A romantic comedy that’s light on both romance and comedy, this New York Musical Theatre Festival offering concerns the travails of Little Harry (Robb Sapp), a chef who yearns to leave his father’s failing restaurant and break into the big leagues.
Desperate to land a job at a place owned by celebrity chef Lidia Bastianich — the choice seems to have been inspired by the musicality of her name, which inspires a song — his life becomes more complicated when he falls in love with Sherri (Jillian Louis), the daughter of their wealthy landlord (Jane Summerhays).
Deciding to wed just 24 hours after their first date, the couple hit a roadblock when Sherri announces her desire to start a family.
“We don’t have to do this right away,” she assures her worried fiancé. “We can take a little time to get to know each other first.”
That’s about it in terms of the story, which features tired gags about Big Harry’s restaurant, which serves a different ethnic cuisine each day, and the meddling of an eccentric performance artist, Ping (Kate Rigg).
“My parents named me after a runaway duck in a children’s book,” she explains.
Such plot elements as Sherri’s plan to sell the restaurant’s biscotti at the Union Square Market and the couple’s angst over turning 30 are less than compelling. And the score — music by Dan Martin, lyrics by Michael Biello — is pretty forgettable.
The two leads are certainly appealing, and Annie Golden (“Xanadu,” “The Full Monty”) is a lot of fun as the aggrieved girlfriend of the restaurateur Big Harry (Philip Hoffman). But too much of Jennifer Robbins’ book feels underdeveloped and overcooked. All told, it’s hard to commit to “Marry Harry.”