THE DROWSY CHAPERONE

CO-PRODUCED BY VINTAGE THEATRE and PERFORMANCE NOW THEATRE COMPANY

SEPTEMBER 2 – OCTOBER 9

 

BERNIE CARDELL IS A NATIONAL TREASURE!!!

 

This production of the Tony Award-winning show is a close replication of the one last year. The review will therefore be pretty much the same, except for where this production has introduced a new actor or some other innovation in the production.

 

     Last September THE DROWSY CHAPERONE appeared on the west side of town at Performance Now Theatre Company in the Lakewood Community Center.

This September Vintage Theatre and Performance Now Theatre Company are co-producing (reproducing?) the show in Vintage Theatre’s own Nickelson Auditorium in Aurora.

     This time there are a few changes due to schedules, moves and what not. Somehow the show has evolved into something even better!

     Having swept the MARLOWE AWARDS at the end of last year, THE HENRYS followed suit this summer.  You really can’t go wrong buying a seat for this spectacular show. It’s entertainment of the highest and best! And who doesn’t need a bit of that in these unsettling times? What was wonderful in the production in Lakewood, has been made all the more enjoyable in the intimacy of The Jeffrey Nickelson auditorium at Vintage.

     The show opens with the musings of a musical theatre super fan - Man in Chair- who’s trying to lift his spirits and decides on playing the original Broadway cast recording of a show called The Drowsy Chaperone. As he describes the show and plays the record – “yes, record”- the show explodes across the stage with eye-popping, ear-pleasing panache!

     Bernie Cardell portrays Man in Chair, and his portrayal is one of those truly exceptional performances that are SO rare, it will be talked about in theatre circles for decades. Cardell’s incarnation of ‘man in chair’ is tenderly vulnerable and wondrously open as he informs the audience of all his interesting points of view about “The Drowsy Chaperone’s” characters as well as the actors who played them. Cardell’s character walks in and out of the scenes in such a way as to let us as audience realize he’s more at home in his musical theatre fantasies than he is in real life. Kelly Van Oosbree’s direction of Cardell in “An Accident Waiting to Happen,” will have you in stitches. (Sorry. No spoilers.)

     In a nutshell, the plot has to do with whether Janet Van de Graaff and Robert Martin will get married or not.

     There have been a couple of changes in the cast. The bride is now played by Denver favorite Colby Reisinger. Ms. Reisinger is a musical theatre triple threat with a voice to die for. 

     The Latin Lover, Aldolpho is played by Matt LaFontaine with a superb comic take on the role. 

     Michaela Murray, who played June in the recent smash hit, GYPSY, knocks it out of the park as Trix, the aviatrix. 

     George A. Zamarripa is Feldzieg this time around. His performance in the role of this gangster boss is outstanding.

     Adrianne Hampton enchants as the squeaky wannabe actress and gangster moll, Kitty.

     As the groom, Andy Sievers continues to take the city by storm with his triple threat musical theatre talents.

     Brian Trampler (Underling) and Jennifer Burnett as Mrs. Tottendale return with vaudeville inspired moments that include spit-takes and malaprops galore.

     Andrew Bates taps up a storm as George, the Best Man.  Mr. Bates also scaled down his Marlowe Award and Henry award-winning scenic design for this more intimate space with true genius.

     Nancy Evans Begley stuns us once again as the Drowsy Chaperone herself. Begley’s spectacular voice is once again rocking the rafters. Her exaggerated facial expressions and semaphore-like gestures are now even in-your-face funnier.

     Tim Campbell and Kris Graves are the hilarious gangsters posing as pastry chefs. Their “Toledo Surprise” is hilarious.

     The choreography and direction by renowned Kelly Van Oosbree is perfection.

     Under the baton of Music Director Mary Dailey, the offstage band delivers the Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison score flawlessly.

       Emily Maddox’s Lighting Design provides just the right moods.

       Nikki Harrison’s costumes dazzle.  

 

NOT TO BE MISSED!!!

 

Vintage Theatre and Performance Now Theatre Company presents 

 “The Drowsy Chaperone” 

Tony Award winning send-up of the Jazz Age musical.

Sept. 2 – Oct 9

Fri/Sat at 7:30 p.m.; Sun. at 2:30 p.m.

$20 - $38

303-856-7830 or online at www.vintagetheatre.org

Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora 80010

90 Minutes no intermission.