This weekend and next, the University Theatre is presenting “Baby,” a musical about the happiness and strains that pregnancy brings to three very different couples.

Musical theater seniors Jason Grauerholz and Melissa Steadman play the youngest couple, Danny and Lizzie, juniors in college who suddenly find themselves expecting a child. Steadman’s character wants to keep the baby, but reels when Grauerholz’s character proposes marriage. Steadman effectively captures this feeling when she heatedly informs Grauerholz, “Marriage is an antisocial act; no one survives.”

Musical theater junior Mackenzie Warren and musical theater senior Aaron Umstead play the 30-something couple trying desperately for a baby. Warren embodies the perpetual tomboy “Pam” and convinces the audience of her ferocity in trying to do the one female thing of her life: carry a child. Umstead’s powerful voice adds to conveying the emotional turmoil of this clearly loving, but desperate, couple.

The show’s third couple is a pair in their 40s who think they’ve gotten their children into adulthood, only to find that they too are expecting. Paul Sabala and Heather Hurst, musical theater senior and junior, respectively, play the oldest couple very convincingly, especially with Hurst’s mastery of the “mom look,” a stare that silences anyone in its way. Their relationship is cleverly illustrated in a scene where they dance the cha-cha. As they go through the dance, they relive what they will go through in their new child’s life.

A highlight of the show, outside the performances, is the costuming. When the company makes its first full appearance on stage, an audience member will feel like they’ve suddenly stepped into the Breakfast Club, with Rufio from “Hook” randomly along for the ride. The award for best costume, though, goes to Hurst’s very turquoise windsuit in the first act, a look not seen outside a track meet since we college kids were in kindergarten.

In addition to the great costuming, the set is perfect for the size of the Weiztenhoffer Theatre, and allows the characters to have their own space in the audience, even though they were sharing the same simple space in the set.

The most interesting part of the set design is the incorporation of the live five-instrument band into the layout. The band sits behind a screen that is opaque when the lights are up on the characters, and nearly transparent while the lights are down for scene changes.

The band itself is a great addition to the show, although the music occasionally overwhelmed the performers, volume-wise.

Perhaps the strongest vocal performance of the show is Steadman’s solo, “The Story Goes On.” Her voice is sure to give every audience member goosebumps as her powerful vocals explore the consequences of her pregnancy.

The show’s comic highlight is “Fatherhood Blues.” The choreography is fun and smart, and successfully avoids the lewd placement of baseball bats for cheap comic effect. This number also serves to highlight the personalities of the male characters, and allows Grauerholz especially to wield his slapstick talent.

Ultimately, OU’s presentation of “Baby” is worth the watch. With a very talented cast and crew, the musical provides an evening of entertainment for anyone, parent or not.

“Baby” opens at 8 p.m. tonight in the Weitzenhoffer Theatre, 563 Elm Ave. The show will continue its run at 8 p.m. Saturday and April 8-11, and at 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and April 11.

-Sarah Dorn is an english junior.