SHSTC PRESENTS: The Wedding Singer

by Catie Rutley and Aysha Salam

     The Sharon High School Theatre Company has untaken some of the most ambitious shows ever produced on Broadway. They’ve done everything from the finger-snapping West Side Story to the bone-chilling Sweeney Todd. From Bernstein to Sondheim, the Sharon High School Theatre Company students have devoted their time and effort into creating a fantastic production that is quickly becoming the talk of the town. But this fall, the high schoolers will throw a curveball with the musical adaptation of The Wedding Singer, the classic romantic comedy starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore that left us clutching our sides. This show is chock-full of 80’s references, and features energetic choreography, idiosyncratic costumes, and a host of hang-banging songs that everyone can enjoy.

     The Wedding Singer follows Robbie Hart (Matthew Goldstein), lead vocalist of a popular wedding band and entertainer of brides and grooms all over Jersey on their special days. Robbie’s own special day turns out to be a complete trainwreck, however, when his trashy fiancé, Linda (Vani Sunderam), leaves him at the altar, saying Robbie “could have been in Mötley Crüe” but instead ended up a nobody who sang at weddings for a living and lived with his grandmother. Robbie spirals into bitterness, but out of the darkness comes Julia Sullivan (Rosalie McAvoy), a waitress who dreams of being married to her Wall Street stock-broker boyfriend, Glen (Adam Kantor). Little does Robbie know that Julia will help Robbie out of his emotional dumpster and simultaneously manage to “moonwalk on his heart.

     When deciding which musical would be chosen for the fall season, directors Sandra Dennis and Kayla Armstrong were looking for a change of pace. They wanted to diverge from the usual song-and-dance type of production; a show that the seniors at SHS would love as a their farewell show before graduation. The Wedding Singer‘s modern, relatable humor gives it a unique touch. This show’s score embodies the rock and roll with its strong electric lead and a choppy drum line. The class of 2013 (not to mention the rest of the cast and crew) grows more and more excited as November 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th draw closer—then, the highly anticipated show will hit the stage.

     The fingerless-gloved punch that this show packs would not have the x-factor it has gained without the amazing effort of the students behind the scenes. Every Saturday, apart from the numerous hours spent during the week, the costume, design, and prop teams toil tirelessly away to recreate the Jersey in the 80’s on the Arthur E. Collins (read: Sharon High School) stage. This massive set is one of the largest SHS has built and features a colorful platform stage that frames Robbie Hart and his rock n’ roll wedding band. The dedication and effort of each student in the cast and crew will be tangible in the SHS Auditorium November 1-4 (the shows on the1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd at 7:30pm and the show on the 4^th is at 2pm) when The Wedding Singer comes to life. Tickets (available now!) are $12 for students and seniors, $14 for adults, and $18 for reserved seating. Visit https://theatrecompanywebsite.com/shs/home to purchase your seats.