Charleston’s historic community theatre kicks off its 86th season with a musical featuring everyone’s favorite 1980s hits. “The Wedding Singer” will open the new season for The Footlight Players on Aug. 11. The play runs through Aug. 27 at the historic Footlight Theatre, 20 Queen St.

The musical is based on the 1998 romantic comedy starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. The musical version appeared on Broadway in 2006. It was nominated for the 2006 Tony Award for Best Musical.

It’s 1985 and rock-star wannabe Robbie Hart, who still lives in his grandmother’s basement, is New Jersey’s favorite wedding singer. He’s the life of the party until his fiancée, Linda, leaves him at the altar.

Shot through the heart, Robbie is so distraught that he makes every wedding as disastrous as his own. When he meets Julia, an admiring young waitress, Robbie falls madly in love. The only trouble is that Julia is about to be married to a Wall Street shark, and unless Robbie can pull off the performance of a decade, the girl of his dreams will be gone forever.

Directing the Footlight Players production is Nakeisha Daniel with musical direction by Manny Houston and choreography by Megan Pue.

“As a child of the ‘80s, I was thrilled for the opportunity to direct the musical version of ‘The Wedding Singer,’” Daniel said. “The sound and style of the time period is so iconic that one can’t help but smile when they think back to their favorite ‘80s song or most embarrassing hairstyle. My hope is that audiences will dance in their seats and take the message to heart that love will find you.”