The Drowsy Chaperone
at Saint Andrew's School

Reviewed on November 6, 2015

Erin Cary
NSU University School
Submitted for publication to Floridatheateronstage.com

"Mix-ups, mayhem, and a gay wedding!" Wedding bells are ringing at Saint Andrew's School in their energetic performance of The Drowsy Chaperone!

Alone in his living room, a Man In Chair puts the needle down on his favorite record. Soon, the eccentric bustle of the 1928 musical The Drowsy Chaperone fills the apartment. As the soundtrack plays, the musical comes to life on stage, telling the story of an unsure bride, an aloof groom, and their diverse, messy company. The musical, with a book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar and music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, has been praised since it debuted on Broadway in May of 2006, winning 5 Tony Awards and 7 Drama Desk Awards.

Cristian Cano, as Man In Chair, was consistently engaged throughout the whole performance. His character brought a comforting sentimentality to the show. Petra Marie Edwards, as the Drowsy Chaperone, brightened the stage with booming vocals and a strong presence. In her powerful solo, "As We Stumble Along," she captured the glamorous charm of her character with her resilient vocals and beautiful physicality. With a swing of her glass, she captured the audience's interest and adoration. Her passion made up for the disinterest expressed by other cast members.

Janet Van De Graaf and Robert Martin, played by Dominique Monserrat and Naveen Sharma respectively, brought an excellent chemistry to the show. Monserrat, portraying a confused, naïve girl, created a strong connection between herself and the audience. Sharma displayed incredible vocals and successful dance capabilities in songs like "Cold Feets" and "Accident Waiting to Happen." Jack Coyne, as the helpless producer Feldzieg, displayed incredible character work. He showed constant engagement, and his relationship with an aspiring star, Kitty, had audience members laughing from start to finish. Bria Weisz, playing Kitty, excellently executed her role as the spotlight-loving wannabe. Her consistent accent and her lovable presence elevated her performance and made her comedic moments all the better.

Portraying a humorous European stereotype, Aldolpho, Jorge Nuñez received more laughs than anyone else. His physicality and vocals in numbers such as, "I Am Aldolpho," helped to cement his hilarity and appeal. Colleen Raymond and Brendan Assaf, as Mrs. Tottendale and Underling respectively, brought out an incredible chemistry on stage. Raymond's outstanding vocals and Assaf's witty one-liners brought their performance to a new level. Their rendition of "Love Is Always Lovely In the End," filled with stellar vocal displays and believable motions, wowed the audience. Alex Watson (George) and Stephanie Grau (Trix) made strong impressions, both displaying quality vocals and engagement.

The ensemble aided greatly in the show. Ben Snider and Alex Essig, as the Gangster duo, pulled laughter out of every onlooker, with their well-executed puns and excellent comedic timing. While some cast members often seemed messy in their execution, the energy of others maintained the glow of the performance.

The tech elements of the show added to the show's appeal. Although the orchestra was sometimes overpowering, many actors made up for it in their crisp pronunciation and appropriate volume.

Through a riveting performance, the students at Saint Andrew's School transported their audience into the beautiful world of The Drowsy Chaperone.

Kayla Goldfarb
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
Submitted for publication to Floridatheateronstage.com

Sit back, relax, grab a glass of "ice water" and get ready for some jazz hands! Wedding bells are ringing, and in Saint Andrew's production of The Drowsy Chaperone, wedding bells will most certainly chime!

Surfacing on Broadway in 2006, The Drowsy Chaperone is a show within a show with larger than life characters that parodies, yet plays homage, to the golden era of musical comedies. Originally a skit intended to be a gift for Bob Martin and his fiancee, The Drowsy Chaperone spawned into a full length musical which follows an antisocial Broadway fanatic simply referred to as Man In Chair. As he laments about the musical, an old record allows the audience to be transported into the wild and flashy production.

Cristian Cano (Man In Chair) skillfully depicted the role of the agoraphobic, over enthusiastic narrator of the bizarre tale. Cano expertly handled the difficult task of remaining on stage throughout the entire performance, which earns him considerable commendation. His energy remained consistent, hardly ever missing a beat, as he lamented about the musical or simply watched on with bursting adoration. However, it was Petra Marie Edwards (The Drowsy Chaperone), portraying the musical's namesake that truly stole the show. She truly lit up the stage with her debaucherous atmosphere and sultry vocals. Her riveting rendition of "As We Stumble Along" only further proved Edwards had a powerful presence on stage.

Naveen Sharma (Robert Martin) proved to be more than a mere caricature of a lovesick husband-to-be. In numbers such as "Cold Feets" and "Accident Waiting to Happen", Sharma showcased his ability to sing, tap, and even roller skate while upholding the cheesy yet debonair persona wonderfully. Hilarity ensued whenever Jorge Nunez (Aldolpho) appeared. His dedication to the fine details of his character, such as the faux Latin accent and vaudeville manner of performing, was just as impressive as his superb comedic timing. Another standout comedic performance was found in Bria Weisz (Kitty) as well as Jack Coyne (Feldzieg). Weisz and Coyne had fantastic chemistry which allowed them to create many entertaining moments when together.

