CHARLES CITY — Complete with 1980s guitar licks, fishnet gloves and poofy bridesmaid dresses, “The Wedding Singer” opens its three-show run in Charles City tonight (Wednesday, June 30).

The Stony Point Players will present the musical comedy at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday (July 1) and Friday (July 2) in the North Grand Auditorium (the old Charles City Middle School).

Student admission is $5. Adult admission is $12. You can buy tickets at the door or online at https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/53173.

The cast for this community theater presentation includes more than 40 area residents of multiple generations, from middle school students to seasoned adult actors. It being directed by Michelle Grob with musical director Derek Sturtevant. The pair led Stony Point Players’ production of “The Wizard of Oz” in 2018. Sturtevant and Janiece Bergland directed the troup’s production of “Spamalot” in 2019.

Bergland did set design for this production and Sandy Peterson did costuming.

Charles City High School 2021 graduate Rose Marie Baldus is the stage director this time around with CCHS junior Harper McInroy as choreographer.

With 1980s pop culture as its backdrop, the story is about a wedding singer who suffers through a heartbreak and an identity crisis on the way to finding his true love, who has a journey of her own.

In the lead roles of the wedding singer, Robbie Hart, and Julia are CCHS senior Griffin Franksain and 2019 CCHS grad Olivia Wolfe.

Robbie’s band mates, Sammy and George, are being played by CCHS junior Anders Haglund and 2019 CCHS grad Michael Peterson. Linda Hughes is his Grandma Rosie, Lynn Bauer is his mother and 2020 CCHS grad Madi Lincoln is his girlfriend Linda.

Makenna Oleson, a 2020 CCHS grad, is Julia’s rowdy cousin Holly and Jeff Kellogg, who played the Tin Man in 2018’s “Wizard of Oz” is Glen, Julia’s fiance.

The musical was based on the 1998 movie of the same name. The stage production premiered on Broadway in 2006 with music by Matthew Sklar and lyrics by Chad Beguelin.

CAST & CREW

Griffin Franksain – Robbie Hart

Anders Haglund – Sammy

Michael Peterson – George

Jeff Kellogg – Glen Guglia and Harold Fonda

McKenna Oleson – Holly

Olivia Wolfe – Julia Sullivan

Lynn Bauer – Angie (Julia’s Mom)

Madi Lincoln – Linda (ex-girlfriend)

Linda Hughes – Rosie (Grandma)

Cade Williams – Wedding Guest Ensemble, Loser Guy (Wedding 3), “Suits” (Green), and Bar Scene Ensemble

Teagan Prigge – Wedding Guest Ensemble and Pop Dancer

Anna Herbrechtsmeyer – Wedding Guest Ensemble and “Suits” (Green)

Harper McInroy – Wedding Guest Ensemble, Wedding 2 Guest, Pop Dancer, “Suits” (Green), and Madonna impersonator

Emma Schmiedel – Wedding Guest Ensemble, Wedding 2 Guest and Pop Dancer

Erika DeBruyn – Wedding Guest Ensemble, Sideburns Lady (Wedding 3), “Suits” (Green)

Allison Hocking – Wedding Guest Ensemble, Large Lady (Wedding 3), “Suits” (Green) and Crystal (Mall)

Tina Schmidt – Wedding Guest Ensemble, “Loser” (Wedding 3) and “Suits” (Green)

Jodi Holschlag – Wedding Guest Ensemble, “Loser” (Wedding 3) and “Secretary” (Green)

Tyreque Baker – Wedding Guest Ensemble, Donny (Pop), Shane (wedding 3), “Suits” (Green), Clerk (Mall), Bar Scene Ensemble and Mr. T impersonator

Rich Severin – Multiple Clergy

James Severin – Wedding Guest Ensemble, Father of the Bride (Wedding 3), 2nd Waiter (Pop), Ricky (Bar Scene)

D’Nesha Smith – Wedding Guest Ensemble and Waitress Wedding 3

Aliyah Ortiola – Wedding Guest Ensemble And Wedding 1 Waitress

Liz Oleson – Wedding Guest Ensemble and Pop Dancer

Lisa Shapell Chatflied – Wedding Guest Ensemble and Airport Agent

Susana Gonzalez – Wedding Guest Ensemble and Wedding 1 Waitress

Anastasia Baldus – Wedding Guest Ensemble, Tiffany (Pop), Donatella (wedding 3) and “Suits” (Green)

Colton Baldus – Wedding Guest Ensemble, “Suits” (Green), Joe Bum in bar scene

Chris Baldus – Wedding Guest Ensemble, bar scene and Ronald Reagan impersonator

7th/8th-Wedding Guests and Bar Mitzvah – Elizabeth Gassman, Isabella Knecht, Natalie King Addison Tracey, Nyna Walsh, Kaitlin Heckers, Annabel McDonald, Rylie Keyes and Evelyn Read

Stage Crew

Evelyn Read

Natalie    Keyes                                           

Ali Blickenderfer

Barry Schmitt                   

Rosie Baldus

To see photos from the 2018 production of “The Wizard of Oz” click here.

To see photos from the 2019 production of “Spamalot” click here.