"Wedding Singer"- 4/19 Mat- SPOILERS *

[Testing1232]

Posted: 4/19/06 at 7:09pm

Hi All ! Okay, so just back from today's matinee, and the first thing that I can think of (other than the fact that Laura Benanti is TOTALLY miscast) is if any burgers are served with the cheese !!?? Okay, I was entertained, but this is one show where I REALLY wished that I had not seen the movie prior.

(Adding that I really like the movie, although I dont consider myself the biggest Sandler fan)

The cast, as a whole, just did not cut if for me. Amy Spanger and Felicia Finley stood out for me, and Kevin Cahoon (one of my favorite "Hedwigs, I have to add- show some "hed" love!!) is perfectly cast as George.

As far as the leads.... Stephen Lynch was way too bland for me.
As stated previously, Benanti is horribly miscast (I kept thinking she should be Robbie's mother, and not a love interest)

(Would have liked to maybe see Kerry Butler in the role)

Matthew Saldivar is good, but his accent really annoyed me. It was like he was trying way too hard.

The score was pretty decent, (really liked "It's Your Wedding Day"- good start to the show) , but really wish they would have left "Love Stinks" (movie) in the show, instead of going with "Casualty of Love".

Sets were pretty nice (Disco ball helped capture the theme.. I think), and the choreography, while not at all spectacular, was pretty decent.

Overall, its an entertaining show, but I think I would have liked it ALOT more with different leads.

Just wanted to comment on the ticket prices... had TDF ticket. Was in Row M, Mezz- Normal price... $111.25. THAT... is insane !!!



(The "Love Stinks" scene is my favorite from the movie)

[LeaGirl]

Posted: 4/19/06 at 7:12pm

I assumed the reason 'Love Stinks' wasn't used was because it is a "real" song and Wedding Singer isn't a jukebox musical - the only songs from the movie they used were the ones written specifically for the movie.

[Benzy92]

Posted: 4/19/06 at 7:27pm

TDF should really state for this show that seats are in the rear mezz, cause I got row R last weekend and they weren't good at ALL

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 4/19/06 at 7:40pm

Technically, not Rear Mezz...

Orchestra: $111.25
Mezzanine Rows A-R: $111.25
Mezzanine Rows S-T: $56.25

It's absolutely ridiculous, but it's true.

I never saw the movie, but I loved the show. And I loved Casualty of Love when I saw it a couple of weeks ago, I thought it was a hysterical number! And I love the cheese!

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 4/19/06 at 7:46pm

I was at the matinee too! I liked it, though.

[Attendthetale331]

Posted: 4/19/06 at 7:53pm

I saw the show last weekend and I thought it was aweful. I mean I thought it was completely unoriginal, and the whole book was taken straight from the movie. Their diction was subpar and Stephen lynch can not act. It was a complete disappointment in my opinon.

[Benzy92]

Posted: 4/19/06 at 7:55pm

wow if row R is $111.25 and I paid for that, i'd DEMAND a refund

[andrewleeds]

Posted: 4/23/06 at 1:39am

I just got back from the Wedding Singer and I have to say -- I really enjoyed it. I can be pretty critical but I had a smile on my face pretty much from beginning to end. Everyone did a great job, it was charming, it was funny... what more can I say? Is it Death of a Salesman? No. But it's a really good time.

Quick question -- Since Sandler and Herlihy get credit for two of the songs in the show, does this mean that they will be included in a Best Score Tony Nom or are those songs excluded from the score when being judged? How does this work? Anyone?

[BwayLeadman]

Posted: 4/23/06 at 1:46am

They should have left the Jon Lovitz character of Jimmie Moore, which is my fav scene in the movie.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 4/23/06 at 3:53am

I still don't think she's mistcast. I think she plays the perfect girl-next-door and she looks the part as well. She sings with a classical sounding voice, but then again the girl-next-door wouldn't be some belting diva. I think it works.

And the fact that the book is straight out of the movie? Um, no. They've changed a lot from the movie. I think they've made it their own and the audiences seem to like it.

I got my ticket at TDF at the first preview and I was in Row G and paid like $59 or something.

[tophertilson]

Posted: 4/23/06 at 9:03am

I thought this show was dreck. Pop culture references in place of real characters and plot. I don't know why anyone is finding this acceptable as theatre. HAIRSPRAY is a master class in the writing of musical comedy compared to this pushy little skit.

TT

[angelic1]

Posted: 4/23/06 at 9:13am

I student rushed and got row B dead-center for $26.25. If I had money (which I really really don't), I would have paid full price. I loved the show. I know it's a big ball of fluff, but sometimes that can be nice...and ridiculously funny. I had a great night. But my taste can be wacky, so don't take my word for it. I also thought the cast, as a whole, was pretty darn good, too. Lynch had that actor/comedian thing which was necessary for the part, Amy always rocks my word, Felicia stole the show, and Laura may have been a little out of place but I love her and she was working it. But, those are just my opinions, so...ok, I'm done.

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 4/23/06 at 9:55am

"Orchestra: $111.25
Mezzanine Rows A-R: $111.25
Mezzanine Rows S-T: $56.25 "

wow, paying over 100 dollars for the mezzanine! and theres a huge drop in ticket price from row R to row S. wow, p-rice-y!
anyway, i might see this show. ill wait and see how i like the cast recording when it comes out...

