The Wedding Singer as presented by UCC Musical Theatre Society

Society name: UCC Musical Theatre Society

Show name:  The Wedding Singer

Adjudicator date of attendance: 27/03/2025

Brief Overview of Show and Evaluation of Front of House

UCC Musical Society’s The Wedding Singer brought an effervescent energy to the Firkin Crane stage, and it was heartening to see students take on this bold and vibrant musical with enthusiasm. This high-energy romp through the 1980s—with its big hair, bigger dreams, and broken hearts—demands both comic timing and genuine warmth. For the most part, this student-led team succeeded in creating a fun and engaging evening for their audience.

The Front of House team offered a warm welcome, setting the right tone for the production.

Patrons were efficiently guided to their seats, and it's worth acknowledging the effort and enthusiasm of all involved in managing the audience experience. The Firkin Crane’s intimate space places pressure on both technical and performance aspects, and while this brought its own challenges, it also fostered a strong connection between cast and audience.

Director – Direction and Production

Director Sam Anderson, supported by assistant director Clodagh Hayden, made a commendable directorial debut with this production. Taking on The Wedding Singer is no small task for even the most seasoned creatives, and this staging showed a clear affection for the material. While there were some missed opportunities and areas for refinement, the foundational work was solid.

The pacing was generally smooth, though a few transitions—especially in the first act—felt slightly awkward or under-rehearsed. There were moments when off-script activity, such as the first wedding’s bride and groom, were unintentionally upstaged by the action, a small reminder that ensemble moments require as much attention as solos. Scene changes in particular could have benefitted from more thoughtful staging; some scenes moved into areas of the stage that were inadequately lit, indicating a need for closer collaboration between direction and technical departments. Blocking that better respects lighting zones would greatly improve clarity and visibility.

The second act, unfortunately, lost some of the polish and coherence seen earlier. Momentum dipped, and several scenes felt less confident in execution. This is perhaps where directorial inexperience was most evident. Moments of humour and character development that rely on deeper textual understanding were sometimes glossed over, where a more seasoned hand might have teased out nuance. Nevertheless, Sam’s overall vision held, and the cast’s energy reflected the sense of camaraderie and enjoyment fostered in rehearsal.

Musical Director – Direction and Orchestra

Lucia Schmetterer and Kate Grogan, as Musical Directors and Chorus Mistresses, alongside conductor Katelyn O’Leary, were instrumental in bringing this vocally demanding show to life. The ensemble vocals were a particular highlight—harmonies were tight, diction clear, and the sound was consistently well-balanced, especially in the first act. It was evident that the vocal rehearsals had been detailed and effective.

However, there was a noticeable shift in cohesion between the two halves of the show. Act 1 featured tight band playing, clear cueing, and confident musical transitions. The conducting, though rigidly patterned, kept everything on track. Unfortunately, Act 2 felt markedly messier.

There were missed musical cues, mis-timings between band and stage, and moments of confusion that detracted from the otherwise strong vocal work. The band volume often overpowered dialogue during this act as well, which disrupted the flow of the scenes and lessened their impact. Balancing band dynamics under spoken word is always a challenge in a live setting, but more attentive live mixing could greatly improve intelligibility and narrative flow.

Vocally, the cast coped admirably with the score. The ensemble numbers sparkled, and solo moments were sensitively delivered. It’s worth acknowledging how well the vocals held up even under the strain of energetic choreography, a testament to the cast’s stamina and preparation.

Choreographer – Choreography

Choreographer Michael Healey and assistant Sarah Rose put together routines that were accessible and full of energy. For a cast of non-performance students, the choreography was both ambitious and cleverly pitched, making the most of the cast’s strengths while injecting a sense of fun and vitality.

Set pieces like “Saturday Night in the City” made great use of formations, with smartly arranged dancer swaps ensuring visual variety and engagement. It was clear that the routines had been well-rehearsed, and the ensemble delivered them with gusto and good timing. That said, there were moments that could have benefitted from more content. Specifically, several numbers suffered from “dead space” between the end of dialogue and the start of vocals, an area where transitional choreography or stylised movement could help maintain momentum.

It’s also worth noting that not every dance move needs to be technically complex to be effective. Including movements that some performers couldn’t fully execute (such as split leaps) occasionally disrupted the uniformity of the group. As ever, simplicity performed cleanly can be more powerful than complexity under strain.

Finally, narrative clarity should always be front and centre when assigning choreography. In “Saturday Night”, principals participating in ensemble choreography created some confusion about focus and character motivation. Ensuring that storytelling remains the priority, especially in full-company numbers, will enhance both performance and audience understanding.

Leading Principles – Singing and Acting

Robbie Hart – Fergal Crowley: Fergal delivered a genuinely sweet and grounded performance as the lovelorn wedding singer, Robbie Hart. There was a calm confidence to his portrayal that suited the character well, and he brought a charming authenticity to his scenes. Vocally, he showed promise, with a warm tone and expressive phrasing. With further development, particularly in extending his vocal range and increasing dynamic contrast, he has the potential to be a very compelling leading man.

Julia Sullivan – Zoë Gibson: Zoë’s Julia was a delight. She brought assurance and emotional depth to the role, capturing Julia’s kindness and self-doubt with sincerity. Her vocal work was especially strong, with clean phrasing, good projection, and a lovely timbre. Even in Julia’s quieter, more introspective moments, Gibson maintained a presence that drew the audience in. A strong, assured performance.

