by Andy Ortiz

Last weekend, St. John Bosco High School’s Theater Program performed an absolutely wild show for their Winter musical, The Wedding Singer, with three more shows spanning from Friday to Sunday.

The Theater Program of St. John Bosco chose an 80’s themed classic based on the popular New Line Cinema film of the same name written by Tim Herlihy. This performance is directed by the Director of Theater Production, Mr. Martin Lang.

Mr. Lang described in his director’s note that back in the 80’s he also worked as a wedding singer as a pastime, and he wanted to take this opportunity to take a trip down memory lane.

“What makes me feel old is that the students had no idea who Cyndi Lauper or Billy Idol was or know what ‘Where’s the Beef?’ meant, but that’s okay because now they do!” wrote Mr. Lang.

The Wedding Singer takes place during 1985 in New Jersey, where aspiring rock star Robbie Hart, played by Bosco senior Rafael Sanchez, is left utterly traumatized when his fiancée stands him up. However, a saving grace in the form of a wedding waitress, Julia Sullivan, played by St. Joseph’s junior Izzy Prata, comes his way.

This rendition of Wedding Singer is a musical, and as such, it boasts a large list of fun and catchy songs. The band was assembled and led by conductor Cheryl Gaul. 

The audience seemed to be major fans of the songs “It’s Your Wedding Day” and “A Note From Grandma”. The songs were just fun, memorable and sprawling in their performance. With how much was happening on stage, one almost felt compelled to join in on the fun.

The best part of the musical numbers was simply watching the actors on stage just having fun, especially the members of the ensemble, such as St. Joseph’s junior Julia Gisel and Bosco senior Zion Perez-Tobar. The audience could clearly see the enthusiasm radiating from the people on stage.

The stage design is relatively simple, yet well-executed, with a classic wedding arch as the centerpiece and some pretty artwork on the side walls. Props are cleanly brought in and out between scenes and seem to be very well made, especially Robbie’s bed.

Furthermore, the stage lights are particularly great in this production. In contrast to St. Joseph’s previous production, Frankenstein, where lighting was used to portray the somber mood, this musical has a colorful array of lights used to create a brighter, more light-hearted vibe. All of the lights for the entire show were done by Bosco junior Noah Wayner.

One character the audience absolutely adored was George, played by Bosco sophomore Kai Maldonado. Whether it was the long wig or the emo makeup, Kai displayed some really funny acting, from his reserved voice and attitude to his hilarious singing style.

Another really chaotic person on stage was Linda, played by St. Joseph’s senior Bianca Renee. Linda is characterized as a sort of clingy and compulsive type, and Bianca does splendid work in showing off that kind of energy and being absolutely hilarious while doing it.

But undoubtedly the most chaotic of all the people on stage was Grandma Rosie, played by St. Joseph’s sophomore Calista Max Lopez. She’s the typical granny, but perhaps unique in her humor and liveliness. Calista exemplifies that kind of spirit perfectly, and one could almost mistake her for being a 70-year-old.

The cast and crew of The Wedding Singer would love everyone to come and support the arts by coming to the last three performances this weekend: one on Friday at 7:30pm, another Saturday at 7:30pm and the last being on Sunday at 2:30. All performances are at the Bosco Theater and tickets can be purchased here.