Theater Review: 'The Wedding Singer' by Fairfield Center Stage

Review by Connecticut Critics Circle member and former Naugatuck Patch Contributor Nancy Sasso Janis

Fairfield Center Stage is wrapping up their production of “The Wedding Singer” this weekend and I was added to the guest list for the Friday performance to sit at one of the tables and be part of the fun. The Fairfield Center Stage production is directed by Artistic Director Christy McIntosh-Newsom with impressive choreography by Bonnie Gregson that is carried out well by the large ensemble.

“The Wedding Singer” is based upon the New Line Cinema film that was written by Tim Herlihy. The musical has a book by Chad Beguelin and Herlihy and music written by Matthew Sklar and lyrics by Beguelin. Orchestrations are credited to Irwin Fisch.

The musical numbers are clearly inspired by the anthems of the eighties but are all original and include a variety of musical themes that often make up a Broadway score. From the bouncy “It’s Your Wedding Day” that opens and closes the show, to the comedic “A Note from Linda” and “Today You are a Man,” to the romantic and slightly silly “Grow Old with You,” this is an eclectic score. The book is a low-brow comedy with a quirky romance.

Nicholas Kuell shines in the titular role of Robbie Hart. He brings great comic timing and a great singing voice to the role and even plays guitar for a bit. Kuell has worked with the troupe for years as a stage manager and a semi-regular performer.

Kaylin Cardozo is adorable in the role of the wedding reception waitress and looks like she is having the time of her life that she mentions in her bio. Julia Sullivan who takes a while to realize that she is the perfect match for Robbie.

Marilyn Olsen, a veteran of many CT stages, plays Robbie’s very hip grandmother Rosie. She relates so well to the grandson that she loves (“A Note from Grandma”) and then pulls out all the stops for “Move that Thang” with George.

WCSU grad Marcello Calderon plays Sammy, the bass player in the band and Robbie’s best friend. Kelsey Kaminski, an award-winning choreographer, is a triple threat who plays Julia’s cousin Holly and steals her scenes.

Brian Crook, who was part of the Green Day FCS Rocks, takes on the role of the wedding band keys player George (“George’s Prayer.”)

Chidi Nkwo gives a great performance as the wealthy and shallow fiancée of Julia, Glen Guglia. He shines in “All About the Green.” Alexis Willoughby, a WCSU grad, is an over-the-top Linda, the former fiancé of Robbie. She dumps him in “A Note from Linda” and comes back with “Let Me Come Home” in the second act.

Niki Weber, a stand-up comedian, plays Julia’s mother Angie. Jayden Santos, a student at the Regional Center for the Arts in Trumbull, plays Ricky and is a featured dancer.

Jim Hisey, a veteran performer, plays the bum. As celebrity impersonators are ensemble members James Noonan as Billy Idol, Bridget McBride as Cindi Lauper, Xoe Tracey as Tina Turner, Brianna Parkin as Mr. T, Bonnie Gregson as Imelda Marcos with her shoes, Lindsey Anderson as Nancy Reagan. Maggie Kruse is a featured dancer.

The strong ensemble includes actors of all ages, as some wedding receptions did in the eighties, and notably some young dancers with great stage presence. At times, the wedding guests joined the audience members seated at the tables set up in front of the stage, dancing amongst them. The action often moved to this area and was well-lit when it did.

Ken Legum is the musical director who leads the musicians seated at the back of the stage, plays keyboard 1, and also steps up to cover the role of the Ronald Reagan impersonator. The orchestra includes Clay Zambo on keyboard 2, Clio Janis on several guitars, Charles Casimiro on bass and Gabe Nappi on drums. The orchestra made the score sound fabulous. Kelley Wright has designed a set that allows the musicians to be seen.

The eighties choreography adds so much to this production, making the dancers shine onstage. The costumes need to be firmly rooted in the eighties for this show and costume designer Melissa Kennedy understood the task. The wedding finery is colorful and big and the outfits for dancing at the nightclub (“Saturday Night in the City”) mark the era. The getups on the fake celebrities from the time period work well.

Eli Newsom oversees everything as the show’s producer. Holly Corso keeps the performance moving well as the stage manager with ASM Sam Peterson and Michael Corso as the stage crew. Peterson is also a member of the ensemble for a few numbers. Lighting design by Don Rowe works surprisingly well in this somewhat traditional space. Sound design by Chris Gensur has some recurring issues at the performance I attended.

“The Wedding Singer” continues through Sunday, May 16 at the First Church Congregational in Fairfield. There is some foul language in the script and some sexual innuendo. Get your tickets before the party’s over. Tickets and info at bit.ly/fcsweddingsinger