music

Epsilon ‘School’ a class act

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By Wendy Carson

 While it seems that bringing a popular movie to the stage would be an instant ticket to success, there are a few that feel dependent on their stars to pull off the magic of the original – “School of Rock” is one such property. No matter how talented the cast, it is almost impossible to match the man-boy magic of Jack Black. Luckily, Epsilon Theatrical Company has struck that match in their amazing casting of Caleb Wilson as Dewey Finn.

Wilson brings out the lovable side of this Peter Pan character who is absolutely obsessed with winning the local Battle of the Bands and becoming a Rock God.

After sponging off his best friend Ned Schneebly (Darin Richart) for years, he is finally given an ultimatum by Ned’s hot new girlfriend Patty Di Marco (Afton Shepard) to pay some rent or get out. This leads to Dewey posing as Ned for a substitute teaching position at a posh prep school, Horace Green.

While Dewey’s initial lackadaisical attitude has him on the rocks, he happens to overhear his students’ music class and decides to create a band out of these kids to win the contest. While they have only been exposed to classical music, he fast-tracks them on a rock education and creates an awesome band, complete with back-up singers, roadies, sound and light techs, groupies, even a manager/promotions director.

The shenanigans run fast and furious throughout, but everything manages to come together in the end with love and understanding winning the day.

While the several adults in the cast give exceptional performances, Allison Williamson’s turn as Rosalie Mullins, the uptight Principal of Horace Green (and Dewey’s love interest), is sheer perfection.

As for the kids, please note that although the show does have an orchestra at the rear of the building, all the kids with instruments on stage genuinely play them, and do a wonderful job. Principal band members backing Finn (guitar, vocals) are Zack Mooneyham (Luke C. Wilson) on lead guitar, Freddie Hamilton (Colm Tripple) on drums, Lawrence Turner (Thomas Kim) on keyboard, Katie Travis (Tess Eggeson) on bass, and Tomika Spencer-Williams (Koto Hoskins) as featured vocalist. While they, and gold-star student Summer Hathaway (Ellie Richart) as the band Manager, do get most of the lines and attention, all the young performers were amazing at bringing their rock-star roles to life.

Directed for ETC by Jayson Elliott with additional choreography by Mary McDonnel and Tim Reed as music director, “School of Rock” was adapted from the Mike White film by Andrew Lloyd Webber with book by Julian Fellowes, new music by Webber and lyrics by Glenn Slater. (Though ALW was involved, rest assured this musical is [mostly] Cat-free.)

For a feel-good musical tour-de-force that will have you banging your head for a long time afterwards, sit in with the cool kids at Epsilon’s usual venue, Broadway United Methodist Church, 609 E. 29th St., Indianapolis, 7 p.m. Friday, 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 14-16.

Info and tickets at epsilontheatricalco.org.

‘Strange Things Happening’ at IRT

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By John Lyle Belden

I first encountered Sister Rosetta Tharpe the way I’m sure a lot of people these days have – on the Internet.

Several years ago, among the must-see viral videos, there was black and white footage of a black woman dressed for church, but playing a Gibson electric guitar with wild rocking riffs, in the 1940s. Her musicianship and dedication to bringing life to gospel music and spirit to pop left an incredible legacy. While it can be said that without Sister Rosetta, there may not have been a Tina Turner or Beyoncè, that can also be extended to Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Jimi Hendrix, Meat Loaf, and Prince – to name but a few. While she had no children of her own, she provided the mitochondrial DNA of Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Now you can see her on the Janet Allen Stage in the upper floors of the Indiana Repertory Theatre, in “Marie and Rosetta.”

Directed by Christina Angeles, who admitted she had to do some “intense Googling” to get to know Tharpe’s music and life story, we find where “This Train” of life has led Rosetta (Cherish Love). In a funeral home in Mississippi, undisturbed and with a handy piano, this will be her rehearsal space before heading to whatever barn or warehouse local Black folks feel safe to gather in to hear her perform. Her meal will be whatever the local church provides. As for her bed, “I’m kind of a casket girl, myself,” she jokes.

Fortunately, her bus driver is white, a big asset in the Jim Crow South.

