author: Erin Klarner
The Wedding Singer at Artistic Synergy of Baltimore, the company-in-residence at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Rosedale, is directed by Bryan Brown, assistant directed by Lou Otero, and music directed by Darwin Ray, with choreography by Suzy Zacker. This stage musical – book by Chad Beguelin and Tim Herlihy, music by Matthew Sklar, and lyrics also by Chad Beguilin – is based on a popular 1998 movie (of the same title) which this reviewer has never seen, so apart from a couple of instances where a couple of the actors noticeably fell into the vocal mannerisms of the Hollywood actors who had originally played the roles, I will of necessity have to judge this play without comparison to its source material.
For the two other people besides myself who are completely unfamiliar with the plot, we follow the title character of The Wedding Singer, Robbie Hart, through the angst of watching couples in love when he’s out of it, and on his journey to find his own happy ending. The show starts with a bang – the high-energy ensemble numbers throughout are one of the production’s strengths and will have audience members bopping along. No matter where your eye lands on the stage, you’ll find each actor engaged with and reacting to the scene and to each other in an interesting way. I occasionally learned in the middle of a number that I was focusing on the wrong part of the scene because it was all so entertaining, but luckily the major plot points are repeated enough that you won’t get lost if that happens to you.
The space is well used during those big ensemble numbers, and Director Bryan Brown especially makes good use of various areas on the stage to show simultaneous action without bogging down in transitions (scene changes are almost all accomplished by the cast and crew at a snappy pace), although he has traffic jams on the downstage corners from time to time, and the stage can feel unbalanced in those instances. When the stage is emptier, the set sometimes feels too spare, and Brown has a habit of spreading out the duets across the stage so far that it’s impossible to watch the reactions of both characters at the same time, and occasionally sending actors on long trips from one side of the stage to the other when you wish they could just meet in the middle. During the major emotional moments of the show, it’s disappointing not to be able to see how both parties feel without a lot of looking back and forth! In addition, some dialogue goes by the wayside when actors are facing away from the audience, or when they are talking over music, the former of which at least Brown could have hopefully addressed in his direction.
Brown’s cast successfully avoids one of the major pitfalls of musical theatre – unbalanced acting vs singing. There are exceptional vocal performances by several soloists, and the duet numbers are uniformly musically excellent. Although I don’t recall Kim Schulte Cincotta having much solo time, her voice was a highlight of the chorus. Yet there are many strong actors too. Austin Barnes plays Robbie with a range that demonstrates his rocker chops as well as his sensitive and awkward romantic side equally well, a truly magnificent breakdown when his bandmates find him unlucky in love, and a soulful rendition of “If I Told You” one of the best performances out of many good ones in this show. Robbie’s backup band, Sammy and George, played by Johnny Drew and Olivianna Angulo, also succeed in their characterizations so much that they make you forget when they aren’t really playing their instruments, and generally come across as a pair of lovable goofballs (except when Robbie has to remind Sammy that “no means no” – Drew’s creepiness there is on point). Angulo, in particular, was a delight to watch and I looked forward to every time she came on stage. Sean Hogan embodies the Wall Street tool so impressively that I can only rely on his castmates’ assurances that he’s really a very nice person. Marianne Sohn as Rosie, Robbie’s grandma, delivers her lines with a dry humor that keeps you chuckling. Rachel Bagley as sister Holly adeptly handles one of the largest instances of character growth as well as demonstrating a phenomenal singing voice. Lorelei Kahn has a powerful belt as well, which is appropriate and adds to her character Linda.
The ensemble doubles and triples roles, of course, and each cast member who does so clearly delineates each character so that it’s impossible for slow-witted reviewers, or other audience members, to get confused. This cast contains a level of acting talent that is a joy to see on a musical stage. For a play that’s primarily set at and adjacent to weddings, the chemistry of the on-stage couples is key, and the company nails this part of the show. Standouts, in addition to Barnes and Lutz Biglen as well as Barnes and Bagley, include Michael Maistros and Ally Kasman, proposing suitors Andrew Heisler, Michael DeNicolis, and Manny Valle, and their sweethearts. Even stage crew member Mauryce Edward Brumfield gets in on the fun. Highlights of the bit roles include Elizabeth Ryan as a shop girl, Michael Maistros as a groom, Sonya Brown and Manny Valle as partygoers, Andrew Heisler as a bartender and later a barfly, and almost every character portrayed by Tony German, as well as an amazing cameo of Michael DeNicolis as a well-known 80s rock star – is he the real thing? Is he a Vegas impersonator? See the show to find out!
Suzy Zacker’s choreography for this show is timed to a tee for most of the numbers (the first song after intermission falls victim to the general drag at the beginning of act 2), and the company makes it look effortless. I only wish there could have been an actual chair dance during the bar mitzvah scene. No other choreographer is listed for the incidental physical fights and comedy, and there are places where the audience’s vantage point for what’s going on could have been improved by one. The costumes, designed by Lorelei Kahn, show a good use of color that adds to the energy and mood of each scene. They are appropriate to the characters as well as to the period, and except for one dress that seemed a bit too constricting for its wearer to dance in, blend seamlessly into the milieu of the play. Quick changes are kept to a minimum and mostly handled smoothly. The lights, designed by Bryan Brown and run by Ryan Jones and Brooke Jacobs, make a lot out of a little, technology-wise – when color is used, it really adds to the scenes, and the lighting is rarely distracting except for an odd strobe effect in one scene. One thing I can say is that the spotlight is always pointed exactly where it belongs! The set usually pairs competently with the lighting to create effects impossible when those two things are out of sync. For example, at one point, the set designed by Lou Otero, makes ingenious use of a pair of office chairs to simulate an airplane in a carefully lit montage scene. The bed for a car interior (bench seat?) is more of a stretch. If I could add one thing to the set, it would be additional masking for set pieces that aren’t in a scene, since the curtains were sometimes inadequate to cover them. As the show progressed, more and more use was made of the various entrances and levels on the stage, including the floor level in front, to great effect. The glittering backdrop was another favorite component and was an example of how small but carefully crafted set choices were employed to suggest each environment.
Audiences should be aware that The Wedding Singer does contain some adult language. Overall, the directing staff – Bryan Brown, Lou Otero, and music director Darwin Ray – coax excellent performances out of their cast, which makes for a very enjoyable 2.5 hours with intermission. Well worth a trip out to Rosedale to visit Artistic Synergy of Baltimore for their latest theatrical undertaking.
Running Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes with one intermission
The Wedding Singer plays through May 19th 2024 with Artistic Synergy of Baltimore at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church— 8212 Philadelphia Road in Rosedale, MD. Tickets are available at the door or in advance online.
