The Wedding Singer
Book by Chad Beguelin and Tim Herlihy
Music by Matthew Sklar, Lyrics by Chad Beguelin
Directed by Jess McLeod
at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont (map)
thru Nov 17 | tickets: $20-$42 | more info
Check for half-price tickets
Read review
Musical comedy that’s more musical than comedy
Haven Theatre presents
The Wedding Singer
Review by John Olson
Given the number of talented young musical theater performers who begin their careers in Chicago, it’s kind of great to have a show with characters mostly in the same age range as the cast. Doesn’t hurt either that the story – though set in the ‘80s – ought to resonate for the performers and their friends – in an age group that’s attending weddings every other weekend and facing angst over either choosing the right partner for themselves or feeling there are no good prospects in sight. Makes sense that The Wedding Singer would be a popular choice for non-Equity companies relying on young talent (this is at least the third Chicago production of the musical), but there’s a downside: The musical is based on an Adam Sandler movie. “The Wedding Singer” was a pretty decent Adam Sandler movie, to be sure, but not so strong a source that this adaptation (by the film’s screenwriter Tim Herlihy, and Chad Beguelin) is going to give the young actors a lot of help in putting together some entertaining performances. This story of a wedding band’s lead singer in 1980’s New Jersey who falls in love with a nice girl engaged to the wrong guy is pretty generic stuff. Overstuffed with stale jokes about the ‘80s, it needs more invention in its performance than this young cast is able to give. Sandler has his detractors, to be sure, but he and his leading lady Drew Barrymore brought their star personas and considerable charms to their roles. Without some major comedic skills to make magic out of this bland script, the performers are pretty much stuck. Fortunately, songwriters Chad Beguelin (lyrics) and Matthew Sklar (music), who earned a Tony nomination for their score, provided a lot of tuneful, lively numbers which the cast puts across quite capably.
The music performances and dancing here are impressive. James Beaudry’s choreography inventively covers a range of styles and situations – from deliberately bad dancing in the opening wedding scene, to the punkish rock moves of “Saturday Night in the City,” and a slick number for a group of Wall Street sharks (“All About the Green”). Beaudry’s work is nicely executed by the cast and is a good reason to catch this show. The songs also include some nice ballads – “Not That Kind of Thing,” and “If Told You” along with Sandler and Herlihy’s “Grow Old with You,” all of which are well-sung and accompanied by a very decent four piece band led by music director Kory Danielson.
Tony Allen, in Adam Sandler’s role of the wedding singer Robbie Hart, has a Sandler-esque look – a mop of brown hair and a sweet, hapless smile. To his credit, he makes no effort to imitate Sandler, but he doesn’t make Robbie his own, either. Likewise with Aja Wiltshire as Julia. Since the script doesn’t give us any reason to fall in love with Julia, the actress needs to find something the the writing lacks. Some quirks, some vulnerability – something – to make her a real person rather than just a standard issue female rom-com lead. Daniel Martinez and Alex Heika fare better as the clueless and gay (respectively) band members, as does Jill Sesso as Robbie’s ex-fiancée Linda – an underwritten role which nevertheless gives Sesso two big rock songs that she wails out of the park. Jacob Grubb has the looks for the bad fiancé Glen Guglia, but fails to find any humor in the character. There’s also Rosie – the grandmother in whose basement Robbie lives. She’s supposed to be funny because she talks about sex and smokes dope – yes, the hip old lady thing. The only hope of making that still clever would be to have it played by an actress much closer to the character’s age than is this cast’s Judy Lea Steele.
Director Jess McLeod keeps the whole affair moving briskly, as it should, but the production feels cramped in its Theater Wit space. McLeod and set designer Dan Stratton do what they can with a bi-level unit set, but this material needs all the help it can get. A bigger space and bigger budget for costumes and sets might have allowed more visual panache. It’s never a good idea to attempt a minimalist production of material with such minimal charms on paper.
Rating: ★★½
The Wedding Singer continues through November 17th at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont (map), with performances Thursdays and Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 2 and 8pm, Sundays 7pm. Tickets are $20-$42, and are available by phone (773-975-8150) or online through TheaterWit.org (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More information at RavenTheatreChicago.org. (Running time: 2 hours 20 minutes, includes an intermission)
Photos by Dean La Prairie
artists
cast
Tony Allen (Robbie Hart), Aja Wiltshire (Julia Sullivan), Alex Heika (George), Daniel Martinez (Sammy), Sarah Bockel (Holly), Jacob Grubb (Glen), Jill Sesso (Linda, Angie), Judy Lea Steele (Rosie), Kelley Abell, Teressa LaGamba, Garret Lutz, Jeff Meyer, Joe Capstick, Amy Rapp (ensemble), Frankie DiCiaccio (male swing/understudy), Brooke Singer (female swing/understudy).
behind the scenes
Jess McLeod (director), James Beaudry (choreographer), Kory Danielson (music director), Dan Stratton (scenic design), Stephanie Cluggish (costume design), Lee Fiskness (lighting design), Rick Sims (sound design), Sarah Watkins (properties design), Garvin Jellison (production manager), Jon Ravenscroft (stage manager), Ben Dawson (technical direction), Dean La Prairie (photos)
13-1044
