The cast of “The Wedding Singer” celebrates wedding day in the show that opens at 7:30 p.m. today at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players in Marietta. (Photo provided)

The Mid-Ohio Valley Players Theatre returns to the 1980s today when “The Wedding Singer” opens for a five-show run.

The musical is based on the movie of the same name and is about Robbie Hart, the lead singer of a wedding band whose life begins to crumble when he is left standing alone at the altar, and Julia Sullivan, a waitress engaged to a materialistic Wall Street type. As the two bond, romance begins to blossom, complete with upbeat 80s-style music.

“The Wedding Singer,” sponsored by Dr. William and Sue Cline, runs 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and May 8 and 9, as well as 3 p.m. Sunday, May 10. Tickets are $15 and are available at midohiovalleyplayers.com or at the box office two hours before each performance.

L.V. Hissem makes her Players Theatre stage debut as Julia.

“Julia is a romantic at heart who looks forward to living out her own fairy tale. Growing up around relationships that didn’t work out, she truly desires a love that will last in her life,” she said. “Once she meets Robbie she feels like she finds a kindred spirit, and this helps her to slowly find herself throughout the show, because she has someone who sees her and understands her in a way that no one else has.”

Julia is a romantic lead and a bucket list role, Hissem said.

“I can also resonate with Julia in the regard that growing up, I was one of those little girls who always dreamed of having a fairy-tale wedding as a child, dressing up in princess dresses and planning everything down to a T, so being able to play dress-up in a real wedding dress really makes little 4-year-old L.V. smile,” Hissem said.

Linda, Robbie’s ex-fiance, is played by Ket Perkins.

“Linda leaves him for bigger and better things and finds none, thus causing her to come crawling back to security,” Perkins said. “My favorite part is getting to be more revealing, it’s something I don’t have the ability to do everyday, and getting to feel confident in my body is so refreshing.”

People should come see the show to have a blast from the past, Perkins said.

“Jumping back into the nostalgia of the 80s is so, so, so necessary for so many people right now,” Perkins said. “Get away from the modern and moonwalk your way back into a simpler time!”

The show is directed by Amber Smrek-Kinker and Melanie Elliott.

“A friend of mine turned me onto this show a few years ago,” Smrek-Kinker said.

“It really spoke to the inner dreamer in me. The story, much like the beloved film, tells the story of two people who love the idea of love,” she said. “The story provides us an opportunity to celebrate love and plan some fun weddings along the way.”

R.J. Lowe plays Robbie Hart, the ultimate romantic.

“While his friends are still living in a playboy type of world, he has his sights set on love and marriage,” Lowe said. “It’s 1985, when people didn’t yet realize that the partying lifestyle could be so detrimental to your health, and men who didn’t like to have all the fun were mocked but still, Robbie stood on his own looking for that special someone.”

Lowe said the character is different from what he usually plays.

“I am most often cast as broad, comical characters. I love to make people laugh,” Lowe said. “But it’s nice to explore someone with a bit of a softer, romantic side.”

Lowe also encourages people to see the show.

“‘The Wedding Singer’ is a blast. Even though it is a completely original score, every song sounds like it was ripped right from an 80’s radio station,” Lowe said. “Put on your leg warmers, scrunch your hair, and bring all of your friends to party with us like it’s 1985.”

Members of the cast are: R.J. Lowe as Robbie Hart; L.V. Hissem a Julia Sullivan; Alley Moore as Holly; Ronnie Talbott as Sammy; Nicholas Rake as George; Chris Lewis as Glen Guglia; Missy Arnold as Rosie; Ket Perkins as Linda; Vanessa Rake Koon as Angie; Chloe Arnold, Ali Canter, Aaron Elliott, Kanan Elliott, Nathaniel Hurst, Sam Kinker, Allison Stollar, Emilie Ticer and Adam Wallace. The Wedding Singer is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International.