With her is her new co-star, Marie Knight (Jaela Cheeks-Lomax). Marie had been a backup singer for gospel superstar Mahalia Jackson but upon seeing her talent, Rosetta immediately signed her for her own tour. As the rehearsal gets under way, Marie comes to understand that this isn’t a back-up gig. Sister Rosetta considers them equals, not just as God’s children, but as musicians and singers, with Marie’s piano proficiency complementing Rosetta’s guitar, and their voices sharing in duets, call-and-response and harmony. With affection and often-tested patience, Rosetta gets Marie to loosen up and accept that God doesn’t mind humor, or even a spirited boogie-woogie beat.

Throughout this performance, we see Rosetta with her flat-top and electric guitars and Marie at the keyboard treating us to a dozen hits including “Rock Me,” “Tall Skinny Papa,” and “Strange Things Happening Every Day.” As these women get to know each other, we get their stories as well, gently educating us on a life it feels like we should have already known.

Love embodies Sister Rosetta with a sense of genuine Christian love coupled with the strength of a woman who knows herself well and sees where she believes The Lord wants her to go. Cheeks-Lomax gives us a Marie who is endearing but still unsure of herself, having been consigned to a backup role prior to this moment. We see her emerging into the star she will become (both in this tour and as a solo gospel performer in coming years).  This is one of those shows that when I look back on it, I have to remind myself these are actors, speaking from a script by George Brant.

Though Sister Rosetta Tharpe now resides in Heaven, it seems I have encountered her spirit again. See and hear “Marie and Rosetta” through Nov. 23 at the IRT, 140 W. Washington St. in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. Get info and tickets at irtlive.com.

Epilogue comedy brings new meaning to ‘juke joint’

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By Wendy Carson 

Epilogue Players whisks us away to a senior living center in Upstate New York for the Indiana premiere of Paul Stroili’s rollicking tale, “A Jukebox for the Algonquin.” It is billed as “a serious comedy about sex, drugs, and rocking chairs” yet not a single rocking chair is to be had in the show.

The entire show takes place in The Algonquin Room, one of the many meeting spaces available to the residents. Being such a large place, they split into three main tribes: Indies – those in Independent Living; Asses – in Assisted Living; and Longhorns –in Long-term care, here until the end.

Dennis (Duane Mercier) holds court in the room in much the way that Dorthy Parker ran her round table in the hotel the room is named for. His regulars consist of Johnny (Onis Dean), who has a wicked sense of humor and longs for a jukebox to fill the room with real music and Annie (Wendy Brown) a spitfire who would be quite dangerous if she wasn’t mostly blind. Occasional visits from Tyler (Grant Bowen), the orderly who tries, not too well, to hide his shadier side from everyone; and Josefina (Yolanda Valdivia), the woman in charge of everything, add some bits of spice to daily life.

However, the arrival of two new people brings about all the laughs and drama that anyone could hope for. We first meet Chuck (Albert E. Lahiman III), also known as “Dust Mop Guy.” Despite his quiet demeanor, he has more than enough emotional baggage to fill all the meeting rooms. Then comes Peg (Mary DeBoer), a new Indy who becomes the member of the table they never knew was missing.

Johnny’s quest to raise money for the jukebox hits a snag and all looks lost, until Peg’s efforts to identify the plants her hippie predecessor left behind brings about a lucrative herbal solution to their financial woes. Still, it’s only 2003 and such things are still illegal.

The whole show is exquisitely cast, and co-directors Therese Burns and Amanda Greene keep things rolling along even during the few moments when life steps in and kicks the players. This is a tender, sweet, and very funny look at aging with dignity.

So, pull up a chair at the round table and see whether the gang gets to dance to the living music of actual records – or continue to suffer the sad collection of 17 CDs (three of which are copies of Frampton Comes Alive).

Ticket sales have been brisk, and there is just one week of shows left, Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 18-21, at 1849 N. Alabama St. (corner of 19th and Alabama), downtown Indianapolis. Get info and tickets at epilogueplayers.com.

Musical blast from the past by ATI

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By John Lyle Belden

Every era has both its triumphs and struggles; they were also years which those who grew up in tend to remember fondly. For some of us – and many of our parents – that was the 1960s, a time of big changes, big hair, and a lot of great music.

“Beehive: The 60’s Musical” presented by Actors Theatre of Indiana, gives us more than 30 hits from the decade, with emphasis on songs sung by women – from “It’s My Party” to “Me and Bobby McGee.”

