Artists' Ensemble kicks off its third theater season with an “adult” musical that examines, sends up and empathizes with the modern dating scene.

“I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change” is the long-running off-Broadway hit by composer Jimmy Roberts and playwright/lyricist Joe DiPietro, with a cast of two men and two women who mix and match in various pairings and groupings that are sometimes touching, sometimes silly, sometimes outrageous and (almost) always humorous.

The music is an eclectic mix of styles — some Latin, some country, some doo-wop, etc. — that suits the rather eclectic nature of the script.

Subject matter ranges from blind dates to dating videos to meeting the parents to family road trips to sex after marriage and kids to different views on waiting. There is occasional “salty” language (nothing really rough), so the PG-13 rating probably should apply.

Erin Dickerson, Jennifer Loftus, Peter Robel and Erik R. Uppling all have their moments to shine — and many of those moments will trigger memories, at least for those 30-ish and older. They're also likely to trigger laughs in just about anyone.

There's the macho paean “Why? 'Cause I'm a Guy” with Uppling and Robel, “Single Man Drought” with Loftus and Dickerson, the meeting the parents scene and the guaranteed-satisfaction scene featuring everyone. The list goes on.

Dickerson also does a very nice job with the nonmusical “The Very First Dating Video of Rose Ritz,” a sensitive subject that she handles very well. Uppling also has a nice nonsinging turn in “Scared Straight,” which has to be seen to be believed.

With 20 scenes and three times (or more) that many characters, Director Richard Raether manages to keep things moving at a very nice pace — with help from choreographer Cyndi Conley (nice steps, well-executed by the cast) and costumer Jan Bacino (appropriate outfits that lend themselves to fast changes).

In short, “I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change” is a show that deserves to be seen — and it's in a theater where there are plenty of seats. It runs through Sept. 17 in Maddox Theatre of Clark Arts Center on the Rockford College campus. Call 815-226-4100 for ticket information.

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