Okay, we're doing this the old school way, but, hey, we're taking it back to the 80s.

The wedding singer is coming to Phoenix performing arts.

Ashley, I'm giving you a virtual hug because I always love hanging out with you.

But this is an exciting show that you guys are putting together.

And, you know, it's kind of a classic.

I know that wedding singer, I feel like in our family is one of those that we are always randomly quoting.

Would you say the same?

Oh my gosh.

Whether it's a song or a lyric, it's just I mean, Adam Sandler, you can't beat him, right?

He's just he's just such a staple.

I feel like in so many of our upbringings, as far as his comedy and his movies.

And so, again, yeah, whether you're those little one liners that you have for movie or some of those songs, you know, it's just yeah, it's I think it's a classic of many households for sure.

It is now, this is the first time you guys are doing this one right?

Yes.

Yeah.

This is new to all of us.

Not from watching the movie, but the musical.

And it's the musical is just what you know and love from the movie.

But they also added some songs, which was really fun because the movie itself has many songs.

And so you would think that stick with it.

But they added some and then changed some as well, which was really cool, which is what I was going to ask you to like.

How similar is it to the movie?

You know, comparatively, I would say for the most part to the T, it's it's pretty dang close.

They did okay.

They did add some twists and turns, but honestly, I don't think it took away from the show at all or from the storyline.

I think it just adds to it.

You know, I was growing up, my family, my dad was a huge Adam Sandler fan, so we always had the movies on going into it.

Looking at the musical, I'm like, when I found out that they changed the things, I got a little like, you know, but then I started watching it and started putting the show together, and I was like, okay, I actually love the changes.

Like it didn't take away from the story at all.

So I feel like that's a good thing for those that are like diehard wedding singer fans.

I love that, so we'll see or hear some of the classics that we love in there too.

All right.

Tell me about the cast, because this is more like an ensemble cast for you guys, right?

Yeah.

And so, you know, when you're talking about something that's cinematic, you know, and it turns into a show, sometimes there's some things that aren't as easily translated because you don't have the ability to be in a movie setting where you could be like, cut, switch things over.

Now change this.

So these people are running their took us off playing all these parts.

And I told them the other day we were rehearsal, I was like, I don't know if I've ever seen an ensemble as a whole just be so meshed so beautifully together.

They're just helping each other out.

They're playing so many characters and so well that it just it totally transports you to what happened in that moment.

And they all are just, I don't know, there's just a sense of lightness.

There's a sense of joy about them working together.

And it could be that it's a comedy.

It could be just they're awesome people.

I was going to say, too, like, there's a lot of comedic elements into the this show is.

So I mean, there are a couple of moments you have like your 80s power ballad and you have all these things, but there's there's just not one time in the show where a cast member doesn't get to be funny.

Like, I think every single cast member in this show in particular gets to have their funny moment.

And I love to laugh.

So for me, it's just been so much joy.

It's so enjoying.

I have so enjoyed watching what they're putting together, I love it.

Now I know you guys are bringing the 80s back out with the show.

So what is that transition been like?

You know, bringing those 80s?

What are you pulling from your own experiences and from those are the cast members to really make this feel authentic?

We joke because there's been a lot of references.

A lot of people have done the research.

I think every cast member has gone home and research, you know, what was popular in that time, because this is like 1984 into 1985.

So finding out, you know, what music was popular, what movies were popular, all that stuff.

I'm in charge of hair, so, you know.

Oh, so you're going, are you going big hair girl?

I've got the hot rollers, I've got the Aqua Net.

I've got, you know, wigs galore.

But it's also been funny because our cast kind of ranges in age from about 15 up into this.

There's people that are in their 60s.

And so it's funny for the younger ones to kind of tease, you know, like, well, I wasn't born yet.

My parents weren't born yet.

And so, you know, it's been fun to kind of just have those moments of whether you relate to that 198485 reference or whether you weren't even thought of yet.

So it's caused a little camaraderie and a little poking fun.

I think back and forth between the cast members, and I think that'll be a really good connection point for the audience, too, right?

Oh my gosh.

I have encouraged everyone that I know and I'm going to encourage everybody here now, if you show up, if you don't have your hair tease and your lace gloves and your big earrings, like, I'm going to have to ask you to go change and come back because I'm like, we just want the audience to have as much fun as they're going to have on stage.

We already talked the people that are in the back of the booth.

We've got costumes planned and their costumes from home, but, you know, I've got my hair is going to be teased up, ready to go.

And I'm like, it's just one of those shows that, you know, it just makes sense.

Why not dive in and play that part, play that character and just, you know, if you were thriving in the 80s, why not just bring it back and have a moment to kind of flash back to the good old days?

