The Drowsy Chaperone March 3-6, 2011, at Atholton High School

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Cecelia Holt on March 24, 2011 at 3:31pm

An exited old man puts a record on a player, and welcomes everyone into The Drowsy Chaperone presented by Atholton High School and directed by Nathan Rosen at the beginning of the fantastic “musical within a Comedy” that the school produced for this spring. A plane and a wedding during prohibition take the stage as the Man in Chair puts on his favorite record.

 

            In The Drowsy Chaperone, a Man in Chair invites the audience into his house to listen to the recording of The Drowsy Chaperone, his favorite musical. With the record on we dive into the day before Janet and Roberts wedding. She’s giving up the stage for him and her director, Feldzieg, isn’t happy about that, and neither are the gangsters who demand that Feldzieg keep her from getting married.  After much confusion, everything seems to be going wrong of the “happy couple.”  The Chaperone isn’t much help and love machine Aldolpho adds his cards to the table, making everything hysterical!

 

            The Man in Chair held the overall production together various interruptions of the scenes. Not only did it provide some comedy, but it also gives more background of him, making him more then a narrator.

 

            Starring the show was Scott Jones as the Man in Chair and Chikodili Agwuna as the Drowsy Chaperone. There was also Spencer Franco and Sarah Whiteford as Robert and Janet, the couple that goes though absolutely everything before their wedding. The chemistry between Janet and Robert was astonishing and the Man in Chair trying to interact with the characters was interesting and keeps the play fun and energetic. Chikodili raised many number up a level with her amazing voice, and unparallel advice to a bride.

 

            Also adding their talents to the show was Jay Nachenber (George), Javier Scott (Feldzieg), Cecilia Grady (Kitty), Jeremy Goldman (Aldolpho) and Olivia D’Amato (Trix the Aviatrix.) Adding different flavors to the mix, these actors set the stage on fire with their dancing feet, mind-reading skills and piloting abilities. Always there to provide a bit of comic relief, these actors stayed in character and added a layer of depth to the musical.

 

            Though there were a few microphone issues, the techies were on key and the set changes went wonderfully. From a bedroom to a garden to a hall, everything moved as one. The high school also made the daring move to have the walls open for set changes. They also included a pull down bed and a walk-in refrigerator that doubled as a door for the actors. What a fantastic idea! The costumes were also very fluid and consistent, and although the make-up for the older characters wasn’t above par, everyone else looked fantastic.

 

            With amazing acting, dancing and singing skills, the cast of The Drowsy Chaperone, made the time of prohibition come alive in an old mans apartment, and light his heart, and the hearts of the audience on fire with the amazing performance.

Permalink Reply by Becky Lamich on March 27, 2011 at 9:08pm

       If you mix together sparkly showgirls with a couple pastry chef gangsters then toss in a little airplane and a whole lot of fun, then bake it up nice and slow, what do you get? It’s not a toledo surprise. It’s Atholton High School’s charming performance of The Drowsy Chaperone.

 

      The Drowsy Chaperone takes us on a lovable journey narrated by the even more lovable MAN IN CHAIR (Scott Jones). He plays his favorite record for the audience and transports them back to the 1920’s to the glamorous wedding of former showgirl Janet Van De Graaf (Sarah Whiteford) and the handsome Robert Martin (Spencer Franco). But it’s far from smooth sailing for these two on their special day. Unbeknownst to them it seems everyone is trying to stop their wedding from happening. Janet’s producer, Mr. Feldzieg (Javier Scott), is terrified of what will happen to his show if Janet gives up her life on stage. He also fears the gangsters (Brad Plaxen, Nick Tsusaki, Ben Vaughn) who have also come to make sure Janet doesn’t leave the stage so they don’t lose their income. With shenanigans happening left and right, it doesn’t help that the bride and groom can’t see each other before the wedding, or that the Drowsy Chaperone (Chikodili Agwuna) isn’t doing a very good job of keeping them apart. 

 

      With a musical number in every scene full of color and ensemble dance numbers, the crowd was certainly constantly entertained by The Drowsy Chaperone. Man in Chair kept them laughing with his interjections and modern day jokes. This show never has a dull moment and Atholton definitely kept up with its pace. 

