Hello Friends!
On Wednesday evening, I sat in the Nederlander Theatre and laughed my way through the quirky new musical Honeymoon in Vegas, adapted from the 1992 film starring James Caan, Nicholas Cage, and Sarah Jessica Parker.
The show opened with Jack Singer (Rob McClure) singing about the love of his life, Betsey Nolan (Brynn O’Malley), a sweet schoolteacher who, after dating Jack for five years, is eager to tie the knot. He wants to marry her, but is hesitant due to a curse put on him by his mother (Nancy Opel) whose dying wish was that he would never marry.
In a zany sequence of events that bring the characters from New York to Las Vegas to Hawaii, Jack comes face to face with his dead mother, gets involved in a high-stakes poker game, essentially hands Betsy over to Tommy Korman (Tony Danza), and endures a series of ridiculous obstacles in his quest to get her back.
As each event transpired, the supporting cast was just as wonderful as the leading performers. The costumes were bright and the dancing was energetic. I especially enjoyed the character Johnny Sandwich (Matthew Saldivar), Korman’s lackey who wore white shoes with every outfit.
Watching the stage transform from a Tiffany’s jewelers, to a typical Vegas hotel, to a serene Hawaiian heaven was a pleasure in itself. The use of projections was well done, especially when the cast was in Hawaii. The tropical landscape was a welcome sight in the midst of this cold, messy New York winter.
If you are looking for a show with a well-crafted plot and deep, meaningful characters, Honeymoon in Vegas might not be your cup of tea. If however, you are looking for a night of laughter and absurdity, Honeymoon in Vegas is for you.
Plus, who would pass up a chance to see Tony Danza tap dance?
Get your tickets to Honeymoon in Vegas today via www.honeymoonbroadway.com, and be sure to follow them on twitter & instagram!
Live, Love, Learn,
Candice & The Write Teacher(s)