BWW Reviews: MTW Scores with THE WEDDING SINGER

The Wedding Singer

book by Chad Beguelin and Tim Herlihy (based on the New Line Cinema film by Tim Herlihy)
music by Matthew Sklar & lyrics by Chad Beguelin
directed by Larry Raben
Carpenter Performing Arts Center, Long Beach
through July 24 only

Fans of the 1998 film The Wedding Singer, which proved an unqualified hit for its stars Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, will relish seeing the quirky story revisited on the big stage of the Carpenter Center in Long Beach. In 2006 The Wedding Singer was turned into a Broadway musical with the identical Ridgefield, New Jersey characters, but with some alterations in plotline. What counts most is the upbeat 80s humor, which the stage version retains in spades, as well as unlimited heart. MTW (Musical Theatre West)'s regional premiere does the show proud under Larry Raben's dynamite direction and sporting a rollicking cast.

In the 80s small town America was enveloped by the pressures of city living and people welcomed the beginnings of a more advanced technology as we know it. Big time corporations replaced small businesses, and making money, nailing the American dream were everyone's goals. Such is the case in Ridgefield, New Jersey in 1985 where The Wedding Singer takes place. If you're a singer in a small band like Robbie Hart (Ciaran McCarthy), your chances of getting the girl - in this case Julia Sullivan (Renee Brna) - go up in smoke, particularly when wealthy, successful businessmen like Glen Guglia (Derek Keeling) vie for their hand in marriage. Every girl wants a home, family and security, so Glen comes up a winner and Robbie, a big time loser. Robbie lives in the basement of his Grandma Rosie's (Mary Jo Catlett) house, and on top of having no money, is dumped by his first girlfriend Linda (Kelli Provart) via a Dear John letter on the day of their wedding. Robbie is literally in the dumpster and waitress Julia, who has had eyes for him from the start, tries to lift his spirits. Her sexy friend Holly (Jenna Coker-Jones) dates him, but to disastrous results. Robbie's eyes stay focused on Julia and he will do just about anything to win her over, which entails, at least in his mind, changing his lifestyle, so he vows to climb the corporate ladder assisted by Glen - turning Julia off ... so more disastrous results. Of course, there's a happy ending, but not without a lot of fast maneuvering on Robbie's part, which involves a chase to Las Vegas after Julia and Glen to stop their wedding and a round or two with all kinds of Vegas impersonators. It's a silly romp, but a rewardingly entertaining one.

McCarthy is a charmer as Robbie and Brna wholesome and adorable as Julia. And the supporting cast are all equally terrific under Raben's slick and fast paced direction. Catlett is delicious as Rosie. She's spunky, a completely with it grandma -she has the lingo down pat and even does some rap to boot! Provart and Coker-Jones are both screamingly, in-your-face funny. Coker-Jones has an indomitable display of comic aplomb, and Provart has all the sensual moves of an Ann-Margret and an Eartha Kitt combined. Hold onto your armrests! Keeling makes Guglia appropriately egotistical and obnoxious. Nick Bernardi and Matthew J. Vargo as band members Sammy and George respectively are simply scene-stealers, especially Vargo as the gay George, whose long hair and feminine makeup set him alluringly and intriguingly apart from the onslaught. Tracy Lore does nicely as Angie, Julia's supportive mother.

Spencer Liff's choreography is dazzling throughout and much of the music by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin, upbeat and appealing. The entire look of the piece - costumes, set and lighting - all match the 80s to perfection.

The charm of The Wedding Singer comes mainly from its characters and how they eventually come out on top, beating the odds and finding true happiness. With its inimitable energy and spark, it will sometimes remind you of musical gems from the past like Bye, Bye Birdie and Grease, or the heat of Saturday Night Fever, but it does find its very own niche, making its own kind of memorable music.

visit:

http://www.musical.org/MusicalTheatreWest/home.html

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