The Wedding Singer review 5/6/06 Evening

[ILoveWicked330]

Posted: 5/7/06 at 9:20am

Last night, I saw "The Wedding Singer" for the 2nd time. Originally tried the Avenue Q lotto...the guy accused me of putting my name in two times...he said "Didn't you put your name in already?" & I said "My friend just did 10 minutes ago...I don't enter right after him so the names can get mixed up. You can check the bucket for my name 2 times"...I later realized giving him an attitude wouldn't increase my chances of winning. Next I was going to try The Drowsy Chaperone lotto but they picked it at 7:00 and if we lost, it'd be crazy with getting tickets to a show. So we got rush tickets to The Wedding Singer, row F 6 & 8, at 6:30. Got to the show around 7:30 and Laura Benanti (Julia) was absent. I was really upset because it was a Saturday night and it just opened but they said after at the stage door that she was really sick. Tina Maddigan went on as Julia and I thought she was amazing! It was her first time going on as Julia they said and I was really impressed. The show I feel is amazing. The dancing, the costumes, the acting! Everything! Stephen Lynch was great as Robbie. Felicia Finley really is the highlight of the show for me. Although she's only in 2 scenes, she really just took over the show! At the stage door after, everybody came out. Stephen said "Well you guys picked a good night to come!" When Tina came out, there was afew cheers and she was really happy. She was like "I was SO nervous!!" & everybody congratulated her. Great night!

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 5/7/06 at 9:23am

She didn't seem poorly in the afternoon. Interesting.

[tophertilson]

Posted: 5/7/06 at 9:29am

Is Benanti already missing performances? She has a bad rep for missing a lot of shows, doesn't she? I saw NINE twice and missed her both times.

TT

[angelic1]

Posted: 5/7/06 at 10:22am

A friend of mine saw the show last night and said that Tina was cute, but she couldn't hear a single word that she sang. She was sitting near the back of the orchestra, but still. I'm glad you enjoyed the show!

[almostxfamous]

Posted: 5/7/06 at 10:29am

It's nice to hear that Tina was good. So if Laura's out, people won't be disappointed. That makes me happy.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 5/7/06 at 10:42am

Tina was great indeed, i could hear everything she said, you guys were just behind me...i was on row E 6, the show is amazing, i went to see it for the 2nd time as well...Tina told me that Laura was going to do the night show but she got a call and it seems her sister got into a car accident, i hope Laura's sister is well. What about Amy Spanger? she was outstanding, she has the best number in the show i think, right before intermission, and Felicia was very nice at the stage door, all the actors are amazing, Stephen just came out after the matinee to sign autographs and take pics with fans. Is that nice or what?! he is the best.

[kidmanboy]

Posted: 5/7/06 at 10:58am

For the record, Laura has a "habit" of missing performances because in Into the woods she nearly broke her back and then when in Nine had to get surgey because the problem was still aggrevating her. She was nearly paralyzed.
How dare she miss performances!

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/7/06 at 11:00am

I saw Tiny Maddigan in Mamma Mia! forever ago. I didn't know she was in this. She was... cute, but that was about it.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 5/7/06 at 11:09am

The problem with Wedding Singer, as I detalied in my review of yesterday's matinee, is that the two leads (Lynch and Benanti) are like deer caught in the headlights - neither of them are dynamic enough to carry the show.

Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore undeniably had a lot of chemistry, which Lynch and Benanti are lacking.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 5/7/06 at 11:15am

i think Lynch makes the show, maybe they don't have a lot of chemistry, but Stephen, Amy, Kevin and Felicia make this show exciting i think. The score and the choreography of this show are great.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 5/7/06 at 11:15am

kidmanboy, thank you. Laura is pretty much a rock and only misses performances if she HAS to.

I consider her sister in a car accident a pretty damn good reason to miss a show.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 5/7/06 at 11:20am

I hope Laura's sister is ok.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 5/7/06 at 11:27am

I sent her some texts asking her to get back to me when she has a chance. I'm sure I'll hear from her by tonight letting me know how things are.

Anyone see if she's on today or not?

[Tiny-Toon]

Posted: 5/7/06 at 11:34am

Laura is the sweetest person. I hope her sister is ok too.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 5/7/06 at 11:36am

the entire cast is great, i recommend everyone to go see the show and wait for the cast, they are a delight.

[.LittleWing. 0224]

Posted: 5/7/06 at 12:26pm

glad you got to see Tina in the role. I thought she was phenomenal last night. Something about your "first time on" nerves is reall refreshing and makes performances all the more interesting.

That being said... she was all that many said Laura Benanti was not in that role. Cute, vulnerable, innocent, sweet, adorable.. very Drew Barrymore. The show seemed entirely different last night with her in it. Next time she's on, go see her guys! She was so fun to watch. Oh, and her voice! She just seemed perfect and in her element last night.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 5/7/06 at 12:28pm

I find Drew Barrymore not a great actress, she is always playing herself, but anyways...Tina was great, but Laura was great too!

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/7/06 at 12:53pm

A "rock"
who misses a lot, it's a fact.
I hope her sister is alright also.

[Tiny-Toon]

Posted: 5/7/06 at 1:07pm

Curtain, still bashing WS?

[broadwayfan2]

Posted: 5/7/06 at 1:23pm

I saw the show last night too from row G in the orchestra. I thought it was an amazing show. I highly reccomend it.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 5/7/06 at 1:26pm

She missed a lot due to a very serious back injury on which she had surgery. 'Cinderella' was her role and no one could touch her when it came to it. She graced that stage better than anyone else could have. I highly doubt she WANTED to miss those performances.

Although, Curtain, maybe she's a masochist who far more enjoys having surgery and terrible back pain than she does performing on Broadway.

Oh, how dare she miss a performance.

You've got to be kidding me. The woman's incredible.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 5/7/06 at 1:31pm

Just received a text from Laura. Her sister will be okay. I'm not sure if Laura will be performing or not.

Updated On: 5/7/06 at 01:31 PM

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 5/7/06 at 5:37pm

Well, at least her sister is okay. That's the important part.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 5/7/06 at 6:00pm

Amen, dancingthru.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 5/7/06 at 6:00pm

Updated On: 5/7/06 at 06:00 PM