Pop the champagne and get swept away on a Jazz Age journey of love, laughter and libation as the Tony Award-winning musical comedy The Drowsy Chaperone dances onto the stage at St. Jacobs Country Playhouse.
Hailed by New York Magazine as “The Perfect Broadway Musical”, this parody runs for three weeks from March 28 to April 15.
Alone in his modest apartment, a Broadway fan puts on his favourite cast recording – a 1928 romp called The Drowsy Chaperone. As the record spins, the colourful characters spring to life, transporting the audience (and transforming the apartment) into the dazzling world of the roaring twenties complete with glitz, glamour and gin martinis.
The hilarious tale of a glamourous celebrity bride and her impending nuptials is in full swing – complete with a tap dancing groom, bumbling best man, wise-cracking butler, desperate producer, ambitious chorus girl, misguided Don Juan, two goofy gangsters posing as pastry chefs and a tipsy chaperone.
“The Drowsy Chaperone is a tongue-in-cheek tribute to old-fashioned musical comedy – if you love song and dance musicals like Singin’ in the Rain and Anything Goes, you will love this show,” said Drayton Entertainment’s artistic director, Alex Mustakas.
The musical is brought to life by director Max Reimer, whose resume includes productions all across Canada as well as numerous shows for Drayton Entertainment including last season’s hit Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Reimer is joined by choreographer Robin Calvert, music director Jeannie Wyse, set designer Samantha Burson, costume designer Rachel Berchtold, and lighting designer Bonnie Beecher.
The cast for this musical comedy includes Stratford Festival alumnus Mike Nadajewski as the loveable narrator known only as “Man in Chair.”
Adding a new twist to the show-within-a-show scenario, Nadajewski’s quirky Man in Chair provides a humourous running commentary as he applauds the production numbers from his front row seat right on stage.
The Drowsy Chaperone tells the story of celebrity Janet Van De Graaf, who vows to leave the stage to settle down with her oil tycoon beau Robert Martin.
This is to the chagrin of her wily producer Mr. Feldzieg, who will stop at nothing to keep his star performer in the limelight as the featured attraction in his Feldzieg’s Follies.
Jayme Armstrong, who has performed in numerous Drayton Entertainment productions takes on the role of conflicted starlet Janet Van De Graaf.
Stratford and Charlottetown Festivals alumnus Kyle Golemba is her lovesick mogul fiancé, Robert. Cliff Saunders is the devious producer Mr. Feldzieg.
A host of other comical characters become embroiled in the plot to prevent Janet’s marriage – veteran actress Gabrielle Jones is Janet’s inebriated Chaperone, who is supposed to keep her away from Robert until the wedding despite being distracted by her own hijinks.
The Drowsy Chaperone is on stage at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse from March 28 to April 15.
The production is performed without an intermission.
Tickets are $46 for adults and $27 for youth under 20 years of age.
Tickets for groups of 20 or more and select discount dates are $37.
HST is applicable to all ticket prices.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.draytonentertainment.com, in person at the box office or by calling 519-747-7788 or toll free at 1-855-DRAYTON (372-9866).