 

      The leads for this show were well cast, each bringing the proper amount of quirk and charm to their characters and completely absorbing the audiences attention. From the very beginning every one fell in love with Scott Jones as Man in Chair. He never missed a beat with his knowledgeable interjections and jokes so the audience never had a chance to stop laughing. Every one was thoroughly impressed by Sarah Whiteford’s talent as she danced and sang as Janet Van De Graff. No one could resist the charm or the smile of Spencer Franco as Robert. Jeremy Goldman nailed his part as the seductive Aldolpho, his accent never faulted and he never stopped entertaining. The dynamic duo of Javier Scott and Cecilia Grady as Feldzieg and Kitty always took the stage by storm and only added to the comedic element of the play. Jay Nachenberg as George kept everything moving right along as a best man ought, whether he was pulling roller skates out of dishwashers or tap dancing his way across stage. Olivia D’Amato wowed every one with her strong vocals as Trix. Brad Plaxen, Nick Tsusaki, and Ben Vaughn kept the comedy up with their performance as the not-so-threatening but always entertaining gangsters. And who couldn’t adore the forgetful Mrs. Tottendale played by Erin Patterson and her hilariously snarky butler, Underling, played by Sam Kobren. And last but not certainly not least, the title character The Drowsy Chaperone, perfectly portrayed by Chikodili Agwuna. With her amazing vocals and flashy outfits that she wore so well, Agwuna stumbled her way right into the audience’s heart. 

 

      The supporting cast including the Reporters, House Staff, and Ensemble brought a life to the show that couldn’t have been achieved with out them. The ensemble was larger than expected, but when they all came together and danced it completely immersed the audience and brought the true feeling of a musical. With maids, reporters, and even children constantly running around the ensemble was truly what created the illusion that a wedding was going on and the audience completely believed it.  

 

      The costumes in Atholton’s performance looked like they were picked right out the 1920’s and placed right onto the actors. They were sparkling with sequins and brightly colored, but never over done or out of place. There wasn’t a non-classy man in sight and no girl was without some sort of head piece or costume jewelry adorning her. The set was constant and very professional looking, and it also held many surprises. Walls opened up to make extra exits, windows became beds, and refrigerators became doors! All of it’s hidden openings and surprise exits helped make for smooth set changes and allowed the show to continue without interruption.  

      With larger than life characters and the charm of true love and wedding bells, Atholton blew the audience away with their performance of The Drowsy Chaperone. Despite some minor technical difficulties, the cast never faltered and the show stayed consistently strong. There’s a surprise behind every door and never a dull moment. With lovable characters and amazing talent, no one will want to miss the fun of this show.

Permalink Reply by Cody McNeeley on March 29, 2011 at 5:44pm

Gangsters, prohibition, film stars, a European lover, and… a Man in a Chair? All of these elements send the audience soaring through the comedic ups and downs of The Drowsy Chaperone, presented by Atholton High School.            

The Drowsy Chaperone is the story of an eccentric Man in a chair (Scott Jones) that guides the audience through a recording of his favorite musical, The Drowsy Chaperone. The show within the show is about a big time star, Janet Van DeGraff (Sarah Whiteford), who is stepping out of the spotlight and getting married to Robert Martin (Spencer Franco). Janet, accompanied by the Drowsy Chaperone (Chikodili Agwuna), is trying to avoid her old producer, Mr. Feldzieg (Javier Scott) who will do anything he can to get her to not get married and quit showbiz, even if it means hiring a Latin lover, Aldolpho (Jeremy Goldman) to woo Janet off her feet. But will she get married or end up calling it off?

            The Drowsy Chaperone was full of big production numbers and cast member flying on and off the stage. The show is very fast-paced, and people are constantly coming on and off with different props or costumes just about every scene. With everything going on, the cast and crew did a great job of making each transition run quickly and smoothly. This made the show so much more enjoyable and easy to watch; the audience was engaged from start to finish.

            Scott Jones (Man in the chair) did a great job of keeping the audience entertained by his jubilant energy and enthusiasm for his recording of The Drowsy Chaperone. He also kept the show moving by keeping the pace up. Sarah Whiteford (Janet) filled the stage with her charisma and talent. Whether she was lamenting over whether to get married or not in “Bride’s Lament” or showing off her dance and quick-change abilities in “Show Off,” she charmed the audience and had them begging for more. Chikodili Agwuna (The Drowsy Chaperone) also helped carry the show with her diva persona and big voice. She clearly understood her character and did a fantastic job portraying that.