Ben Snider and Alex Essig (The Gangsters) are also worth mentioning. From their threatening quips to pastry puns, the two of them captured the essence of the typical 1920's gangster. The two led the ensemble in the grand number "Toledo Surprise." While the two of them maintained commitment to their character and energy in the show, other performers appeared to be disconnected from the production. Despite some lackluster moments, the performer's must be applauded for their endurance against some troubles such as mic and feedback issues.

All in all, Saint Andrew's The Drowsy Chaperone was a recipe of comedy, romance, and extreme characters. It "cannoli" be described as tasteful and that was perfectly "eclair"!

Maya Quinones
Deerfield Beach High School
Submitted for publication to Floridatheateronstage.com

Wedding bells were ringing this weekend in the auditorium of St. Andrews School as their production of the hit musical The Drowsy Chaperone took to the stage.

A fairly recent musical, The Drowsy Chaperone appeared on the Broadway stage in 2006 and won an impressive five Tony Awards. With music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, The Drowsy Chaperone has delighted musical theater lovers with its spoofs of classic 1920's Broadway shows. Complete with non-threatening gangsters, a desperate Broadway impresario, an ethnic lover, a talented female ingénue, and many other stock characters, the show is famous for poking fun at productions of the past.

Cristian Cano plays Man in Chair, the Broadway obsessed recluse who plays his favorite musical soundtrack for the audience. As the soundtrack plays, the musical is brought to life right before his eyes. Cano narrates the performance, tweaking and commenting on his favorite musical throughout the entire production. With abundant stage time, Cano successfully steered the show in the right direction. Naveen Sharma plays the doe eyed oil tycoon Robert Martin. Sharma executed impressive dance, vocal, and even roller skating skills, showcased in his delightful numbers "Cold Feets" and "Accident Waiting to Happen."

The cast committed to their stereotypical characters throughout the performance. Jorge Nunez played the Latin lover Aldolpho, complete with cape, cane, and ridiculous accent. With his hilarious expressions and physicality, Nunez embodied the seductive, yet dim-witted Aldolpho. Making certain the audience would not forget him, Nunez belted the name of his character in the narcissistic number "I Am Aldolpho," cementing the memory of the lovable Latino in the minds of the audience. Jack Coyne played Feldzeig, the overwhelmed Broadway producer who can make a star out of anybody. Coyne not only had impressive comedic ability, but also outstanding tap dancing skills. Petra Marie Edwards as the title character Drowsy Chaperone was also extraordinary. Alcohol in hand, Edwards commanded the stage with her relaxed yet fierce attitude in her stand out number "As We Stumble Along."

The set impressively allowed for an entire musical to take place in one man's apartment. Clever construction techniques turned walls into beds and refrigerator doors into entryways. The set changes were swift and non-distracting, and the lighting ranged from a pleasant yellow to a deep blue. Sound and mic inconsistencies occasionally overwhelmed the performance. Despite this, the cast did not miss a beat, note, or line.

The Drowsy Chaperone celebrates musical theater, while simultaneously making fun of the various quirks and clichés the genre has rightfully accumulated over the years. St. Andrews production of The Drowsy Chaperon succeeded in bring this "musical within a comedy" to life, proving that with music, there are no sad endings.

Taylor Fish
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
Submitted for publication to Floridatheateronstage.com

With romance, show business, and baking gangsters, "one cannoli hope" they saw The Drowsy Chaperone at Saint Andrew's Upper School this weekend, a show that left the audience kneading more.

Originally a series of racy jokes among friends at the bachelor party of Bob Martin and Janet Van De Graaf, The Drowsy Chaperone developed into a more erudite spoof of American musicals of the 1920's that first graced the Broadway stage on May 1, 2006.The production ran for well over a year, receiving five Tony awards and many other renowned recognitions by the time of its closing. This show within a show entails a Broadway enthusiast, identified as Man in Chair, admiringly describing the plot of his favorite show which humorously takes on the namesake of the actual production. As he listens to the soundtrack, Man in Chair watches his imagination solidify into an illusion of the show in his own living room, portraying the story of Janet Van De Graaf, a star who intends to give up her show business career for marriage, and Robert Martin, who causes Van De Graff to question the validity of his love. Throughout the melodramatic course of their relationship, Man in Chair provides quirky commentary, relating himself to the audience.

Saint Andrew's production captured the humor of this exaggerated show exceedingly well. The chemistry between characters presented itself in the comedic timing, which contributed to the believability of the relationships and the sustained high level of energy among the principal roles. This comicality appeared in many of the smaller group numbers and, occasionally, was made even more impressive by the inclusion of tap dancing.

The authenticity of the plot was emphasized by the constant engagement of Cristian Cano as Man in Chair, who remained present on stage throughout the entire show. His significant involvement in the story supported the character development of the central roles, particularly with Robert Martin, played by Naveen Sharma. Sharma's multitude of vocal, tapping, and roller skating talents were given dimensions by Man in Chair's evident fondness of the character.

