The Drowsy Chaperone
Music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert & Greg Morrison
Book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar
Department of Musical Theatre
October 13-23, 2016 • Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre
Do you remember that moment when you first got a recording and played it over and over until you had all the songs memorized? Well, that’s the scenario here – an obsessed musical theatre fan needs a little pick-me-up so he puts on a record to hear his all-time favorite cast recording: the fictional 1928’s smash hit, The Drowsy Chaperone. As he begins to share the story (inserting some wry narration along the way), the musical comes to life in his living room – transforming the dingy apartment into a grand estate, perfect for the upcoming nuptials of debonair Robert Martin and Broadway starlet Janet van de Graaff. Unfortunately, not all the guests are in favor of the impending wedding, so as in all good musicals, confusion, mistaken identity, hijinks, and a few big dance numbers abound on the way to the altar.
While the The Drowsy Chaperone may not be the most familiar title, the show has garnered incredible buzz from its first performance at the Toronto Fringe Festival in 1999. The Toronto Star declared “The Drowsy Chaperone is so much fun, it’s barely legal!” while The New York Magazine hailed it as “The perfect Broadway musical.” This sleeper hit of a show made its way to Broadway in 2006, winning Tony Awards for Best Book and Score along with Drama Desk awards for Outstanding Musical and Book of a Musical. A loving parody of 1920s American screwball musical comedy, The Drowsy Chaperone is a madcap delight filled with show-stopping dance, witty dialogue, and over-the-top hilarity that guarantees an evening of laughter and enjoyment.
Artistic Staff
Director: Mark Madama
Music Director/Conductor: Jason DeBord
Choreographer: Mara Newbery Greer
Scenic Designer: Caleb Levengood
Costume Designer: Camille Charara
Lighting Designer: Martijn Appelo
Sound Designer: Al Hurschman
Wig & Makeup Designer: Taylor Thiede
Stage Manager: Eleanor Howell-Shryock
Cast
Man in Chair: Alexander Sherwin
Mrs. Tottendale: Isabel Stein
Underling: Aidan Ziegler-Hansen
Robert Martin: Kyle McClellan
George: Christopher Campbell
Feldzeig: Riley McFarland
Kitty: Jo Ellen Pellman
Gangster #1: Joseph Sammour
Gangster #2: Simon Longnight
Adolpho: Charlie Patterson
Janet Van de Graaff: Hannah Lynne Miller
The Drowsy Chaperone: Nkeki Obi-Melekwe
Trix: Cydney Clark
Superintendent: Griffin Binnicker
Ensemble: Spencer Croy, Audrey Kennedy, Carina Kay Louchiey, Christopher Washington
Swings: Griffin Binnicker, McKenzie Kurtz