Australian cast of The Wedding Singer goes back to the 80s for musical hits

The cast for the stage musical version of hit film The Wedding Singer has been announced – including an Adelaide performer who can’t wait to bring the production to her home city.

The Wedding Singer musical Australian cast: Ed Deganos, Nadia Komazec, Christian Charisiou, Teagan Wouters and Stephen Mahy. Picture: Nicole Cleary

Adelaide actor Nadia Komazec will turn the clock back to the 1980s and unleash her hidden pop icon dreams as part of the newly announced Australian cast for stage musical The Wedding Singer.

“I am so excited to channel my inner Madonna for this role, and Cyndi Lauper, and the fashion … some of the clothes I get to wear are just outrageous,” Nadia says.

She will play Madonna-obsessed Holly, the bubbly, uninhibited cousin and best friend of waitress Julia in the Broadway adaptation of the hit 1998 film, which starred Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler.

Christian Charisiou as Robbie Hart and Nadia Komazec as Holly in the Australian production of The Wedding Singer musical. Picture: Nicole Cleary

“I just made it into the 80s … I was born in 1989,” Nadia says.

“I’ve got so many great images of my mum – she loved an 80s shoulder pad. She definitely had the big hair … and to be fair, I have the big hair too. I’ve inherited it.”

Kinky Boots star Teagan Wouters will play Julia in the stage version, while Melbourne actor Christian Charisiou will play the titular wedding singer, Robbie Hart. Rounding out the lead cast are Stephen Mahy and Ed Deganos.

“I loved the film – I remember watching it years ago, and then when I was auditioning for the show I rewatched it,’ Nadia says.

“The musical really is such a great version of the movie, it’s so similar, I think audiences will absolutely lap it up – especially after COVID, we all need a bit of a laugh.”

Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler starred in the original 1998 movie version of The Wedding Singer.

The original songs also evoke the sounds of the 80s.

“I get to sing this fabulous song called Right In Front of Your Eyes and it really is like an MTV hit – Madonna meets Cyndi Lauper. It’s so 80s that you cringe, but you love it.”

Nadia, who now lives in Melbourne, was starring in School of Rock and had just arrived back in Adelaide last March when COVID forced that show’s season here to be cancelled at the last minute.

“There was a silver lining … I spent the first lockdown in Adelaide with my family, which I haven’t done since I was 17, when I left home to tour in shows.”

The Wedding Singer, Her Majesty’s Theatre, April 9 to 24. Book at BASS.