Our guides through this time of feminine revolution are six outstanding singers: Rachel Dudt, Riley Francis, Michaela McGarel, Kayla Perry, Kria Rangel, and Abigail Storm, who also acts as host. They are backed by a live band, led by Greg Wolff. The show is directed and choreographed by Carol Worcel.

There are a couple of scenes with direct impersonations of the original singers – done very well – but mostly the emphasis is on heartfelt renditions that sound like we remember coming from our transistor radios. On occasion there may be some audience involvement, such as providing names for “The Name Game,” and throughout we are encouraged to clap and even sing along.

In all, this is just a fun evening of music that still entertains and inspires, even decades later. For the Boomers who remember, or those of other generations who love swinging to the oldies, there are two more weeks of “Beehive,” Wednesday through Sunday, Sept. 10-14 and 17-21, at The Studio Theater of the Allied Solutions Center for The Performing Arts in downtown Carmel. Get info and tickets at atistage.org or thecenterpresents.org.

A swingin’, showtune singin’ GHDT ‘Melange’

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By John Lyle Belden

If you are reading this before 3 p.m. Sunday, March 16 (I’m posting it only hours before), do consider heading over to Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre’s office and studio on Carmel’s Gradle Drive, in the big black box of The Florence, to see the latest collaboration of “Melange.” For the $20 ticket, you get 16 hit tunes sung by the fabulous Tim Hunt, along with the grace and energy of dancer Abigail Lessaris, during on-the-spot creation of art by painter Lily Kessler.

If, as most will, you read this late Sunday or after, read on to get the feel for this unique production that had excellent performances by other eclectic trios last year and should return in future months.

The concept is simple and challenging. Gregory Glade Hancock assembles a vocalist, a visual artist, and one of his company dancers for a weekend of three performances. The person singing and/or speaking arranges a one-hour program without collaborating with the others – they might not even meet until the first show date. So, for the dancer and artist the work is entirely improvised, drawing inspiration from everything in the moment. The results are each unique, coming together nicely due to the dedication and professionalism of the participants. The artwork is shown to the audience at the end – taking a photo of it is ok – and it is donated to GHDT and immediately auctioned.

Each vocal artist brings their own flair, naturally, and you may know Hunt from his recent “sweet” turn as Frank in Indy’s “Rocky Horror” – but he’s not doing that character here. He sings popular bits from other shows he’s done, ones he just liked the sound of, and one he would really like to do. He also displays his love for the songbook of Rat Pack-style jazz and Harry Connick, Jr., with a number of swinging and sentimental songs. He’ll also give us a little Don McLean (“Not that song,” he says before, “or that other one, either”). The delivery is pure joy; it would be worth the ticket and more if this were just his cabaret.

However, there is also Ms. Lessaris, an instructor and the assistant director for GHDT, and frequently a featured dancer in their shows. Her flowing modern and ballet style matched the beat leaving her glowing with energy (and sweat) and enjoying every minute. Styles ranged from gentle grace to the opportunity for a quick hillbilly jig. The songs having instrumental breaks even gave her “solos” to show off. One wouldn’t know there was no prior collaboration.

Abstract painter Kessler, an adjunct professor at Butler University and creator of “The Art of Living Yoga” book series, literally let the energy of the hour guide her into her work. The resulting in-balance beauty I’ll not elaborate on as today’s creation won’t necessarily be the same as it, however this original – her fastest work, she confessed – was worth more than its multiple bids.

See gregoryhancockdancetheatre.org for information on this and future performances, including the dance programs “Spring Equinox” on April 4-5 and “Summer Solstice” June 6-7, both at The Tarkington at the Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Carmel. The Academy at GHDT is at 329 Gradle Drive.

‘Four Women’ face horrors with song

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By John Lyle Belden

Oh, “To be Young, Gifted, and Black” – then to have it all be suddenly taken away.

This was the fate of four girls at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, when it was bombed by members of the KKK on Sept. 15, 1963. Among the thousands who were compelled by this incident to take action for Civil Rights was the outspoken Black singer and songwriter Nina Simone.

In “Nina Simone: Four Women,” the play by Christina Ham on the mainstage of the Indiana Repertory Theatre, we see the entertainer at her piano on Sept. 16, struggling to channel her rage into a new song – “an anthem,” she insists – to focus the feelings of all who hear it.

