Cranford Dramatic Club's "It Shoulda Been You" Explores Family Chaos at a Wedding

The musical comedy celebrates the unexpected joys of real life over the carefully scripted version.

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

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The Cranford Dramatic Club's latest production, "It Shoulda Been You", is a musical comedy that opened on February 13, 2026, continuing the theater's 107th season. The show explores secrets, sibling tensions, and the chaos of family with humor and heart as it follows the wedding of Rebecca and Brian, orchestrated by Rebecca's sister Jenny. As plans unravel and long-buried secrets surface, each character is forced to confront private disappointments and unspoken desires, leading to a cascade of revelations that reframe relationships and expose the fragile scaffolding beneath the wedding's polished surface.

Why it matters

The show mines religious tradition, generational conflict, identity, and marriage for both tension and laughter, celebrating the unexpected joys of real life over the carefully scripted version. Director Zach Mazouat sees the production as exploring the human need to be seen, loved, and hold onto the life we think we're promised, even as reality refuses to match the script we've written for ourselves.

The details

"It Shoulda Been You" premiered on Broadway in 2015, with book and lyrics by Brian Hargrove and music by Barbara Anselmi. The Cranford Dramatic Club's production features a talented cast, including Rachel Love as Jenny Steinberg, Jordyn Sava as Rebecca, and Brian Petty as Brian Howard. The show's snappy dialogue and energetic score sharpen the humor, while the lyrics land pointed observations about family dynamics and social expectations.

  • The musical comedy opened on February 13, 2026, continuing the Cranford Dramatic Club's 107th season.
  • Performances will continue through March 1, with 8:00 p.m. showings on February 20, 21, 27, and 28, and 2:00 p.m. matinees on February 22 and March 1.

The players

Zach Mazouat

The director of the Cranford Dramatic Club's production of "It Shoulda Been You", who sees the show as exploring the human need to be seen, loved, and hold onto the life we think we're promised, even as reality refuses to match the script we've written for ourselves.

Rachel Love

The actress playing the role of Jenny Steinberg, the sister who orchestrates the wedding of her sister Rebecca to fiancé Brian Howard.

Jordyn Sava

The actress playing the role of Rebecca, the bride whose wedding is anything but predictable.

Brian Petty

The actor playing the role of Brian Howard, the groom whose wedding day is filled with surprises.

Maryann Galife Post

The actress playing the role of Judy, the overbearing, tradition-minded mother of the bride.

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What they’re saying

“At its heart, It Shoulda Been You is a love story—but not just the romantic kind. It's about family, expectations, tradition, and the beautiful mess that happens when real life crashes into the carefully planned version we think we want.”

— Zach Mazouat, Director (tapinto.net)

“What drew me to this piece is its incredible balance of humor and heart. It is laugh-out-loud funny, yes, but it's also deeply human. Every character is trying—sometimes desperately—to be seen, to be loved, and to hold onto the version of life they thought they were promised. The comedy comes from their collisions; the heart comes from their honesty.”

— Zach Mazouat, Director (tapinto.net)

“In a world that often pressures us to 'get it right,' It Shoulda Been You celebrates getting it real instead. It asks us to consider that maybe the life we end up with—the one full of surprises, compromises, and unexpected joy—is exactly the one we were meant to have.”

— Zach Mazouat, Director (tapinto.net)

What’s next

Performances of "It Shoulda Been You" at the Cranford Dramatic Club will continue through March 1, 2026.

The takeaway

The Cranford Dramatic Club's production of "It Shoulda Been You" celebrates the unexpected joys and beautiful mess of real life, exploring how the carefully planned version of the wedding day collides with the reality of family dynamics, secrets, and unspoken desires. The show's balance of humor and heart invites the audience to consider that the life we end up with, full of surprises and unexpected joy, may be exactly the one we were meant to have.