’80s love: The Wedding Singer rekindles the magic of the decade
Kendall Paige Parrett as Linda, the fame-seeking rocker who leaves her fiancé at the altar in The Wedding Singer, now playing at the Engeman Theater.
Great ensembles know how to make the moment count, and The Wedding Singer, the musical comedy now playing at the Engeman Theater in Northport Village, proves that a show’s heart sometimes lives beyond its leads. While wedding singer Robbie Hart (Zach Crossman) and waitress Julia Sullivan (Emily Grace Tucker) carry the central love story, it’s the characters around them that provide the energy ’80s babies will most connect with in this neon-filled trip back in time.
The production’s main story is bookended by two defining moments in Robbie’s life: first, when he’s left at the altar by the woman he believed was his forever, and later on when – after the burn of rejection settles – he discovers a love so genuine it inspires him to write the wedding song he’d been searching for the whole time.
The first moment happens in the passionately sung “A Note from Linda.” Played by a perfectly coiffed and highly committed Kendall Paige Parrett, Linda explains in this solo song her self-absorbed and superficial motivations for leaving Robbie. It’s a hysterical performance that leaves viewers wanting for more.
Set in 1985 and based on the hit Adam Sandler film, The Wedding Singer follows Robbie from that moment, heartbroken and cynical, in a quest to rediscover his passion for love – and music. While at his gigs, he forms an unexpected bond with Julia, even once pretending to be her fiancé while she registers for her upcoming wedding to the wrong man (Glen Guglia, played by Drake Leach).
Robbie and Julia’s blossoming love is sweet and innocent, with a few mishaps and moments of self-discovery that allow them to fully invest in their relationship. When Julia’s cousin and confidante Holly (the bold and fun-loving Kaelee Albritton) gets the two to rehearse a kiss before Julia’s own wedding ceremony, you can feel the chemistry as Robbie and Julia’s friendship shifts into something deeper.
By the time he sings “Grow Old With You,” Robbie has found a love that’s genuine, selfless and reciprocated; the song’s simple lyrics and Robbie’s heartfelt emotion confirm it’s the ending you’ve been rooting for all along.
While the ensemble continues to deliver throughout the show, George (Sean Widener) shines as Robbie’s flamboyant, warm and witty friend and bandmate. His spunky barmitzvah performance with Robbie and Sammy (Mike Ferlita) gives way to “George’s Prayer,” back-to-back numbers that blend humor and heart.
And then there’s Rosie (Gael Schaefer), Robbie’s sweetly unfiltered grandmother, whose outrageous timing (and unexpected flair for hip hop) are scene stealers. She and George even pair up for “Move that Thang” before the show ends in a fun and full-blown parade of 1980s celebrity impersonators.
That finale, plus all the little moments, unexpected laughs and side characters, not only complete the whole of what The Wedding Singer delivers, but transform a familiar storyline of second chances into something even more memorable.
Performances of The Wedding Singer run through August 23. Tickets are available online at johnwengemantheater.com or by calling the box office at 631-261-2900.
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