Much of the production's success can be credited to Petra Marie Edwards for her captivating portrayal of The Drowsy Chaperone. Her suave, jazzy presence on stage contrasted with the consistently elevated energy of the rest of the cast and created a depth between characters that became almost tangible during her first entrance into the realm of the show. Throughout several offsetting complications with microphone feedback, Edwards impressively never lost her refined stage presence. Her affluence reached its pinnacle during her first encounter with Aldolpho, played by the hysterical Jorge Nunez. The two played off of each other's dissimilar forms of comedy, constructing a priceless romance between an overly emotive narcissist and dry alcoholic.

Saint Andrew's Upper School's production of The Drowsy Chaperone encapsulated the overly histrionic elements necessary to achieve such a comedic show. The cast and crew undoubtedly contributed discernable effort in developing the eccentric and humorous relationships that furthered the storyline, always allowing ample opportunity for a good laugh. In vocal or physicality aspects where some characters struggled, their counterparts excelled, giving balance to each romance, keeping interests high, and reminding everyone that love is always lovely in the end.

Amanda Jimenez
The Sagemont School
Submitted for publication to Floridatheateronstage.com

A seductive Latino casanova, gangsters dressed as bakers in disguise, a perpetually confused hostess, an anxious producer, a wannabe actress, and a wedding— What more could anyone hope for in a musical? Saint Andrew's School's production of The Drowsy Chaperone was a charmingly hilarious extravaganza that left audience members laughing and tapping their feet along to the music throughout the entire show.

The Drowsy Chaperone, music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, is a classic show-within-a-show musical. A man in a chair plays a record of his favorite Broadway musical, the fictional 1928 comedy, The Drowsy Chaperone, and narrates as the musical recording comes to life on stage. It is the wedding day of the famed actress Janet Van De Graaf and her fiancé Robert Martin, an oil tycoon. Janet is ready to leave her successful Broadway career behind and settle down, much to the horror of her producer, Feldzieg, who is pressured to stop the wedding in order to save his show and please a threatening investor. Hilarity ensues as the effort to sabotage the wedding does not go quite as planned.

Saint Andrew's School's production did not disappoint. There was never a dull moment on stage, as the actors constantly commanded attention. Cristian Cano (Man in Chair) charmed as he guided the audience into the world of The Drowsy Chaperone. Cristian offered a refreshing comedic relief from the over the top spectacle unfolding on stage. Especially memorable were Jorge Nuñez (Aldolpho) and Jack Coyne (Feldzieg) whom dazzled with their exceptional characterization and comedic timing. Petra Marie Edwards (The Drowsy Chaperone), Bria Weisz (Kitty), and Naveen Sharma (Robert Martin) also stood out for their dedication to character choices and unwavering charisma. Some actors were not committed to their roles and were not as engaged in what was going on around them. At times, some of the actors' voices wavered as they sang and fell a bit off key. A few actors had a hard time keeping up with the choreography and fell behind pace as they danced. There were issues with the microphones on many occasions, resulting in actor's microphones turning off, static, and loud noises reverberating through the theatre. All of the actors handled these disruptions with poise and soldiered through.

Overall, Saint Andrew's School's production of The Drowsy Chaperone was a fun and enjoyable experience made complete with a lively cast, a fantastic live orchestra, hilarious jokes, and dazzling musical numbers. It's something for when you're feeling blue, ya know?

Tristan Hutchison
Cardinal Gibbons High School
Submitted for publication to The Forum

Mix-ups, mayhem, and a gay wedding! Sounds like the ingredients of a classic in the making, right? Well, you're close! It's Saint Andrew's High School production of "The Drowsy Chaperone."

"The Drowsy Chaperone" originally opened on Broadway in May of 2006, with music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison and a book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar. After 674 performances, the musical closed on Broadway in December of 2007. The show tells the story of an eccentric gentleman titled "Man in Chair," who puts on the record of his favorite 1920s musical and narrates as the record plays. Before you know it, the record comes to life, bringing the fictional world right into the mans living room. Full of slap stick humor and over the top characters, you can be sure that it's nothing short of a party.

This production showed off a variety of talent from its young cast. Some stand out performances include, Brendan Assaf's portrayal of the witty butler Underling. Assaf was a delight to watch on stage, delivering hilarious asides to the audience and sarcastic facial features, he brought charm with him wherever he went. Another wonderful performance in this show was that of Jack Coyne, who played the bumbling producer Feldzieg. Coyne really brought charisma and excitement to his role. Especially, during his surprise dance break, which was not only hysterical but also flawless. The final performance that really stood out was Mrs. Tottendale played by Colleen Raymond. Raymond had a beautiful singing voice that was truly shown off during her duet "Love is Always Lovely in the End." Raymond was always in the moment and seemed to really understand her character.

Technically, the show ran fairly smooth. However, there were times when a character could not be heard or there was microphone feedback. At points in the show, the ensemble lacked emotion or seemed lost on stage, while a few principle characters struggled with their songs or blocking. Though, for the most part, everyone did a fantastic job.

All in all, Saint Andrew's production of "The Drowsy Chaperone" was an exciting experience. Through fun, wit, and charm, the cast really showed us how to "stumble along" on life's crazy journey and to just enjoy the little moments.