[BreeDaniel]

Posted: 4/23/06 at 10:26am

I haven't bothered to say much about what I thought of this show because it's just SO bland and useless all around that it didn't inspire a "review" but I'm tired of it being "ok" that it's "so much fun". It's not even suffering from the "it's SO bad , it's good" syndrome. Having said that, I have to think anyone who tries to say "how much fun this show is" (both here and on ATC) HAS to have some sort of vested interest in this show. I'm NOT talking about the regulars so don't get on me about that but I feel like "they're" trying to concede to it being "funny, fluff" and promoting that angle hard. I'm sorry but, you have to do better than that for $111.00+. If I had paid anywhere NEAR that amount, I would have DEMANDED a refund. What everyone seems to be missing is the blame and fault lies with Rando as much as the ill fated casting.

The whole show is miscast. Not just Benanti. Lynch is as boring as I've ever seen a performer be onstage and while I've enjoyed Spanger in some of the things she's done, I'm growing VERY weary of her strangely accented, baby doll voice she uses to interpret EVERY character she plays, from Lois Lane, to the charcter she played in Reefer Madness, to WS. Enough already. Her singing is awfully shrill as well. Again, not her fault she was cast. A capable director would have been able to get a better, more cohesive performances out of *all* the characters. At times, it's like you're watching 3 different shows. The camp fest, the 80's nostaliga piece and the serious drama. Benanti can't put ONE single line of her songs over the way she sings. It's such an obvious mismatch for the music, it's painful. As for Finley, no matter how "great" her performance was, if the leads were, well, LEADS, no one would be raving about Finley's "cameo".

I really had no burning desire to say anything about this show either way, but one too many "oh c'mon, it's so fun" posts and I had to add my 25 cents. Bad show, poorly cast, unmemorable songs, terrible choreography and VERY bad (mis)direction.





Updated On: 4/23/06 at 10:26 AM

[BROADWAYFAN3]

Posted: 4/23/06 at 10:35am

I saw an early preview had fun, smiled the whole time, my checks hurt. Looking forward to seeing it after it opens.

[ruprecht]

Posted: 4/23/06 at 10:40am

Thanks Bree, that's exactly how I felt but you managed to say it in a factual way rather than with some sort of misplaced passion. It makes me sad more than anything that it is "ok" for people to spend that much money and see total blandness. I'm not a fan of Rando's and going off of WS, never will be. WS is no Hairspray and they should make peace with that fact and quit trying so hard to sell it as something it's not.

Updated On: 4/23/06 at 10:40 AM

[EverythingIsRENT]

Posted: 4/23/06 at 10:49am

Bree, why do I have to have a vested interest i nthe show because I had a great time!? The show is funny and charming, pplain and simple. I don't get how you can leave the theatre without a huge smile on your face and singing the songs in your head. This is my favorite oroginal score in a few seasons, and I haven't gotten the music out of my head yet. If you don't like theatre to be "fun" that is fine, but don't look down on people who like to smile and laugh at the theatre!

[BreeDaniel]

Posted: 4/23/06 at 10:51am

EVERYTHINGISRENT, did you actually read my post? I specifically put in a disclaimer about "regulars".

[EverythingIsRENT]

Posted: 4/23/06 at 10:57am

I apologize, I did not see that part. So your saying people who see WS multiple times have financial backing i nth eshow? That makes no sense

[Yeah, um, no.]

Posted: 4/23/06 at 11:28am

Strange show to polarize this board so, don't you think? If you've seen it, it's hard to deny that everyone else in the theater seems to be loving the show, even if you're not. And there are some "regulars" who did enjoy it. Some even a lot.

I read MargoChanning's review, and she did not like the show. But on March 31, she posted some reviews from the regulars of another board and wrote the following:

"Those are very strong reviews for a first preview and those are some veteran highly critcal theatregoers writing those posts. If Seth (who's in the business) and Krebsman (who sees 100 shows a year, going back to the 60s) enjoyed it so much and are calling it a must-see, it's a great sign for the show."

So for whatever reason, you either love or hate this show. Not a lot of fence sitters. If you can get over the fact that it's not "good" in a critical sense, then you'll probably have A LOT of fun. If not, don't go.

[BluCat500]

Posted: 4/23/06 at 11:31am

Ah, I love your username "Yeah, um, no."


hehe,Of course Wedding singer also amused me, so clearly I have no taste anyway

[Attendthetale331]

Posted: 4/23/06 at 11:42am

Updated On: 4/23/06 at 11:42 AM

[Al Dente]

Posted: 4/23/06 at 12:41pm

I disagree that there's all that much polarizing going on. It's more in the vein of what Bree alluded to. There are many investors in this show and it's pretty obvious (to me at least), who they are here and on ATC. I haven't seen the show but I can say about Rando, I don't get him at all and I am always confused when he lands jobs. He's a very uneven director and just from all I've read (the true, unadulterated posts), his problems as a director are very present with this current piece.

[ILoveMyDictionary]

Posted: 4/23/06 at 3:01pm

I enjoyed the show a lot. I had a lot of fun. I thought the choreography was spectacular. From the opening number I knew it would be a great show.

[Yeah, um, no.]

Posted: 4/23/06 at 6:06pm

"I enjoyed the show a lot. I had a lot of fun. I thought the choreography was spectacular. From the opening number I knew it would be a great show."

Per Al Dente, you're obviously an investor, as are the "veteran highly critcal theatregoers" quoted by Margo, because it's clearly impossible for anyone to actually like this highly-flawed show.

If life were only so simple.

Disclaimer: I am NOT an investor in The Wedding Singer or any other Broadway show!