If you happen to wander past the Central Wisconsin Children’s Theater building lately, you might just catch a glimpse of the 1980s coming to life. For the past couple of weeks, the parking lot served as rehearsal space and a set workshop for the upcoming production of “The Wedding Singer,” presented by River & Woods Theatre Company (an adult theater troupe that works out of the CWCT space). The cast has been dancing, singing and acting through the high-energy Broadway musical (based on the 1998 Adam Sandler film) outdoors, but the production moves into the James F. Veninga Theater in Wausau this week in advance of the show’s June 4 opening.
Set in 1985, “The Wedding Singer” follows Robbie Hart (the titular role) as he performs at weddings while dealing with heartbreak and falling for a waitress, Julia. It’s a nostalgic, funny and romantic story with a distinct 1980s flavor.
“It was a huge hit on Broadway,” director Cindi Strobel said. “We chose it because there are just a lot of really fun roles and the show is hilarious. We wanted something that would really relate to the people in Wausau — and it’s just really fun.”
The 1998 film was a big hit for Sandler, hauling in $123 million at the box office against an $18 million budget. It also left a strong cultural footprint and defined the 1980s for a younger generation.
One of the challenges in approaching an adaptation of a beloved property is creating a production that stands on its own and gives audiences a new experience by not simply retelling the story. It’s a trap many good directors can fall into, but Strobel has one distinct advantage: she’s never seen the film.
“I figure if people want to go see the movie, they’ll go see the movie. We have an opportunity to tell that same story, but from our viewpoint,” Strobel said. “We want to make our own show. We have our own story to tell.”
One important step Strobel, who lived through the 1980s, took early on was bringing in a young assistant director to help bridge 20-something actors with the 1980s culture and nostalgia.
“I thought that would really help me to understand the world of young people,” Strobel said. “It’s been really helpful. She’s had some great creative ideas.”
Unlike the film, the show features all original music, but with a distinct 1980s sound influenced by the likes of Pat Benatar and other 1980s icons. When the score, choreography and comedic acting all come together, it’s high-energy entertainment. Rehearsals have been long for the large cast, Strobel said, but not exhausting. Working with a younger cast, she said, has helped the detailed musical numbers and demanding dance choreography come to life.
“The cast we have is so dedicated to the show,” she said. “We learned the big opening number in one Saturday rehearsal. We spent pretty much the whole day on that song and, by 3:30 p.m., I was exhausted, but I’m looking at them and they’re like, ‘Yeah, let’s run it one more time.’ The music is so great it gives them energy.”
The actors aren’t the only ones working tirelessly to put on a strong production. Backstage, production crews work on the two-story set, a variety of lifelike props and tons of authentic, dazzling costumes straight out of 1985.
“This show has a million costumes. Our costumer is just amazing,” Strobel said. “Every scene people have a different costume. We’ve been trying to get that accuracy of this is actually what people wore in the 1980s, and at the same time, make it look nice for the stage. It’s kind of a balance that we’re always working on.”
The show falls in line with River & Woods’ core mission, which is to produce plays and musicals that focus on uplifting and strengthening the voices of women and other marginalized groups.
“We want to provide opportunities for women,” Strobel said. “There’s too many shows out there where all the leads are men and this one is nicely balanced. There’s roles for women and men and it just really hit all our little check boxes.”
River & Woods’ production of “The Wedding Singer” will have three performances, June 4-6, all at 7 p.m. at the Veninga Theater at the UW Center for Civic Engagement in Wausau. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for kids and seniors and may be purchased at riverandwoodstheatre.com.
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