Review: YES THE MUSICAL at Dream Hotel

If you have begun to notice a scarcity of sequins, bugle beads, paillettes, rhinestones and assorted other notions used to add luster and glitter to various and sundry pageant gowns, mother-of-the-bride ensembles, cocktail dresses, drag queen costumes and, yes, wedding gowns in the Nashville area, it’s not the result of supply chain issues. No, no, no, gentle readers! Rather, the supplies of such accoutrements have remained constant this spring – until, that is, the arrival of designer Chadd McMillan and his assistant designer Paige Dennis who, we’d wager, have bought up all such shimmering items to add to the dozens of costumes created for the world premiere production of Yes, A Musical Comedy, now ensconced for the summer at its home in Dream Hotel Nashville’s Dirty Little Secret.

You need look no further than that venue to determine that all that glitters, while not altogether gold, is adorning the bodies of director/choreographer Shea Sullivan's dazzling and we daresay astonishing, four-person cast (Bradley D. Gale, Maya Kaempf, Erin McCracken and Emma Texiera) who bring Yes, A Musical Comedy to life each performance. Thus, for the foreseeable future all eyes should be focused on the quartet of delightful musical theater performers while the other aforementioned personages (brides, pageant contestants, mothers-in-law-to-be, socialites and DQs) make do with what they’ve got hanging in their wardrobes.

Meanwhile, theater aficionados, bachelorette parties (aka “WOO! girls”), fun-seekers and all the assorted denizens of Music City’s Broadway district will be buying up all the sunglasses in order to protect their eyes from the over-the-top glitz and glamour provided by the physical production of Yes, A Musical Comedy’s theatrical magic and technical wizardry and the pure joy of Blaine Hopkins’ book and lyrics, Garrett Kotecki’s music and lyrics and Joel Waggoner’s everything else (including additional words and orchestrations) that make the show so entertaining, so delightful and, lord have mercy, so much fun! Its setting – Dirty Little Secret, accessed by its entrance on Printer’s Alley – only adds to its mystery and allure.

My advice? Go see it as soon as possible, while tickets remain available, because once word gets out, they’ll be harder to find than a sequin, bugle bead or paillette in Music City!™ (See what I did there?).

As a pop culture phenomenon, Yes, A Musical Comedy seems ideal as a Nashville entertainment offering. As the most popular destination city for bachelorettes (and bachelors) in search of a rip-roaring good time prior to the impending nuptials, Nashville is the perfect place for a musical comedy inspired by the equally popular reality TV staple Say Yes To The Dress (which debuted in 2007), of which writer/producer Blaine Hopkins was once executive producer.

Yes, A Musical Comedy captures the fun and frivolity, the stress and the ultimate exhilaration of finding the perfect wedding dress, while adding raucous comedy, a musical score that will have you dancing in the aisles (but be respectful, gentle readers, of the actors who make full use [every square inch of the venue] to bring the show to life) and imbuing it with a brightly hued aesthetic that creates gorgeously eye-popping visuals.

According to the show’s logline: “The moment Ashley gets engaged, everyone from tipsy bridesmaids to a meddling mother takes turns helping to plan the perfect wedding. The outrageously funny dress consultant Mister Jimmy leads us through this hilarious musical revue, including bizarre bridal customers, an unhinged maid of honor, and a father watching his savings evaporate.” And while that description is absolutely on the money, there is no way to put into words what audience members experience (there’s even an affectionate nod to Nashville’s ever-present “WOO!” girls to make you feel at home) during a live performance. Hopkins’ script is sharply written, with some stand-out comedic lines delivered by the skillful actors, somehow retaining a genuinely heartfelt sensibility throughout. Likewise, Kotecki’s songs – a pleasing, perfect-for-the-show blend of pop music, showtunes and power ballads (Kaempf’s so-called 11 o’clock number is a stunner) – and Waggoner’s arrangements utilize the cast’s vocal talents to grand effect and to propel the show’s plot ever-forward.

Yes, A Musical Comedy is a fast-paced (some might even say “frenetic”) one hour and 15 minutes of musical comedy performed by a stellar four-person cast made up of some of Nashville’s most beloved actors who, under Sullivan’s superb direction, remain focused on the task at hand, one quick change after another, to create the sense of a cast of thousands (okay, we exaggerate, dozens) involved to deliver the comedic goods. Their energy never flags, their enthusiasm never wanes and their vocals are always startlingly good.

Bradley D.Gale, who plays the fey and fabulous Mister Jimmy (we can only presume “Mister” is his given name, “Jimmy” his surname), the backwards baseball cap-wearing groom-to-be Kyle, as well as the father-of-the-bride Eugene, is particularly noteworthy as he morphs from one character to the next, gives a performance that is at-once over the top and totally authentic. He is quite possibly, the best musical theater male performer ever on a Nashville stage, and is, clearly, one of my all-time favorites.

Erin McCracken, as Linda, the manipulative, controlling mother-of-the-bride (among other characters), showcases her own musical comedy bona fides, eliciting laughter and adulation from the opening night audience, while showing off her own tremendous talents. Her performance – to the best of my knowledge, this might be her Music City debut – is electrifying, and her stage presence in undeniable.

Recent Belmont University Musical Theatre grads (as of today!) Maya Kaempf and Emma Texiera put their full arsenal of theatrical gifts on display as Ashley, the bride-to-be, and as Kayleigh, her best girlfriend and maid-of-honor. In a review of BUMT’s production of Sondheim on Sondheim in 2023, I wrote that if I could hear the two of them perform “Losing My Mind” and “Not A Day Goes By” on a loop for the rest of my life, I could die a happy man and I’m happy to say I still feel that way – they are extraordinary. In Yes, A Musical Comedy, both Kaempf and Texiera are perfectly cast, their versatility and confidence awe-inspiring.

Richard K. Davis’ lighting design provides the perfect illumination for Yes, A Musical Comedy, giving the production a Vegas showroom vibe, while Mark Zuckerman of MZ Theatrical provides notable sound design that works well for the venue. MA2LA’s projection designs are terrific, and Chadd McMillan’s costumes are a picture-perfect blend of showstopping design, vibrant colors and sparkle (kudos to assistant designer Paige Dennis and wardrobe supervisor Maryn Reader for their clever contributions).

Yes, A Musical Comedy. Book and lyrics by Blaine Hopkins. Music and Lyrics by Garrett Kotecki. With Joel Waggoner. Directed and choreographed by Shea Sullivan. Stage managed by Kat Tierney-Smith. Assistant directed and stage managed by Candace-Omnira. Presented by Perfect Productions, with Music City Musicals, Broadway Investor’s Club & RJ Stillwell Enterprises. At Dream Hotel Nashville’s Dirty Little Secret. For more details and for tickets, go to www.yesmusicalnashville.com. Running time: 75 minutes with no intermission.

Photos by MA2LA

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