When I watched The Wedding Singer some weeks ago, (I didn’t catch its theatrical run in 1998), I was easily transported to the 80’s. It stars Adam Sandler as the wedding singer and Drew Barrymore as a waitress whom he falls in love with. What makes the movie memorable, aside from Drew and Adam delivering great performances, was the music. Who could ever forget Boy George’s Do you really want to hurt me, David Bowie’s China Girl, The Police’s Every Little She does is Magic, Spandau Ballet’s True, etc. Now this movie listed as one of my favorites too, I’ve got long list of my favorite movies. Lol !
The Wedding Singer was one of the big hits of the ‘90s. In 2006, a musical version made its debut on broad way. Several weeks ago , 9 works theatrical held auditions for its own production of the wedding singer. Theater aficionados came in droves to audition for parts in the musical. They belted out popular ‘80s tunes. Hopefuls sang a varied repertoire ranging from Total eclipse of the heart and Karma Chameleon to Let’s hear it for the boys. They also performed to an ‘80s stylized and inspired choreographer Francis Matheu. Over a hundred contenders tried out for slots in the select cast of 28 which includes select chorus members who will play impersonators of notable characters from the ‘80s.
New Jersey. 1985. When Robbie, a charismatic wedding singer is dumped in the altar by his long time girlfriend Linda, the protagonist becomes a casualty of love and plunges into the depths of “dumpster-level” despair. But with the help of his friend Julia, a sweet and caring waitress who is oddly engaged to a smug of a guy and Wall Street type named Glen, Robbie rediscovers why he was all about the “love” and not so much the “green” in the first place.
The premise is simple. Guy gets dumped. Guy meets girl. Girl gets engaged. Guy and Girl, though star-crossed, fall in love. Girl dumps annoying fiancé. While in vegas, guy and girl get married and live happily ever after. Nothing fancy. Just your typical love story, except for the vegas part—unless you’re Demi Moore or Britney Spears and just about everybody else in Hollywood. But when I saw the broadway adaption of the new line cinema film starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore (my favorite actress) a while back, incidentally on the night of its final performance before the show was slated to close and go on tour, my mind and my heart were literally blown away.
Amidst the scores of the wedding singer aficionados, bedazzled in actual wedding gowns and tuxedos, sore from camping out within the vicinity of the theater the night before the show, there I sat and excitedly stood as early as the denouement of the first musical number, “ It’s your wedding day!” The energy, quirkiness, and passion of the cast, and specifically the show, were so infectious that it summoned an unprecedented standing ovation from everyone in the audience—a feat I had never quite experienced on Broadway before.
That was my most vivid memory of the wedding singer, sans the guy who played Robbie Hart who snuck out some other exit to avoid giving autographs and getting his picture taken with the fans. I mean, come on, it was the last performance! But that’s a story to tell for another day. One story though that is worth telling is that this celebrated musical, having won the hearts of everyone in America for its mind-blowing tribute to the ‘80s, is finally coming to manila. I’m glad the director have taken on the challenge of bringing the neon, fun, and riotous spirit of the ‘80s into the mishmash, forward-thinking melting pot of 2010. Hello Lady Gaga and an ‘80s revival in just about anywhere. Melting the hearts of many especially with the show’s jukebox song GROW OLD WITH YOU (I’m addicted with this song—my ringtone actually—Lol!) is Party Pilipinas’ Gian Magdangal who will play the role of Robbie Hart. One word to describe Wedding singer --- “FUN!”
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