Hightstown High Teacher is 'The Wedding Singer'

's Bill Kamps will begin teaching a different kind of social studies tonight as the star of "The Wedding Singer" at Mercer County Community College's Kelsey Theater.

Kamps, 29, of Burlington, stars as Robbie Hart, the title singer originally played by Adam Sandler in the movie that spawned the show. Heartbroken after being left at the altar himself, he rekindles his spirits after meeting the sweet Julia. But as he helps her plan her wedding to her sleazy boyfriend, Glen, he starts to realize he's the one she should be marrying.

"This is one of those shows where I  knew they were going to do it," he said. "But I'm not a rock singer kind of guy—I'm usually doing more Broadway kinds of sounds—and I didn't know how well I'd be able to translate to it. But I think it's working out."

Kamps has been teaching social studies at Hightstown High for six years and has been involved in theater since he himself was in high school.

"It's something that kind of followed me," he said. "I never decided to make a career of it, but it's always been something on the side; sort of a nice break from what I do."

Among his many roles have been John Wilkes Booth in the musical "Assassins," Snoopy in "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown," and Jesus in "Godspell."

One aspect "The Wedding Singer" shares with "Ragtime" is that Kamps will be onstage with his brother, Christopher, who this time plays his unpleasant—if not quite villainous—rival, Glen.

"A real treat is that my brother is one of the other main characters, and it's been really nice to do a show with him. We did 'Ragtime' together, but this is the first time he and I really played opposite each other," Bill Kamps said. "It's nice, now that we're both adults doing shows together—it's a cool experience."

In addition to his work onstage, Kamps has also taken to working behind the scenes with the Hightstown High theater department. While the acting side of the program is well established, he said he and his colleague Erik Petrushun have taken to working on things like sets, lighting and sound. "We're really try to work with the technical side of theater," he said.

One nice aspect of doing shows at places like Kelsey is that they allow the actors to have outside lives. "It's nice doing community theater because it's not a long-term commitment," Kamps said.

Of course, having an outside life can lead to some interesting situations.

Kamps said he tells students about his other life to show them that choosing one career path doesn't limit you forever. "They have ability to follow up with things they enjoy or are passionate about, even if it's not their career choice," he explained. "I'm intentionally inviting them to go because I think it's important for them to see the humanity of their teachers."

But he also said that he won't give out extra credit to students who show up. "There's some moral line you cross there," he said with a laugh.

While the shift in roles can feel a little awkward, he added, "I think it's very sweet and nice of them when they come and support me."

Overall, Kamps said he thinks he's made a successful transition to a different kind of performance, and he praised his cast mates for their sense of comedic timing. "It's definitely an entertainer show," he said.

Is it for you? "If you're looking for serious Broadway or even a major moral message, then no, probably not," he explained. But if instead you're looking for something to "keep you engaged and entertained," he said, "this is your kind of show."

And personally, Kamps added, "I'm very appreciative of the time people are willing to give to find some history teacher."

This production of "The Wedding Singer" premiers tonight, Friday, and runs through Feb. 20. at Mercer County Community College's Kelsey Theater on the school's West Windsor Campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road. Shows are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. and tickets are $16 for adults, $14 for seniors and $12 for students and children. Buy tickets online or by calling 609-570-3333.