In dark imaginings presented in the exceptional stage design by Regina Garcia, Simone (Akili Mi Mali) is just a few steps from the ruined church floor, with charred pews askew and scattered remnants of toys, before the church’s lone surviving stained-glass window. And she is not there alone. Sarah (Jamecia Bennett), a middle-aged woman in housekeeper’s dress and apron, examines the scene. She recognizes Simone and encourages her to sing a hymn rather than an angry tune with objectionable words. Nicely-dressed Sephronia (Ariel Williams) also appears, ratcheting up the tension even more as she, being lighter-skinned, faces disdain from darker-hued folks – though, as she points out, all the Whites outside see is “another Negro.” Eventually, we meet the fourth woman, Sweet Thing (Precious Omigie), a sex worker holding proud to what dignity she can muster.

Director Austene Van said this encounter with the scene and these three archetypes of Black women of the era help Simone to process this change in her life and career, from singer of popular tunes to an activist with her own emotionally charged songs. With some humor, music including many hits from Simone’s repertoire, and frank discussions, we see the struggle from those who had to live it – and arguably still do.

The “fifth” woman is music director Morgan E. Stevenson who accompanies on Simone’s piano as needed.

Ni Mali beautifully brings Simone to life, in looks, bearing and voice. The others get to sing as well; Bennett’s bold rendition of “His Eye is On the Sparrow” had inspired reactions from the opening night audience.

As Simone herself might point out, this is about more than her. The girls who died that Sunday are ever in the characters’ minds – unlike the newspapers of the day, they say the victims’ names. The song that emerges from this event, “Mississippi Goddam,” widens the focus from a single city to the entire American South and includes the murder of Medgar Evers that year.

“Nina Simone: Four Women” runs through March 2 at the IRT, 140 W. Washington St. in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. Get info and tickets at irtlive.com.

Quirky Christmas at a Montana bar in new comedy

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By John Lyle Belden

It seems the wooded lands on the northern edge of the United States host some eccentric goings-on. A number of films, TV shows, and plays have celebrated this, and now we can add “Snow Fever: A Karaoke Christmas,” a holiday comedy by Robert Caisley presented as part of a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere at the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre.

To paraphrase one of its characters, weird stuff happens at Christmas, especially in Montana.

The Phoenix black-box stage has been converted into a bar, the Wet Whistle, which features a drink special that audience members can purchase before the show. It used to belong to Laverna (Jolene Mentink Moffatt) – then known as Taverna Laverna – but now is the property of her son, Brendan (Grant Niezgodski), who runs it with Kenny (Austin Hookfin), an odd young man with “no backstory” and little impulse control.

Local college student Lucy (Sarah Powell) arrives to interview for a job to discover she not only has it but also has arrived late on her first day. Laverna says that can be forgiven (she lives upstairs and acts like she still runs the joint, complete with her free hand with the booze). Kenny comes in with another young woman seeking work, Greta (Akili Ni Mali), a professional Karaoke DJ whom he injured with a frozen snowball to get her attention.

Preparations are under way for the bar’s Christmas Eve party, despite the growing snowstorm outside. The only band Brendan can book is a pair of banjo-playing twins, and he absolutely refuses to have anything as upbeat as the karaoke machine (which Greta is already setting up) in his somber dive bar. Also, Kenny has stolen a tree from the farm of the one man whose name no one is to say – “F. U.” (Brian Tyrell) – thanks in part to what happened at last year’s party.

Also, I should mention, there is Duke. No one knows what Duke is, but he is there.

So, if like me you saw the title “A Karaoke Christmas” and thought this might turn out to be a fluffy holiday music revue, we must remind ourselves: This is the Phoenix F-ing Theatre. Director John Michael Goodson sees this play as a quirky rom-com, but without the Hallmark schmaltz. There is singing in the show, mainly popular karaoke hits. But as love and nostalgia are as much a part of the holidays as the common Christmas trappings, a little “I Will Survive” works just as well as Jingle Bells.

Moffatt revels in her role as mama-bear/queen bee/cougar – the whole menagerie. Laverna can be a bit much, but with a big heart and best intentions. Niezgodski makes a great Phoenix debut, his pragmatic and at times bitter character weathering the chaos. Mali plays Greta as charmingly independent, a roaming soul who takes what life gives her, strange as it may be. Powell also plays Lucy as a roll-with-it sort of character, with more the attitude of someone familiar with the local ways. As for Hookfin, what may seem like just another take on the goof he plays so well in local comedies turns out to have surprising depth; what Kenny appears to lack in intellect he more than makes up for in intuition, as well as irresistible charm.  

