'Honeymoon in Vegas' - Suburbia with Broadway Talent

Picture this… a five-year relationship followed by a marriage proposal goes off the rails because of a dead mother’s “curse.” The solution? Vegas, baby.

Honeymoon in Vegas, based on the movie by the same name, stars Michael Mahler and Samantha Pauly as Jack and Betsy, a loving couple whose only impediment to making it to the altar is Jack’s commitment issues- or, as he insists, a curse his mother put on him from her deathbed. The two decide to head to Vegas and get married as quickly as possible, but run into an even larger issue when wealthy conman Tommy Korman (Sean Allan Krill) takes a liking to Betsy, who resembles his dead wife.

What follows is a mad rush of events involving a sixty thousand dollar debt, a shady agreement, a trip to Hawaii, and countless Elvis impersonators. If you’ve come for a true Broadway musical, you’re in the right place. The talented actors and ensemble members dance and sing their hearts out as director Gary Griffin makes skilled use of a massive round stage presenting to audience members from every side. The music and dance is frenetic and perfectly timed thanks to a professional orchestra (conducted by Patti Garwood) and the brilliant dance captain Laura Savage.

While the storyline of Honeymoon In Vegas itself is a bit old-fashioned and contrived (not to mention a bit patriarchal), the production value and talent of the performers create a Broadway-level spectacle- unsurprisingly, as it is run by the original Broadway team (including director Gary Griffin, choreographer Denis Jones, and costume designer Brian Hemesath). Both the glamour and danger of Vegas are contrasted with the spiritual peace of Hawaii through the use of some outlandish imagery that is well complimented by the accompanying musical numbers.

While this author prefers a more subdued approach to today’s musical, Honeymoon in Vegas is well recommended to any fan of glitz, glamour, and extremely well-choreographed numbers. Even if the plot itself (written by Andrew Bergaman) does not entice, Jason Robert Brown’s music and lyrics create a thrilling production depicted by extraordinary artists.