REVIEW: There Goes The Bride

by Sea Sombar | January 13, 2026

The Pittsburgh winter wind chills even the warmest of spirits. The dull sky makes us hold our heads down low. The slippery roads keep us at bay even when we feel wild inside. The flowers stay dormant under the hardened dirt, waiting for their time to bloom, waiting to protect themselves with sharp thorns like knives. Walking through the North Side of Pittsburgh, something sticks out: a new musical starts to break itself out of the dirt for its first read-through at the historic New Hazlett Theater. At points, There Goes The Bride by Noah Van Ess and Catcher Sanchez feels like a fresh breath of spring air and at other points it falls short, but it keeps its charm and confidence the whole way through.

The first installment of the New Hazlett’s new Off The Page program, There Goes The Bride is described as a “musical comedy” about a screenwriter-turned-caterer who, after bumping into his ex-girlfriend from high school, goes through a “whirlwind” of “wedding chaos, emotional twists, and show-stopping songs.” In discussion with the writers, they describe the experience of putting this musical together as wanting to do something totally “out of left field” compared to their previous work, such as their first show about “magic pirates.” Inspired by classic rom-coms like “When Harry Met Sally, Love Actually, The Wedding Singer…” the latter being a recurring joke throughout the show the duo aimed to see what “playing within that specific genre” could do for their music.

The atmosphere walking into the theater space was electric, with almost every seat filled by young kids, high schoolers, college students, and grandparents. The show seemed to attract a plethora of different people from different backgrounds. During There Goes The Bride, the room lit up with larger-than-life smiles, long bouts of laughter, and quiet tentative moments. This emotional range is exactly what the writers strived for; Noah Van Ess noted that he was first drawn to theater because he wanted to “give an audience that feeling” of being “very connected to a character and feeling emotions.”

For me, I was taken in by the absurdist humor often elevating the story to new heights, reminiscent of the films it took inspiration from, but at points, it left me taken aback and more confused than anything. Charlie, the screenwriter turned caterer who is fighting to get back with his ex before she gets married, plans a grand scheme with his sister. It is quite over the top and hilarious; he finds himself in an oven, Hansel and Gretel style, overhearing conversations, or ends up in elaborate disguises. While these moments are fun, I wish the script was given more time to breathe. Catcher Sanchez mentioned that during rewrites, they focused on the song “There Goes the Bride” because it “anchored the characters and anchored the story,” allowing for more “truthfulness” to shine through. I hope future iterations allow that same truthfulness to anchor the more frantic comedic beats.

There Goes The Bride was quick, with a lot of wit in its one-hour runtime. The writers were notably “intentional with musical themes” and worked to make “each character’s voice sound distinct,” which kept the audience engaged. With such a short runtime, however, many beats were left on the chopping block, focusing more on the plot than the characters. Being more interested in the plot than the characters guiding it felt like a blunder. I wish they spent more time delving into each character’s motivation and background. Annie Hudson, Charlie’s ex-girlfriend, has hopes and dreams she wants to finish her master’s degree and focus on her career, but except for this information revealed through a few lines, she is used more as a tool for conflict than a fully-fledged character.

There Goes The Bride bloomed like a flower, with whimsy and intrigue. From two young, talented artists comes a musical comedy as brave and confident as a Broadway show. While it falls short at some pivotal moments, it never falters, keeping itself going until the bows. There Goes The Bride ensures a good night, and Noah Van Ess and Catcher Sanchez secure their spot in the future of theater.