CRANFORD – There’s a saying that comes around whenever a wedding day is being planned that “weddings bring out the worst in people,” with the stress of making the day perfect, dealing with unruly extended relatives, and trying to be friendly with strangers you will soon call family.
Premiering for their third show of the season, the Cranford Dramatic Club presented Brian Hargrove’s It Shoulda Been You, a hilarious musical following two families preparing for a wedding day that quickly spirals into chaos.
Jenny (Rachel Love) has been helping her family prepare for her sister Rebecca’s (Jordyn Sava) wedding to Brian (Brian Petty). Their overbearing mother, Judy (Maryann Galife Post), has complaints about every aspect of the big day, while their father, Murray (Joe Rodriguez), remains confused. Meanwhile Brians parents, Georgette (Sharon Garry) and George (Rick Brown), want the marriage not to fall through. When an accidental phone call is made, Rebecca’s ex-boyfriend, Marty (Matthew Cavallo), thinks it’s a sign to stop the wedding, and soon hijinks begin.
It Shoulda Been You is a fast-paced comedy musical that feels like a classic Broadway comedy with a modern twist. However, a piece like this could have easily fallen flat without the right cast, but together this ensemble works and flows perfectly. The jokes are quick-witted, whether spoken or sung, and everyone shines in their own light.
Love commands the stage as Jenny, expertly revealing her tough, no-nonsense edge while beautifully uncovering the character’s deeper vulnerability and complexity. Sava takes on the awkward yet sweet Rebecca, a bride quietly cracking under the pressure of her big day, skillfully as she seamlessly balances the character’s vulnerability and humor with warmth and charm Post is hysterical as Judy; she naturally takes on the role of the straightforward but loving mother of the two women. Alongside her, Rodriguez shines as the easygoing Murray, bringing a delightfully goofy charm to the well-meaning father just trying to keep the peace as tensions ris Petty brings a lot of humor to the usually anxious Brian, who is balancing making his future wife and her family happy, along with his disapproving parents, knowing when to switch from serious to comical.
Garry and Brown, as the snobbish George and Georgette, are an absolute delight, bringing razor-sharp comic precision to a pair of characters who could easily become onenote in lesser hands.
Although he is pulling schemes to stop the wedding, Cavallos Marty is effortlessly charming, so you can’t help but root for him anyway. What makes the performance so enjoyable is the balance he strikes between mischief and heart.
Tatum Thompson as Maid of Honor, Annie and Pat Connolly-Blood as Best Man, Greg are a hilarious dynamic duo who bring a spark of modern comic energy to the wedding chaos. Sean Kynch-Littlejohn, who portrays the wedding planner who’s seen it all, is comedic gold as he enjoys the constant chaos of the wedding.
Alongside Albert are Walt (Jason Monto) and Mimsy (Betty Mack), two hotel workers just trying to make it through their shift amid the wedding- day chaos. Their physical comedy and quick one-liners brought the CDC theatre into an uproar of laughter.
While “It Shoulda Been You” is filled with non-stop witty humor, it doesn’t shy away from a deeper message of family, blood or not, and how it’s important to embrace and love each other despite some differences and how your loved ones can surprise you in ways you never imagined.
It Shoulda Been You will perform at CDC February 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, and March 1st. For ticket information, visit www.cdctheatre.org or call (908) 276-7611.
