Wedding Singer, Laura Benanti returns to the musical

Laura Benanti has announced on her official website that she will return to Broadway musical The Wedding Singer on the 3 Oct 2006.

The show's co-star Ms Benati left the musical for medical reason early in August 2006, but now she has fully recovered and says that she is looking forward to reprising her role as Julia Sullivan. Tina Maddigan has been playing the role of the winsome waitress in the star's absence.

Ms Benati wrote on her website on 10 Aug 2006 "I want to thank the cast of The Wedding Singer (especially Tina Maddigan) and everyone who has been so kind to me and supportive during this difficult time, and I want you all to know I am doing everything I can to get healthy and get back to the show to stay!".

Wedding Singer opened at the Al Hirschfeld on 27 Apr 2006, following previews from 30 Mar and is currently booking to 7 Jan 2007.

The musical opened to mixed notices, the New York Times called it "An example of recycled recycling, or second-hand nostalgia." The Journal News wrote "A good-natured musical with a great big hole in the middle" ans The Record printed that its "A good-natured musical with a great big hole in the middle." Barbara Mehlman said of the musical "A truly clever, and often hilarious score." You can read all of Barbara's review, and more of what critics said of the show here.

Wedding Singer: It�s 1985 and rock-star wannabe Robbie Hart is New Jersey's favorite wedding singer. He�s the life of the party - until his own fianc�e leaves him at the altar. Shot through the heart, Robbie makes every wedding as disastrous as his own.

Enter Julia, a winsome waitress who wins his affection. Only trouble is Julia is about to be married to a Wall Street shark, and unless Robbie can pull off the performance of the decade, the girl of his dreams will be gone forever.

Wedding Singer has book by Tim Herlihy & Chad Beguelin, music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Chad Beguelin

Directed by John Rando and choreographed by Rob Ashford, Wedding Singer also features Stephen Lynch (Robbie Hart), Amy Spanger, Rita Gardner (Rosie), Richard Blake (Glen Guglia), Kevin Cahoon (George), Felicia Finely (Linda) and Matthew Saldivar (Sammy).

Set design is by Scott Pask, with costumes by Gregory Gale, lighting by Brian MacDevitt and sound by Peter Hylenski.