Holly Sullivan – Ellen Jacob: Ellen was a firecracker as Holly. She moved with confidence and brought a real spark to every scene she was in. Her energy was infectious, and she clearly relished the boldness of the character. She lit up the stage with both her movement and her comedic timing, making Holly one of the more memorable performances in the show.

Glen Gulia – Ross Ahern: Ross’s Glen was vocally capable and delivered his lines with a sense of fun. The character could have benefitted from a little more nuance. Glen is the kind of villain who hides his sleaze behind a sheen of charm and confidence, and this duality wasn’t fully realised. With a more defined character arc and attention to physicality, the performance could evolve into something really sharp.

Supporting Roles – Singing and Acting

Sammy – Cian Sprague: Cian brought great energy to Sammy, crafting a loveable, if slightly irritating, character. He contrasted nicely with Robbie and had good comic timing. He was endearing throughout and proved a reliable presence in ensemble scenes.

George – Éanna Marren: George is a role that allows for flamboyance and fun, and while Éanna Marren delivered a sweet interpretation, it was perhaps too restrained. A little more confidence and sparkle, particularly in physicality and delivery, would have gone a long way in realising this role’s full comic potential.

Rosie – Rosie O’Byrne: Rosie O’Byrne was an absolute standout as Grandma Rosie. Her comic timing was excellent, and she made full use of both the dialogue and musical opportunities. Her number was a show-stealer, and she balanced her cheeky humour with tenderness. A real gem of a performance.

Angie – Catriona Falvey: Angie was a little underplayed, and perhaps not ideally cast in terms of maturity. A good attempt overall. 

Linda – Rachel Kelleher: Rachel delivered a bold and brassy Linda with flair. Her physicality and vocal confidence were strong, though her upper register needs further development to avoid straining. There were a few moments where vocal switches—between belt and head voice—were slightly jarring, but with time and technique, these will even out. A confident mover and engaging performer.

Chorus/Ensemble – Singing, Acting and Choreography

The ensemble was one of the production’s strongest elements. They brought high energy, commitment, and great vocal strength to group numbers. Their movement was sharp and synchronised, clearly benefiting from solid rehearsal time.

That said, some over-acting was noticeable, particularly in smaller, more intimate scenes. Given the proximity of the audience in the Firkin Crane, naturalism is crucial. Overly broad facial expressions and exaggerated reactions can become distracting rather than entertaining in a space like this.

Nevertheless, their enthusiasm was palpable and infectious, and their work supported the leads with clarity and consistency.

Stage Management & Set Design

It’s understood that college productions often operate under budget and resource limitations, but even within those constraints, attention to detail makes a big difference. The use of modern furniture, borrowed from classrooms, disrupted the period setting. Similarly, unhemmed and untidy tablecloths undermined the overall look of the wedding scenes.

Scene changes were inconsistent in style, some happened in blackout, others under blue light, and others fully live. Establishing one consistent approach would improve the show’s flow and reduce audience confusion. If live changes are necessary, having crew in costume or integrating cast into the changes would help maintain immersion.

Closer coordination between the stage management team and director would also help smooth transitions and polish the pacing.

Technical – Light and Sound

Lighting offered some lovely stage pictures, especially in larger ensemble numbers. There were frequent delays in cuing, and several key moments fell into darkness. One particularly unfortunate example was “Grandma’s Note,” where reacting characters remained unlit despite continuing action. Similarly, sections like “Not That Kind of Thing” suffered from inconsistent lighting, drawing focus away from the performers.

The discrepancy in colour temperature between downstage and upstage lighting was also noticeable, something that could be resolved with better front wash coverage.

Sound was mostly successful. The balance between band and vocals in Act 1 was effective, with a good internal mix. However, issues emerged in Act 2: the drummer became overpowering, and the guitarist—despite efforts to alert the team—was inaudible for long stretches. Dialogue was frequently lost under band underscoring, a fixable issue with careful mixing and sound cue planning.

Visual – Costumes, Hair and Make-up

The costumes showed creative thinking and a solid grasp of 80s fashion. “Saturday Night in the City” was a visual highlight, with a great mix of styles that captured the period without tipping into parody. However, wedding costumes were more uneven, some characters looked era-appropriate, while others seemed anachronistic.

Hair was generally well styled and suited the period. More volume and bold colour choices could have amplified the aesthetic. Make-up, though neat, could have pushed further into the colourful, dramatic look of the 1980s, particularly for characters like Holly and Linda.

Adjudicators suggestions/ comments- overall comments on the production and comments to enhance the standard for future performances.

UCC Musical Society should be extremely proud of this production. To take on a full-scale musical with non-performance students and deliver such an entertaining and musically rich show is no small feat. The audience was clearly charmed by the energy, effort, and joy the cast brought to the stage.

Moving forward, the society can benefit from:

• More detailed attention to scenic and technical consistency.

• Greater coordination between direction, technical, and stage management teams.

• Clearer, character-driven choreography that prioritises storytelling.

• Pacing that maintains energy across both acts.

Above all, this production showcased the power of student theatre—not just as performance, but as community, creativity, and celebration. With continued focus and refinement, future productions will no doubt rise to even greater heights.