This week I had the opportunity to sit in on a rehearsal of The Drowsy Chaperone. Beyond the fun I had watching the cast rehearse, I also got to sit down with some of them to ask about the production and what we all have to look forward to when it premiers in April.
The Drowsy Chaperone is a play-within-a-play about a man who tries to cheer himself up by listening to his favorite record. Tee Mitchell, the dramaturg and stage manager of the show, shared with me that this show was originally created as a gift for Bob Martin and Janet van de Graaf for their wedding in 1997. She also told me that her favorite part of the show is how it encourages the audience to laugh at themselves through its rich portrayal of satire and ridiculous comedy. I asked other members of the cast what they thought makes The Drowsy Chaperone unique and the unanimous conclusion was the nostalgic vibe and the fourth wall breaking comedy that lives at its center. We also have some terrific props and mind-blowing musical numbers to look forward to but I will be keeping those details to myself for now. Jason Blanks, who plays The Man In The Chair in the show, told me that there is “love at the center of this show, it’s in its nature.”
One of the best things about live theater is the impact it can have on the people in the audience. With that in mind, I asked the cast what they hope the audience takes with them after the curtain falls. Jaden Carlisle, a senior here at Gulf Coast who plays George in the show, told me he hopes we carry with us the love and gratitude found at the heart of this story. Norah Jones (Mrs. Tottendale) hopes we go forward from this show and do something we love, similarly to how The Man in the Chair puts on his favorite record. Perhaps my favorite answer came from Reymyah McGee (Reporter 1/Ensemble) who said she wants the audience to leave the show with a sense of fulfillment.
I had a wonderful time talking with this cast and watching them work and I know you will to. Join me in seeing The Drowsy Chaperone during the first two weekends in April later this spring.
