- The Wedding Singer (musical)
Infobox Musical
name= The Wedding Singer!
subtitle=
caption= Original Cast Recording
music=Matthew Sklar
lyrics=Chad Beguelin
book=Chad Beguelin
Tim Herlihy
basis=1998 film "The Wedding Singer "
productions=2006 Broadway
2008 UK Tour
2008 West End
awards="The Wedding Singer" is a musical based on the film "
The Wedding Singer ", with music byMatthew Sklar , lyrics byChad Beguelin , and a book byChad Beguelin andTim Herlihy .The musical opened on Broadway at the
Al Hirschfeld Theatre onApril 27 2006 and closed onDecember 31 2006 after 284 performances. It was directed byJohn Rando , with choreography byRob Ashford , and featured Stephen Lynch as Robbie.A U.S. tour began on
August 31 2007 . A Swedish version opened in Karlstad on September 1, 2007. [http://www.theweddingsinger.se/] El Rey de Bodas, the Spanish-language version, which translates into "The King of Weddings", opened in Madrid in October 2007. [http://www.elreydebodas.com/]A UK tour opened at the Manchester Palace Theatre in February 2008 starring
Jonathan Wilkes andNatalie Casey , and after touring the UK is then expected to begin an open-ended West End run towards the end of2008 and early2009 . The Japanese version will open in Tokyo at the Nissay Theatre on February 6, 2008, [http://www.tohostage.com/wedding/index.html] and other foreign productions are scheduled for Finland, Germany, Australia, and South Korea. The show's New Zealand premiere season started on April 3rd and ran until April 13, 2008 at Palmerston North Boys' High School's Speirs Centre with a cast of amateur actors from Palmerston North Boys' and Palmerston North Girls' High Schools. The season was directed by Chris Burton and Liz O'Connor. [http://www.pnbhs.school.nz/theweddingsinger1.html] The South Australian premiere will open on July 9th 2008 at the Arts Theatre, Adelaide, presented by Matt Byrne Media [http://www.mattbyrnemedia.com.au]Amateur rights have been released in Australia prior to any professional production. [http://www.halleonard.com.au/catalogue/itemview.html?item_id=431]
In Finland, an open air version of the musical will be performed in the city of Turku from June to August 2008.
Differences from the film
The musical largely follows the same storyline as the 1998 film of the same title which starred
Adam Sandler oppositeDrew Barrymore . However, some plot and character elements were indeed altered. For instance:* The older woman to whom the lead character Robbie Hart gives singing lessons, portrayed in the film by
Ellen Albertini Dow , is changed into his own grandmother for the musical;* Robbie's friend Sammy, portrayed by
Allen Covert in the film, is a member of Robbie's band in the musical, while he was a limousine driver in the movie. His character's personality was also changed to give it more "white trash " elements as compared to the film version.* Julia's cousin Holly and Robbie's friend Sammy are shown to be broken up from a relationship, though they still love each other. In the movie, the two know each other but there is no mention of a relationship between the two until the end, where they lightly flirt.
* When Robbie goes to the city to seek out gainful employment, in the musical he turns to Julia's fiancé Glen (his rival for her affections), rather than an unrelated bank as in the film.
ongs
;Act I
*It's Your Wedding Day-Robbie and Company
*Someday-Julia and Company
*A Note From Linda-Linda
*Pop-Holly, Julia, Glen and Company #
*Somebody Kill Me-Robbie
*A Note From Grandma-Grandma Rosie
*Casualty of Love-Robbie and Company
*Come Out of the Dumpster-Julia and Robbie
*Today You Are a Man-Sammy, George, and Robbie
*George's Prayer-George
*Not That Kind of Thing-Robbie, Julia, Clerk, and Company
*Saturday Night in the City-Holly, Robbie, Julia, Glen and Company;Act II
*All About the Green-Glen and Company
*Someday (Reprise)-Julia
*Right in Front of Your Eyes-Holly
*Single-Sammy, George, Robbie and Company
*If I Told You-Robbie and Julia
*Let Me Come Home-Linda
*If I Told You (Reprise)-Robbie
*Move That Thang-Grandma Rosie, George and Company
*Grow Old With You-Robbie and Julia
*It's Your Wedding Day (Finale)-Robbie and Full Company# The song "Pop" was removed for the US National tour because the set pieces for the song were too big.
Original Broadway cast
*Stephen Lynch as Robbie Hart
*Matthew Saldivar as Sammy
*Kevin Cahoon as George
*Laura Benanti as Julia Sullivan
*Amy Spanger as Holly
*Richard H. Blake as Glen Guglia
*Rita Gardner as Rosie
*Felicia Finley as Linda*
Constantine Maroulis replaced Matthew Saldivar as Sammy September through December, 2006.Original UK cast
*
Jonathan Wilkes as Robbie Hart
* Simon Lipkin as Sammy
*Natalie Casey as Julia Sullivan
* Nick Hayes as George
* Jodie Jacobs as Holly
* Stephen Webb as Glen
* Tricia Deighton as Rosie
* Camille Devine as Linda
* Carys Gray as AngieAwards and nominations
;
Tony Awards
*Best Musical (nominated)
*Best Book of a Musical (nominated)
*Best Original Score (nominated)
*Best Actor in a Musical (Stephen Lynch, nominee)
*Best Choreography (nominated);
Drama Desk Awards
*Outstanding Musical (nominated)
*Outstanding Actor in a Musical (Stephen Lynch, nominee)
*Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical (Amy Spanger, nominee)
*Outstanding Choreography (nominated)
*Outstanding Lyrics (nominated)
*Outstanding Set Design of a Musical (nominated)
*Outstanding Music (nominated)
*Outstanding Costume Design (nominated);
Drama League Award
*Distinguished Production of a Musical (nominated)
*Distinguished Performance Award (Felicia Finley, nominee)
*Distinguished Performance Award (Stephen Lynch, nominee)External links
* [http://www.broadway.com/Gen/Buzz_Photo_op.aspx?ci=523332 "The Wedding Singer" Lifts the Veil for Press Preview]
*
* [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/110674.html Press release about the US Tour]
* [http://www.weddingsingerthemusical.co.uk Official website of the UK tour.]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.