by Joe Masteroff and music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick.
"You've Got Mail" (1998): While not a direct adaptation, this romantic comedy film directed by Nora Ephron draws inspiration from "The Shop Around the Corner." It stars Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan and explores the theme of anonymous pen pals falling in love.
This Naples Players Radio Theatre production features the vocal talents Pamela Austin as Klara, James Little as Martin, David Whalley as Pirovitch, and Michael Troop as Matuschek. This audio file was recorded, mixed and mastered by Michael Troop. All music and sound effects were obtained through a special license from pond5.com and may not be copied or reproduced for any reason.