I love it, I love it, I love the 80s.

I probably still have some stuff from the 80s in my closet, so there's always that too.

And I'm sure, you know, that's been a really fun thing that you guys have been doing in regards to hair, makeup and clothing and everything that you're doing.

Tell us about the set, because I know Zach always does a phenomenal set.

Oh my gosh, I wish you guys I wish we could be in person so you could see it.

There is one thing that he built I won't tell you exactly because I don't want to ruin it.

But there is a moment that happens from a classic 80s movie, and it does have to do with a bucket and some water.

So there's like some surprises in there.

There's so many pieces.

There's like LED lights and there's clubbing like affects and there's I don't even know how to explain it.

It's it's just bright.

It's bold, it's enticing.

And it's I think if you are familiar with the movie The Wedding Singer, I think that you'll be surprised when you see the set, because the.

That's one of the things that the movie or the musical, excuse me, kind of changed.

And again, because it's you're on a live action, something that's happening right now versus a movie set where you can change from room to room.

And so you have those moments on or pieces on the stage that stay on the stage the whole time.

And so it just kind of throws you as soon as you walk in and just throws you right into the 80s with the colors and the shapes and the effects.

And so, yeah, he once again, he knocks it out of the park.

So I'm really excited.

I'm excited for people to see it and to see some, maybe some things on the walls or some shapes or some colors that there will take them back to the time of the 80s that they grew up in.

I love it, I love it.

Okay, so the rehearsals, I'm sure the entire show is very high and exciting.

What does the rehearsal process been like for you guys?

Oh my gosh.

It's been it's it's a fast moving show.

There is really no downtime as far as you know.

Sometimes shows have like a moment where it kind of slows down or comes to a stop so you can process.

This is not that way.

There's I think 3 or 4 different instruments that get played in the show, which is so cool, including a key tar.

So it's like, yeah, there's a trumpet.

So I think it's just been a again, it's been high energy that everybody that's become to rehearsal, they've come in even when they're not on stage, they're in a different part of our place, rehearsing and working with each other and just making sure everybody feels like up to speed and ready to go.

We've got some brand new cast members to our stage.

Oh, that's always exciting.

Yeah.

You know, we just love welcoming people in.

And so it's been cool to watch them kind of get integrated into a show that's, you know, you always take it seriously.

But when you have these moments of funny, it's fun to kind of be like, you know, it feels like low stakes because you're you're having fun and you know, you're just playing but making a great product at the same time.

So and that's the great thing about theater is the opportunity to play.

And I and I love that.

So I always encourage people, if you haven't been on the stage in quite some time, maybe fifth grade was the last time you did it and go out to community theater.

Give it a try.

In such a cool experience.

It's such a good confidence booster as well too.

But this particular show, is it age appropriate for everyone?

So we've been saying PG 13, okay, language and none.

It's for the most part it's nothing more than you would see on cable television.

But it's definitely not like frozen was this summer.

Or, you know, we've got a request for the family friendly in the beginning of November.

So this one would be a perfect evening for some grownups to have a night out, get some drinks, some dinner downtown, and then come laugh your butt off and continue the fun into the night.

I love that now you guys are opening up this weekend, right?

We are just Friday, Saturday and Sunday three times to see it.

And where can people get their tickets and find out any more information that they might need?

Yeah.

You can head to our website.

It's the Phoenix Arts dot, or you can call our our phone number.

It's not a full box office, so we don't have people sitting by waiting to answer.

So we just encourage people to go to the website because then you can see the stage, the seat mapping for you to pick things out, and then you can see what's coming up next or how, like you said, you can get involved on stage or behind the scenes as well.

I love that, and I want to make sure because there's something exciting that's going to be happening this weekend.

This weekend only you got to come to the show to get this.

Yes, this weekend only.

It's our this time slot every year is when we announce our upcoming season.

So it'll be our fourth season, 2027 and amazing.

Can we pause on that?

Because like I'm so proud of you Ashley.

Like, seriously so proud of you.

This has been your baby.

And you guys I just love watching you guys grow and do such amazing things.

Okay, continue.

Sorry.

No, I didn't mean to lie.

You were there with us for our first.

Our first.

So.

Thank you.

But.

Yeah.

So on Friday night, everyone that's in the audience for that night will get first.

The first here at what our 2027 season is.

Because that's when we will announce it.

And it's a pretty cool one if I do say so myself.

Okay, I love it.

All right, well, make sure you guys check it out.

The Wedding singer coming up this weekend at Phoenix Performing Arts.

Thank you so much, Ashley.

Next time, hopefully in person so we can get in bunches too much.

All right, two frozen hugs.

Thanks.

Thank you.