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| The Cast of "Drowsy Chaperone" (photo: Cape Playhouse) |
When “Drowsy Chaperone” hit Broadway in 2006, it was
a true sleeper, as no one was prepared for how popular it would
prove. Now being presented as Cape Playhouse's second production of
the season, It's billed as “a musical within a comedy”, and that
indeed it is. First performed in 1998 in Toronto, it evolved into a
full-fledged Broadway musical comedy eight years later, running for
almost 700 performances, with thirteen Tony nominations and five Tony
Awards (including, notably, Best Book and Best Score) and seven Drama
Desk Awards, as well as five Olivier Awards for its London
production. Many (this critic included) felt it was the best musical
of that season. A parody of the silly musicals of the twenties, with
its ditzy chorine, comic gangsters, mistaken identities and even an
aviatrix, it was immediately embraced by musical comedy buffs as the
loving valentine to the form that it was intended to be. With the
Book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar and Music and Lyrics by Lisa
Lambert and Greg Morrison, it emerged as one of the most original
creations in memory. It's the story of an agoraphobic man living
alone with his theatrical memories and LP collection of Broadway
musicals, specifically the 1928 (fictional) musical special favorite
of his, “The Drowsy Chaperone”.
The protagonist, identified only as Man in Chair (Simon
Jones), suffering from some “non-specific sadness”, or what he
calls feeling “blue”, finds comfort in playing his recording of
the score. He narrates the plot and presents the characters to the
audience, introducing such stereotypical characters as Mrs.
Tottendale (Jo Anne Worley, of “Laugh-In” fame, who played the
role on Broadway for eight months in 2007, and is fondly remembered
from the wacky 1966 musical revue “The Mad Show”) who's hosting
the wedding of Broadway diva Janet Van Der Graaf (Julie Kavanagh) and
oil magnate Robert Martin (Danny Gardner), his best man George (John
Scacchetti), the titular Drowsy (as in “tipsy”) Chaperone
(Michele Ragusa), Mrs. Tottendale's employee known only as Underling
(James Dybas), Broadway producer Feldzieg (Bill Nolte) and note the
reversal of name from Ziegfeld, as well as aspiring chorine, Kitty
(Kristen Mengelkoch). There's also self-proclaimed Latin lover
Aldolpho (Craig Laurie), the aforementioned aviatrix, aptly named
Trix (Dan'yelle Williamson), and two Gangsters (Ben Liebert and
Elliott Mattox), these last two disguised as pastry chefs (don't
ask). The cast also includes a Superintendent (played by Cape
Playhouse intern Gus Cuddy), and a dancing ensemble of two, Lauren
Kadel and Karen Hyland, in multiple roles (including as a pair of
monkeys).
As helmed here by Director Pamela Hunt and
Choreographed by Shea Sullivan, this production is, well, swell. The
hilarity is on a high level, notably in the numbers “As We Shuffle
Along”, “Message from a Nightingale”, and “Love Is Always
Lovely in the End”. Then there's the ironic “Show Off” wherein
Kavanagh dismisses countless song conventions while simultaneously
executing them, a satirical hoot for musical comedy buffs. It's
difficult to describe the rest of the show without too many spoilers,
but suffice it to say the scenes when the record skips, as well as
quite a few other tongue-in-cheek homages to clichés
of old musicals, including spit-takes, make this one enormously funny
show. The performances from all thirteen cast members, are superb,
especially Mr. Jones and Ms. Worley, but the entire company shines.
The Musical Direction by Michael Rice, leading an orchestra of nine
(including himself on keyboard), the extraordinarily clever Set
Design by Nicholas Dorr, the excellent Lighting Design by Erick Fox
and most especially the many fabulous costumes by the wondrous Jose
Rivera, are all topnotch.
If you've never seen “Drowsy Chaperone” before, or
it's been a while since you last saw it, get thee to Cape Playhouse
where it's being delightfully performed by a hugely talented cast. As
Man in Chair says when referring to an overture, this is like a pupu
platter of tunes. Your record collection may never seem the same
again.
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