Kudos to the cozy set design by Shane Cinal and props by Kristin Renee Boyd.

For a heartwarming holiday play with no heavy message, just good times with a few old pop hits thrown in, come in out of the cold for “Snow Fever,” performances through Dec. 22 at 705 N. Illinois St., downtown Indianapolis. Get info and tickets at phoenxtheatre.org.

Songs and their stories at BCP

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By John Lyle Belden

Did you know that the true meaning of “fa-la-la-la-la” is, believe it or not, fa-la-la-la-la? (Just musical filler.) Or, that while the tune of “Greensleeves” dates back to 1500s England, the Christmas hymn “What Child is This?” was written in America in the mid-1800s?

Feel free to share this information, as well as nearly all the songs in “Buck Creek Players Christmas Cabaret,” the company’s holiday offering through Sunday, Dec. 8.

For this original revue, directors Georgie Teipen and Tiffany D. Wilson went with the theme “Public Domain” not just because it’s for a cost-conscious community theatre, but mainly because so much of what we enjoy sharing at Christmas is not bound up in intellectual property restrictions, especially traditional music.

But because by their nature these songs are quite old, the stories behind their creation may be little known. Our hosts Clance LaTurner and Jeremy Teipen present the relevant histories of nearly 30 tunes – sacred and secular – which are performed by Nicole Bridgens, Onis Dean, Scott Fleshood, Jennifer J. Kaufmann, Nancy Laudeman, Gary Life, and Jennifer Poynter, accompanied by Debbie Stafford on piano. Their charming delivery enlivens our spirits; highlights include Life’s “How Far Is It to Bethlehem” (the lone protected song, for which he got permission from the writer!), lively company renditions of “Deck the Halls” and “Twelve Days of Christmas,” and Dean’s stirring “Ave Maria.”

This intimate show is given a “black box” setting, with audience seating on three sides of the stage (a ramp is provided for patrons). Singers appear at any of the four corners throughout the performance. The set-up works quite well, and we hope BCP considers it for any future productions that can benefit from this arrangement. Since we’re right there with the singers, we are encouraged to join them in a couple of the songs.

A good time for fans of trivia and traditional holiday hits, find the Buck Creek Playhouse at 11150 Southeastern Ave., Indianapolis (Acton Road exit of I-74); find tickets at buckcreekplayers.com.

ATI: Sentimental song sojourn sheds light on Man in Black

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By John Lyle Belden

In the lowlands along the Mississippi River in Northeast Arkansas, they still grow cotton. We see the big bales in the fields when we drive through the area about once a year to visit relatives near Little Rock. Not much around but farmland, tiny crossroads towns, and rural churches. In pre-mechanized days, cotton farming was incredibly hard; consider what a life of growing and harvesting that crop can do to a family, to a man.

One of those men was John R. “Johnny” Cash, one of the greatest singer-songwriters to come out of the 1950s Memphis music scene. Actors Theatre of Indiana presents a fresh telling of his decades-old story in “Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash” by Richard Maltby Jr. and William Meade. The series of songs presented make this a musical journey from his boyhood farm to nearby Memphis, Tennessee, then on to Nashville and – as Johnny put it – “everywhere, man.”  

Kent M. Lewis, who has performed this show elsewhere, took on the trifecta of director, choreographer and performer, lending his tone-perfect Cash voice as primary vocalist. Brandon Alstott, who has played Cash in “Million Dollar Quartet,” easily takes on the character of young Johnny and lends his own vocal lead and harmony contributions. Matt McClure gets in some vocals as well, and while Lewis and Alstott pick acoustic guitars, McClure straps on an electric, providing the distinctive churning rhythm attributed to Cash bandmate Luther Perkins.

Multi-talented Sarah Hund fits in naturally, adept at anything with strings – especially fiddle – and helping sing and tell the story as characters including Cash’s mother as well as collaborator and eventual wife June Carter. Jordan Simmons plays stand-up bass and gets in a few lines; music director Nathan Perry also has a role, mainly performing at the piano or on accordion.

