The Drowsy Chaperone
at Tesoro High School

Reviewed on April 21, 2017

Caroline Ullem
St. Margaret’s Episcopal School
Submitted for publication to OC Varsity Arts

There were no "Dreary Chaperones" at Tesoro tonight!
written by Caroline Ullem, a freshman at St. Margaret's Episcopal School

Where monkeys, enamored butlers, and baking gangsters take the stage, Tesoro encapsulates what so many love about theater through their production of The Drowsy Chaperone.

Narrating the musical within the musical ,the Man In Chair, a Broadway-loving hermit, plays a record of one of his favorite musicals, The Drowsy Chaperone, about the misfortunes and adventures on the wedding day of a bride with an inattentive chaperone. As the musical progresses, he pauses and rewinds it to share his favorite moments with the audience.

Narrating the musical set in the 1920's, Man in Chair(Matt Davies-Morris) brings the audience on his journey through the soundtrack of The Drowsy Chaperone as he sings along to the songs, pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose, and uses enthusiastic hand gestures to display his love of the show. Janet Van De Graaf, played by Eve DeVault, fills the theater with her beautiful voice and devotion to the character, showing off Janet's dramatic motions and false modesty.

Adolfo(Alexander Trevisan), an egotistical, womanizing European, commands attention through his over the top physicality, most notably in his self-adoring anthem, "I am Aldolpho". Chelsea McCormick, playing Kitty, embodies a stereotypical dim-witted, blond showgirl by tilting her head with a vacant expression on her face and mincing around the stage. The Drowsy Chaperone(Megan Kerrigan) shows her continuous tipsiness by swaying side to side and using exaggerated hand motions, often while clutching a cocktail.

The lighting (Adrianna Ciscone) consistently represents the mood of the play, such as when the lighting switches from blue, showing a calmer moment in a song to red, and intense or climatic moment. The sets are versatile and able to switch quickly from any given scene to the next. Stage management(Kira Dawson) is organized and able to follow the quick moving scenes, even with over 300 cues to follow. Despite the intense dancing and movement in the show, the hair and makeup team (Holly Hatchel, Mya Kratzat) keeps all wigs perfectly placed on actor's heads and completes Aldolpho's dramatic costume with a mustache made of fake eyelashes.

The curtains close one the whole cast, unified together under the love of theatre, "stumbling along" through life. It is safe to say there are no dreary chaperones at Tesoro's exciting production of "Drowsy Chaperone".

Gabby Romero
Santa Margarita Catholic High School
Submitted for publication to OC Varsity Arts

Tesoro "Shows Off" in The Drowsy Chaperone
written by Gabby Romero, a senior at Santa Margarita Catholic High School

In Tesoro High School's charming production of The Drowsy Chaperone, the cast and crew poke fun at stereotypical Broadway tropes as well as explore the positive impact theater has on our lives. The show centers around a man in his apartment sharing his love of the 1920's musical "The Drowsy Chaperone" with the audience, which follows the crazy, physical comedy and mayhem on the wedding day of a successful actress and her fiancé.

Guiding the audience through the musical is Man in Chair, played by Matt Davies-Morris. As he sits in his apartment, he interacts with the audience by inserting his witty commentary throughout the show, like passionately complaining about texting in the theater and excitedly sharing facts about the actors. Davies-Morris also expresses his character's love for theater as he enthusiastically shakes his hands and sings along to each number.

The leading lady of The Drowsy Chaperone is Janet Van De Graaf, performed by Eve DeVault. DeVault perfectly captures her character, maintaining a classic 1920's voice as well as an over-the-top pose as she stands on stage. Her superb acting performance is supplemented by her powerful singing, particularly in the number "Show Off".

Alexander Trevisan steals the show as Adolpho, The Drowsy Chaperone's Latin lover. His dramatic and exaggerated movements, from bending over backward when confused to playfully swaying his hips when trying to seduce, highlight the slapstick comedy of the show.

The impressive performance is only augmented by the skillful technical design. Tyler Munro and Juli Nazzario's sound design is incredibly detailed, providing noises, many of them being original recordings, for even the most minute moments. From the sound of a record spinning to vintage cameras clicking, the talent and the hard work of the designers are crystal clear.

The marketing of the show, led by Katie Alexander and the Tesoro Marketing Crew, proves to be very successful. The show is publicized across several platforms, ranging from multiple original advertisements aired on the school's television network to an original Snapchat Geotag that audience members can use when seeing the show. The astounding level of outreach to students across Orange County promotes the production as well as displays immense creativity.

With stellar performances from the cast and inventive technical design, Tesoro's The Drowsy Chaperone supports the central theme of the musical: theater is the best cure for when you're feeling blue.

Justine Sombilon
La Habra
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook Page

Tesoro Does Anything But Stumble in The Drowsy Chaperone
written by Justine Sombilon, a junior at La Habra High School

When faced with life's most troubling situations, such as the inevitable reality of aging or the uncertain question of holy matrimony, one always has two options: To live while you can, or to leave. Tesoro's spring musical, The Drowsy Chaperone, charmingly explores the pros and cons of both routes.

As the Man in Chair settles down into his plush couch for a comfortable night in, he puts on a record of his favorite 1920's musical comedy, The Drowsy Chaperone. Suddenly, the lights come up and the Man in Chair is completely immersed in the glitz, glamour and absurdity of the decadent 1920's as the musical comes to life in his living room.

Although not the lead vocalist, the Man in Chair is the star of this musical comedy with his quick wit and undeniable charm. Adorably portrayed by Matt Davies-Morris, the Man in Chair is the heart, brain and soul of the show. Davies-Morris portrays his diverse set of acting abilities as he brings in laughs with his excited wiggling of his fingers, casual banter to himself, and tears as his reflections on his failed marriage and broken childhood conjure up images of a lonely man looking for solace in an outdated musical.

As the self-obsessed starlet of the show-within-the-show, Janet Van De Graaff is brilliantly played by Eve DeVault. DeVault oozes the sultry appeal of the Prohibition Era, whether through her spot-on Transcontinental accent or through her impeccable, resonant singing voice. DeVault shows off her powerhouse alto belts through numbers such as "Show Off", where all eyes are on her, just as it should be.

The duo of the titular character, the Drowsy Chaperone (skillfully played by Megan Kerrigan) and her new Latin lover, Aldolpho (ostentatiously portrayed by the hilarious Alexander Trevisan) bring a heightened level of intelligent humor to the show. Kerrigan's glazed look of simultaneous sarcasm and confusion matched with Trevisan's fluid, humongous flailing of his cape create a pair made in comedy heaven.

The marketing team, led by Katie Alexander, heavily promotes the show's quirky, quippy nature with short yet extremely entertaining promotional videos.

Tesoro's spring musical proves that there really is something about theater that can take you away. It's a friend that makes you laugh, an ex-spouse that breaks your heart, and a shoulder to lean on whenever you're feeling a bit blue.