Goodspeed's "Drowsy Chaperone": A Real Sleeper

John Scherer as Man in Chair in "The Drowsy Chaperone"
(photo: Diane Sobolewski)

When The Drowsy Chaperone hit Broadway in 2006, it was a real sleeper, as no one was prepared for how big a hit it would prove to be. Now being presented by Goodspeed Musicals, it's often referred to 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, especially the 1928 (fictional) musical favorite of his, The Drowsy Chaperone.



The Cast of "The Drowsy Chaperone"
(photo: Diane Sobolewski)



The protagonist, identified only as Man in Chair (John Scherer), suffering from some “non-specific sadness”, or what he calls feeling “blue”, finds comfort in playing his recording of the Drowsy score. He narrates the plot and presents the characters to the audience, introducing such stereotypical characters as Mrs. Tottendale (Ruth Gottschall), who's hosting the wedding of Broadway diva Janet Van De Graaff (Stephanie Rothenberg) and oil magnate Robert Martin (Clyde Alves), his best man George (Tim Falter), the titular Drowsy (as in “tipsy”) Chaperone (Jennifer Allen), Mrs. Tottendale's employee known only as Underling (Jay Aubrey Jones), Broadway producer Feldzieg (James Judy) and note the reversal of name from Ziegfeld, as well as aspiring chorine, Kitty (Ruth Pferdehirt). Also featured are self-proclaimed Latin lover Aldolpho (John Rapson), the aforementioned aviatrix, aptly named Trix (Danielle Lee Greaves), a Superintendent (Evan Mayer) and two brothers who are Gangsters (Blakely Slaybaugh and Parker Slaybaugh, brothers in real life), these last two disguised as pastry chefs (don't ask).




The Cast of "The Drowsy Chaperone"
(photo: Diane Sobolewski)

As helmed here by Director Hunter Foster (himself a Broadway star) and Choreographed by Chris Bailey, this production is, well, swell. The hilarity is on a high level, notably in the numbers “As We Stumble Along”, “Message from a Nightingale”, and “Love Is Always Lovely”. Then there's the ironic “Show Off” with Rothenberg dismissing 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 of the members of the cast are superb; the entire company shines. Special attention must be paid, however, to Scherer, as his Man in Chair is nothing short of perfection. Even though this critic has seen four previous productions of the show (including Broadway), this version makes even familiar lines fresh and Sherer's timing impeccable. The Musical Direction by Michael O'Flaherty (in his twenty-seventh season with the company) as well as versatile Set Design by Howard Jones, excellent Lighting Design by Kirk Bookman, Sound Design by Jay Hilton and most especially the many fabulous costumes by Gregg Barnes (many from his own Tony- winning creations for the Broadway original) are all topnotch.



The Cast of "The Drowsy Chaperone"
(photo: Diane Sobolewski)

As Man in Chair says (when referring to a typical overture), this is like a pupu platter of tunes, and it does “what a musical is supposed to do, takes you to another world...for when you're feeling blue...as we stumble along life's crazy labyrinth”. For the perfect antidote to what ails us all these days, whether you've never seen Drowsy Chaperone before or if it's been a while since you last saw it, get thee to Goodspeed. It's being delightfully performed by a hugely talented cast, in what may well be Goodspeed's best ever, a description one tends to keep repeating with each new production. And your record collection may never seem the same again.