As a “jukebox musical,” revised in 2013 from the original 2006 Broadway version, this is an excellent revue for fans of old-time Country and Gospel music, as well as Cash’s hits, presented with entertaining flair that engages the audience of the intimate Studio Theater in Carmel’s Center for the Performing Arts. Don’t look for an in-depth biography, though. Maltby is reported to say that he saw in Cash’s music and life “the story of America,” and thus we get a fairly simple outline of a complicated man.

His feelings for the downtrodden are expressed in his song/poem “Man in Black” and we see them shown in his prison concerts (despite his “outlaw” image, he never did hard time himself) and frequently returning to hope in faith. He also found himself leaning on little white pills to keep up his tour schedule, he wryly confesses, but the narrative doesn’t dwell much on this aspect of his life. Still, Cash admits in a regretful tone that without raising a hand to anyone, he still hurt many who loved him.

In the end – his passing in 2003 gently hinted at – Johnny Cash leaves us wanting more, which Lewis and company provide in a brief encore with one of the Man in Black’s most fun songs.

Opening night had everyone in the full house buzzing with how much they enjoyed this show. Word will likely get around, so make a reservation to see “Ring of Fire” before the ATI run ends on Sept. 29. Get info and tickets at atistage.org or thecenterpresents.org.

Dearly beloved, gather for ‘The Wedding Singer’

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By John Lyle Belden

Being a Generation X’er, I get mixed feelings about 1980s nostalgia, but some things catch the kitschy spirit of the decade just right, like the Tony-nominated musical, “The Wedding Singer,” based on the 1998 Adam Sandler film.

Presented by the 21st-century actors of Eclipse, the professional-level program of Summer Stock Stage, “Wedding Singer” is on the main stage of the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre through June 16, directed by Kate Galvin.

In 1985 New Jersey, singer-songwriter Robbie Hart (Alex Pharo) is having modest success leading an in-demand wedding band, Simply Wed, with best friends Sammy (Micah Phillips) on bass and George (Matthew David Conwell) on keytar. Robbie is also looking forward to his own wedding, to Linda (Kha’Lea Wainwright), but things don’t go to plan. Meanwhile, Julia Sullivan (Leela Rothenberg), who with her cousin Holly (Dori Salumurovic) are waitresses at the wedding venue, is getting engaged to rich Wall Street boyfriend Glen Guglia (Jack Ducat). Julia has Robbie promise to sing at her wedding – which he eventually will, but not in the way anyone expected.

The plot hits all the expected beats of a typical rom-com, from the meet-cute all the way through to the “go out and get her!” What’s important is how the story goes from here to there, and all the charming, mildly dramatic, and laugh-out-loud moments along the way.

Pharo takes on this journey well, making Robbie a hero to root for, funny and charming without any of Sandler’s mannerisms so the character stands on its own. Rothenberg makes Julia both noble and sweet, the kind of woman worth going great lengths for. She and Salumurovic have a natural chemistry as well, like they grew up as almost-sisters. Phillips, looking like a mad scientist combined Hall and Oates, and Conwell, a sort of Boy George homage, also make memorable likable characters. Wainwright and Ducat give their roles each a flavor of vanity that befits the era – Glen’s especially, as a “greed is good” trader overflowing with hubris.  

Local stage veteran Devan Mathias steals scenes in roles including Robbie’s grandmother Rosie and Julia’s mother Angie. The supporting ensemble get a lot of time on stage – weddings, a bar mitzvah, at the mall, etc. – so get a lot of moments as well, featuring Isabella Agresta, Kayla Mariah Fifer, Fletcher Hooten, Byron Ledford, Hillary McGuire, and Maddux Morrison (who rocks Fake Billy Idol).

The musical, with book by Chad Beguelin and Tim Herlihy (from Herlihy’s screenplay), music by Matthew Sklar and lyrics by Beguelin, avoids the endless headaches of song rights by providing originals with the familiar feel of ‘80s hits, from the catchy “It’s Your Wedding Day” to the charm of “Come Out of the Dumpster.”

Galvin is aided by music director Jerico Hughes, choreographer Phillip Crawshaw and stage manager Rebecca Roeber. Embarrassingly accurate fashion and look by Wendy Meaden (costumes) and Andrew Elliot (wigs, hair, and makeup).

Highly entertaining with a story of love lost and found “Right in Front of Your Eyes,” find “The Wedding Singer” tickets at phoenixtheatre.org.