There may be less than half the number of performers lighting up the stage as was the case on Broadway back in 2006, but Wisteria Theater’s stripped-down take on The Wedding Singer loses not one iota of entertainment value where the movie romcom turned Broadway musical is concerned.

 Fans of the hit 1998 film on which the 2006 Best Musical Tony nominee is based will recall the story of sweet-hearted wedding singer Robbie Hart (Cameron James Parker taking over from Adam Sandler), who after being dumped at the altar by his trashy rocker chick fiancée Linda (Shelby Miguel), begins to have feelings for girl-next-door waitress Julia Sullivan (Joelle Tshudy in one of Drew Barrymore’s signature roles).

There’s only one hitch.

 Julia is engaged to hotshot young business exec Glen Guglia (Troy Dailey), news which doesn’t sit well with Robbie, especially once he’s learned that Glen is a chronic philanderer with no plans to give up his cheating ways any time soon.

Supporting characters include Julia’s party-loving cousin Holly (Haley Wolff), Robby’s still vigorous grandma Rosie (Dynell Leigh), and his bandmates, cocky Afro-sporting Sammy (Tristan Turner) and gay-as-a-handbag-full-of-rainbows George (Christopher J. Thume).

All these mostly lower-middle-class types come together in one of the most thoroughly enjoyable musicals since the similarly blue-collar The Full Monty, and one which sticks considerably closer to its source material than the latter’s U.K.-to-U.S. transformation.

Like the smash hit Sandler-Barrymore original, The Wedding Singer (The Musical) takes its 1980s time frame very seriously, from the costumes and hairstyles sported by its characters to the multitude of ‘80s pop references in its Tony-nominated book (by Chad Beguelin and Tim Herlihy) to the musical sounds of the ‘80s replicated in Matthew Sklar’s and Beguelin’s catchy, hook-blessed songs (also Tony-nominated) and production number after production number.

 Director Brayden Hade and choreographer Anasha Milton not only make the absolute most of all these decade-specific ingredients, they manage to do so with a mere ten performers (as compared to twenty-two on Broadway and as many as twenty-seven in a community theater production I reviewed a few years back).

What this means is that other than the musical’s two romantic leads, the remaining eight multitalented multitaskers scarcely ever leave the stage, donning costume after costume and wig after wig as party guests, business execs, and Las Vegas celebrity-impersonating wedding officiants ranging from Billy Idol to Ronald Reagan to Cyndi Lauper to a Tagalog-rapping Imelda Marcos.

It’s an instance of “They said it couldn’t be done” that merits its own standing ovation in addition to the one earned by the entire Wedding Singer cast.

 Parker’s Robbie has just enough Adam Sandler in him to please movie fans who first fell for the titular singer on the big-or-TV screen while making the part very much his awkwardly charming own, and L.A. musical theater newcomer Tshudy is girl-next-door perfection as Julia with crystal-clear vocals to match.

 Wolff reveals her wild side to irresistible effect as Holly, Turner is charisma personified as Sammy, Thume makes George as fabulous as he is flamboyant, Dailey proves he can be as smarmy a Glenn as he’s been romcom-lead charming in recent star turns, Shelby Miguel belts out bigtime as “skanky whore” Linda (Grandma’s words, not mine), and L.A. musical theater treasure Leigh is the warm and wise granny rapper of any grandson’s dream.

 Not only that, but all six of the above join Armie Jane and Kendre Scott in role after role and production number after production number to standing ovation-worthy effect executing the kind of ‘80s-inspired dance moves that turned choreographers Toni Basil and Paula Abdul into MTV stars in showstoppers like “It’s Your Wedding Day,” “Saturday Night In The City,” and “All About The Green.”

Music director Nolan Monsibay gets the entire cast belting like nobody’s business to prerecorded tracks that sound fabulous except when they sometimes drown out singing and speaking voices.

 Lexi Collins’ myriad costumes and Taylor Renee Castle’s equally countless wigs are ‘80s ugly/fabulous treats each and every one of them, scenic designer Sydni Sawyer has transformed the Wisteria into the next best thing to a bona fide wedding venue, Josh Collins’ lighting makes all the fluorescent ‘80s colors pop (though his sound design mix could use some fine-tuning), and Hade’s signature screen designs add MTV-style music video dazzle-meets-VCR nostalgia to the whole shebang.

The Wedding Singer is produced by Wylder and (Lexi) Collins. Ting Arnold is assistant choreographer. Annie Claire Hudson is costume assistant. Monsibay, Wylder, and Collins are swings.

 It’s anyone’s guess why The Wedding Singer hasn’t achieved the regional success of its fellow 2000s musicals Hairspray and Legally Blonde. (Maybe its R-rated language, maybe name recognition, but who knows?)

 In any case, it’s now up to smaller companies to keep this winner alive-and-kicking, and L.A. musical comedy lovers can rejoice that The Wedding Singer is back in business at the Wisteria for one of the funnest and most fabulous shows in town.

PS: How about programming the similarly underproduced High Fidelity in Season 2.0? Like The Wedding Singer, it’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser!

Wisteria Theater, 7061 Vineland Ave, North Hollywood. Through May 11. Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00. Sundays at 3:00.
www.wisteriatheater.com

–Steven Stanley
April 12, 2025
Photos: Brayden Hade

Visit www.theatreinla.com/nowplayingrs.php for a review roundup of what’s now playing in theaters around Los Angeles.

Tags: Chad Beguelin, Los Angeles Theater Review, Matthew Sklar, Tim Herlihy, Wisteria Theater Company