by Dan Mayer
The film Mystic Pizza didn’t make a huge splash upon its release in 1988, but its popularity grew along with America’s enduring love of the 1980s. The jukebox musical adaptation goes a step further by pairing the romance with some of the biggest hits of the era. Fortunately, Capital Repertory Theatre‘s production brings much more than nostalgia to the table.
The story follows three young women who work in the same pizza parlor in the small town of Mystic, Connecticut. Jojo (Carisa Gonzalez) faces an uncertain future with her fiance Bill (Nick Druzbanski) after she gets cold feet and faints on their wedding day. Daisy (Rebekah Rae Robles) pursues romance with the rich out-of-towner Charles (Keaton Miller), and the two contend with the troublesome class divide between them. Kat (Lauren Marchand) finds herself smitten with charming architect Tim (Eric Richard Siegle) despite the fact that he’s married, and they gradually become closer even though their relationship seems doomed from the start. Meanwhile, Leona (Johanna Carlisle-Zepeda) is contemplating selling the beloved pizza parlor as she struggles to keep the business afloat.
The musical numbers are all big pop hits from the 1980s, featuring such crowd-pleasers as “Small Town” by John Cougar Mellencamp, “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper, “I Think We’re Alone Now” by Tiffany, and many more. With the amount of 80s nostalgia that has flooded popular culture in recent years, it would be easy for a show like this to feel cheap or pandering, but that’s not the case at all. The song choices feel very intentional, pairing well with the setting and the story beats, and the choreography by Kasey Alfonso is a lot of fun to watch. Such familiar numbers also encourage the audience to clap and sing along, which enhances the whole experience in a way that only live music can.
The multi-threaded romance narrative feels a bit like a soap opera at first, but the writing is surprisingly good. The characters are very likable, and there is enough emotional depth and intrigue in the interwoven stories to keep things interesting even without the nostalgia of the musical numbers.
The cast is simply stellar. The lead trio (Gonzalez, Robles, Marchand) have a warm camaraderie that makes them easy to get invested in. Robles and Marchand’s rendition of “True Colors” brought the room to tears, and was one of the best moments of the night. Gonzalez and Druzbanski have tremendous chemistry as a couple, with countless steamy scene-stealing numbers in which they can scarcely keep their hands off of one another. There’s also great energy between Robles and Miller, both stylish and charming in their respective portrayals. The biggest laughs of the night belonged to Marc Christopher (Priest/Fireside Gourmet/Charles), whose campy expressions and voices always made a strong impression. The cast received a well-earned standing ovation as they took their bows and lead the audience through one last brief sing-along.
If there’s one potential fly in the pizza sauce, it’s the inclusion of Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up”. My stomach dropped when I first saw it listed in the program. The song became such a widely-shared meme in the mid-2000s through the 2010s, many people might understandably never want to hear it again. However, being a few years removed from the internet phenomenon now, it’s becoming easier to appreciate the song for what it is. The show doesn’t use Astley’s hit song as a joke either, but as a realistic inclusion in an 80s wedding reception set list, and the cast performs it with sincerity and joy that is positively infectious.
In all, theREP’s production of Mystic Pizza is a rousing success. Like its namesake food, it’s a cheesy show full of saucy romance, and the secret ingredient might just be love. Even if you’re not a child of the 80s, if you’re in need of a fun night out, this one is hard to beat.
Capital Repertory Theatre presents Mystic Pizza, runs from July 10 – August 9, 2026, at Capital Repertory Theatre, 251 North Pearl Street in Albany, NY. Directed by Scott Weinstein. Book written by Sandy Rustin. Arrangements and Orchestrations by Carmel Dean. Based on the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Motion Picture with Story and Characters by Amy Holden Jones.
Cast: Carisa Gonzalez as Josephina “Jojo” Barboza, Greg Laucella as Mr. Barboza/Lionel/Lou/Tim US, Marc Christopher as Priest/Fireside Gourmet/Charles, Nick Druzbanski as Bill Montijo, Johanna Carlisle-Zepeda as Leona Silvia, Lauren Marchand as Katherine “Kat” Arujo, Rebekah Rae Robles as Daisy Arujo, Keaton Miller as Charles Gordon Windsor Jr., Ethan Edward as George/Mickey/Alfie, Emily Begley as Lorna/Serena/Kat US, Emma Mineo as Debbie/Teresa/Nikki/Mariana/Daisy US/Jojo US, Dan Teixeira as Frankie/Nick/Steamer Windsor/Bill US, Eric Richard Siegle as Tim Travers, Lauren Yen Solito as Mrs. Arujo/Leona US, Shannon Rafferty as Aunt Bonnie/Polly, Christian Ellwood as Charlie US/Male Identifying Ensemble, and Violet Way as Female Identifying Ensemble.
Band: Tim Houston on Guitar, Ian Kerr-Mace on Drums, Nick Koechel on Bass, and Daniel White on Keyboard.
Scenic Design: Jeffery D. Kmiec. Costume Design: Howard Tsvi Kaplan. Lighting Design: Jennifer Fok. Sound Design: Jeffrey Salerno. Casting Director: Stephanie Klapper, csa. Production Stage Manager: Kate Kern. Conductor: Daniel White. Asst. Stage Manager: Michaela Savoie. Dialect Consultant/Dance Captain: Dan Teixeira. Intimacy Coordinator: Yvonne Perry. Wig Designer: Michael Dunn. Choreography: Kasey Alfonso. Music Director: Matthew Stern.
Performance dates are Tuesday – Sunday, July 10 – August 19. Curtains are at 7:30pm Tuesday through Thursday, and 8:00pm on Friday and Saturday. Matinees are at 1:30pm on Wednesdays, and at 2:00pm on Saturday and Sunday. Ticket prices vary by date, time, and by section. Runs approximately 2 hours 30 minutes with a 15-minute intermission. Tickets are available online. Visit https://attherep.org for more information.