2012 - 2013

The Drowsy Chaperone

Every now and then a real gem of a new show comes along that is pure entertainment. The Drowsy Chaperone, a Canadian-born satire of the 1920s musicals, is indeed one of those rare jewels.

It takes place in the mind and in the apartment of a recluse referred to only as Man in Chair. As he plays one of his old records on this antiquated turntable, this delightful show comes to life before our eyes.

Feldzieg Follies and movie star Janet Van de Graaff is saying farewell to showbiz and getting married to oil tycoon Robert Martin. Without her, the Follies stand to lose a lot of money. So the Follies' backers hire two thugs to lean on Feldzieg, their producer, to hlep protect their investment.

The Van de Graaff/Martin wedding is to take place at the estate of a rather ditzy dowager, Mrs. Tottendale. Along with her beleaguered butler, Underling, and in keeping with the era, they provide the scene-melding vaudeville routines.

Feldzieg engages the services of a Latin lothario by the name of Aldolpho who is contracted to bed the bride before her fiancé does and quash any plans for a wedding. Aldolpho enters the bride's boudoir and upon meeting the titled drowsy or should we say tipsy chaperone, immediately mistakes her for the bride.

Add to the mix one gold-digging chorine, a caring best man, an Earhart-like aviatrix along with a few other delightful characters, and there you have it, a wonderful way to escape the dreary horrors of the real world and enjoy life when it was so much less complicated.

Artistic Director: Michael Gareau

Musical Director: John McGovern

Choreographer: Debbie Millet (also Assistant Artistic Director)

Cast

Production