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We all know The Wedding Singer. The homage to ‘80s teen romance flicks like Sixteen Candles or Say Anything. The Wedding Singer starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore is well loved. Well loved enough to have spawned a Broadway musical, and it is due for its inaugural production in Hamilton.
This is thanks once again to Hammer Entertainment, who often seem to be breaking new ground, of late. While it would be unfair to compare the production quality to the standards of Theatre Aquarius or the touring shows at HECFI, this little company is enthusiastically game for anything.
In days gone by, musicals went from the stage to the screen, but the new wave of popular theatre of late seems to be inspired by raiding the back racks of the Movie Rental Hut: The Colour Purple, Billy Elliot, Dirty Dancing, Night of the Living Dead, and so on. One might add “ad nausem,” but why spit in the wind? If actors are being paid good money to re–enact the cinematic feats of Oprah Winfrey and Patrick Swayze – power to ‘em. It’s always interesting to see the creative journey from two dimensions to three in any case.
It’s not always an easy transition to make. Director Stephanie Yantsis can attest to the way things have to change for live performance.
“Though the story is very similar they couldn’t get the rights to all the great ‘80s songs in the movie for musical, so what they had to do was write their own cheesey 80s music. In that scene in the movie where he sings ‘Love Stinks’ at a wedding banquet, the musical has it’s own crazy angry power ballad called ‘Casualty of Love.’”
As is often the case, these limitations can become creative blessings in disguise.
“There were obvious difficulties with creating the interior of an airplane for the finale scene, so the musical has them actually get to Las Vegas. Robbie enlists all these impersonators to help him stop the wedding. We have Mr. T, Billy Idol, Cyndi Lauper, Ronald Reagan, and Imelda Marcos.”
The cast includes Hammer Entertainment vets like Ryan Miller as Robbie, and Chris Vergara as the boy–George inspired keyboardist (who reportedly looks like an Asian Steve Tyler in costume), as well as newcomers like Nicole Cino, as Julia, Tammy Whetham as Holly.
With 20 people onstage, it’s one of Hammer Entertainment’s biggest casts to date, and Yantsis is quick to credit her co–creators;
“Lori Dawson, has done a wonderful job of the crazy 80s choreography, and our musical director, James Medeiros, is really whipping people into shape. People will definitely be leaving the theatre with a smile.”
So if the Royal wedding isn’t your thing, or if you decide you want a double dose of matrimony put the Westside concert theatre on your itinerary. Hammer Entertainment are increasingly offering Hamilton the fresh musicals first. V
THE WEDDING SINGER
presented by Hammer Entertainment
April 29 through May 6.
@ the Westside Concert Theatre.
434 King St. W., Hamilton.
hammerentertainment.ca
tix: (905) 777–9777
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