The Wedding Singer at Willows Theatre Company

THE WEDDING SINGER: Musical with Music by Matthew Sklar; book by Chad Beguelin and Tim Herlihy; lyrics by Mr. Beguelin; based on the New Line Cinema film written by Mr. Herlihy. Directed by Ryan Weible. Willows Theatre (Mainstage), 1975 Diamond Blvd. (in the Willows Shopping Center), Concord, CA 94520. (925) 798-1300 or www.willowstheatre.org. May 14 – June 14, 2009.

Converting Hollywood movies into musicals is an ongoing trend that continued with a semi-successful Broadway mounting, in 2006, of The Wedding Singer based on the movie starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore garnering 5 Tony and 8 Drama Desk nominations and running for 9 months. It is a nostalgic trip back to the 1980s now getting an undeserved exuberant, production at the Willows Theatre. The fault, Dear Brutus, lies not in the mostly adept cast but in the convoluted yet predicable raunchy/risqué story line.

The plot of this "Wedding Singer," directed with over-the-top forced staging and outrageous costumes (Robin Speer) on serviceable multi-unit sets (Peter Crompton) follows the movie line. That may not have been a good thing. Robbie Hart (a very good singer Ryan Drummond), ) is the leader of a three piece rag-tag band of Sammy (Danny Cozart) and George (Brady Woolery) who make a living playing at wedding receptions. They are wannabe rock stars from, of all places, Ridgefield, N.J. It’s just Robbie’s nature to be good because he is “in love with love” happily looking forward to marriage until he is stood up at the altar by the ditzy, lisping Linda (Mary Kalita). Down and down the emotional chute goes Robbie as he meets a goody-goody two shoes waitress named Julie (a fine actor and singer Sarah Aili). Alas, Julie is engaged to Glen (a very persuasive Noel Anthony) an egocentric, successful Wall Street junk bond dealer who thinks he is God’s gift to woman.

Even though multiple obstacles are placed in the path of true love you know Robbie and Julia will finally get together. For example: Robbie thinks Julie would be better off with the rich, pushy hedonist Glen but Julia really, really likes (loves) him just as he is. When Robbie joins Glen’s firm, hopefully to work his way up from mail clerk, Julia is appalled. Then just when things should work out OK, Linda shows up at Robbie’s apartment for an overnight stay and Julia arrives, things go to hell in a hand basket very quickly.

The first act does not hold up very well but the second act has some great moments when Danny Cozart, Noel Anthony and Brittany Ogle and Brady Woolery strut their stuff with excellent voices. Brady Woolery carries much of the humor, not because of his terrible fright-wig and costume but for his excellent voice that would be a hit on American Idol. The hard working ensemble performs the perfunctory choreography (Gia Solari) with enthusiastic if not complete precision.

Running time about two hours with intermission.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com