I-Do Drama Makes For Satisfying Comedy in Island City’s ‘At The Wedding’

If the title wasn’t enough to prepare you for the setting and subject matter of Bryna Turner’s At the Wedding, the set, costumes, and vibe of Island City Stage’s polished production will quickly clue you in. Having enjoyed a brief off-Broadway run in 2022 before emerging on the regional theatre circuit, this sweet-natured comedy here arrives as the closing show of the company’s all around excellent 13th season. And though this play may be far from the meatiest of the bunch, it does hit the spot as an easy-to-swallow summer trifle- or, to put it in on-theme terms, like a slice of cake served after a hearty meal. 

The action of At the Wedding takes place entirely at the titular affair, focusing on central character Carlo (Hannah M. Benitez)— a queer ex of bride Eva (Sheena O. Murray) who is in no way ready to watch her former lover waltz down the aisle with a man. Rather than allowing the situation to escalate into a farcical comedy of errors, Turner’s script takes a relatively low-key approach to the scenario, taking us through an entertaining series of understated conversations that culminate in quiet epiphanies as opposed to climactic turns. 

As the play builds towards her fated conversation with Eva, Carlo crosses paths with a handful of other guests who mostly slot into fairly familiar wedding types: the mean girl bridesmaid (Hannah Hayley), the flamboyant cater-waiter (Steven Guez), the acerbic mother of the bride (Elizabeth Price). 

Given a little more stage time are Leigh (Sandi Stock), a sexy stranger who confidently strikes up a flirtation with Carlo, and Eli (Timothy Mark Davis), an endearingly clueless everyman who is planning a proposal of his own. Turner finds an entertaining way to engineer the intersection of these two seemingly parallel subplots, and guides the story to an open-ended ending that suggests growth for some of its characters. 

With witty, fast-paced dialogue and brisk direction, the play rarely lags during its 75 minutes of run-time—on the contrary, I felt a longer piece might’ve had more room to flesh out the characters and their dynamics, alleviating the sense of insubstantiality that felt like the play’s only obvious flaw. I certainly didn’t find myself getting tired of spending time with likable anti-heroine Carlo or the rest of At the Wedding’s motley crew, though I suspect this has as much to do with Andy Rogow’s inspired casting as anything else. 

Making up the ensemble cast are a few seasoned local favorites (Timothy Mark Davis, Elizabeth Price, Sheena O. Murray, and Sandi Stock) some promising new (to me) faces (Steven Guez and Hannah Hayley), and, at the center of it all, Miami native Hannah M. Benitez who is the heart of the show as Carlo.

Through her grounded portrayal, Benitez keeps her larger-than-life character from feeling over-the-top while still selling just about every joke with spot-on comedic timing. She also manages to establish an easy chemistry with just about all her co-stars, most of whom get a chance to land a few of their own laughs as well. 

Director Rogow and choreographer/assistant director Greg Schuh also go above and beyond to recreate the unmistakable “vibe” of a wedding through deliberately awkward between-scene dance interludes and on-point production values across the board. Scenic and lighting designer Ardean Landhuis creates a rustic set draped with on-theme decor, and W. Emil White finds costumes for each character that encapsulate each’s identity while fitting into the event’s semi-formal dress code. 

And while the play’s insights into love, marriage, and heartbreak aren’t particularly groundbreaking, they’re still likely to resonate with plenty of audience members, regardless of demographic. Though the inclusion of queer characters is woven into At the Wedding’s fabric, the LGBTQ themes are more of a subtle shading than major focus, further broadening its universal appeal. 

If you love weddings, come to enjoy the romantic atmosphere. If you hate weddings, come to commiserate with the characters. Basically, anyone who’s ever been to a wedding has a built in entry point to At the Wedding. If you’re willing to say “I do” to a light-hearted hour-ish of excellent theatre, you can go ahead and save the date for a performance between now and the show’s closing on September 14th!