            As Trix the Aviatrix, Olivia D’Amato shined every time she was on stage. He booming voice could always be heard scatting over the ensemble to add a fun addition to her songs. Erin Patterson (Mrs. Tottendale) and Sam Kobren (Underling) also had great comedic timing in chemistry. I enjoyed every time they were on stage together, even when Mrs. Tottendale was just spitting out water.

            The set for The Drowsy Chaperone was very well organized. This is a hard show to design a set for because you are constricted to the man’s apartment, but still have to be able to change the inside of his apartment to reflect the location of the characters from the recording. By having two of the sidewalls act as big doors, they were able to open up the apartment to allow other set pieces and cast on and off the stage very quickly while cleverly hide the openings in the actual set. They were even able to transport a giant airplane that filled the stage into the Man’s apartment. The costumes also fit the period well; everyone looked like they were from the 20s and no one looked out of place.

            The Man in the chair describes The Drowsy Chaperone as “Mix-ups, Mayhem, and a Gay Wedding.” He goes on to add, “of course the phrase gay wedding has a different meaning now, but back then it just meant fun. And that’s just what this show is, fun.” Atholton High School’s production defiantly lived up to the Man’s description of the record; it was a fun show that kept the audience laughing all the way to the last note, even if it was interrupted by a power outage.

Permalink Reply by Gabrielle A. on March 29, 2011 at 6:36pm

 The Drowsy Chaperone- Atholton High School

Gabrielle Amaro- Long Reach

 

With a rare combination of blinding talent and flawless charm, Atholton High School brings you The Drowsy Chaperone, granting a desire in all of our hearts- to be thoroughly entertained. Directed by Nathan Rosen, this show exhibits the laughter and the delight of musical theatre.

                The show opens up with a man sitting in a chair, speaking of how he misses the old days, where Broadway entertained and delighted an audience. He keeps those memories alive by playing his old Broadway records. With the approval of the audience, he decides to play his favorite cast album on his record player; and the musical literally bursts to life in his living room, telling the chaotic tale of a gay wedding— a term that today, he clarifies, refers to something else entirely.

                Atholton High School gave every person sitting in the audience an adventure. Anchored by their amazing cast and sets, the show overall was flawless. Each character complimented each other, presenting an enchanting chemistry, and the technical aspects could not have been any more precise.

                Sarah Whiteford, Scott Jones, and Spencer Franco are just three names out of a whole list of talent on the AHS stage. Janet van de Graaff (Sarah Whiteford) is giving up her life of glamour to wed Robert Martin (Spencer Franco); and her struggle is seen as she contemplates whether or not Robert is worth the loss of her fame, and more importantly- her love. Their interactions with each other connected as soon as they stepped on stage and helped make the show the great success it was.

                Aside from the struggles between Janet and Robert, there are other stories weaving in and out during the show. The Drowsy Chaperone (Chikodili Agwuna) and Aldolpho (Jeremy Goldman) receive a fair share of the spotlight and steal the hearts of the audience with their wit and over-exaggerated stereotypes.

                As far as technical aspects of the show are concerned, the sets and sound supports were beyond astonishing. The set pieces flowed and worked cooperatively with the scenes and the lighting complemented the atmosphere and was clean and polished. In addition, all sound queues were on time and were believable to the scene.

The Drowsy Chaperone gave us the opportunity to see how much talent floods Atholton High School. Nathan Rosen really did “Show Off” with the production of The Drowsy Chaperone.  Bravo!

Permalink Reply by Nicole Abban on March 30, 2011 at 5:42pm

 Nicole Abban

The Drowsy Chaperone-Atholton High School

We all have a musical that we love. We know every word, every song, every line, and all the small details of it. When we watch it, we feel as though we are right there doing all the box steps, crazy motions, and belting out a 16 bar note. In Atholton High School production of “The Drowsy Chaperone”, we have Man in Chair (Scott Jones) tell us why this show is so special.

“The Drowsy Chaperone” is a story told by the narrator, Man in Chair (Scott Jones), who gives us a glimpse of what musicals were like in 1928. He takes us into a time when he feels musicals were at his greatest. The story starts with a wedding between Janet Van De Graaff (Sarah Whiteford) and Robert martin (Spencer Franco). We meet some of their crazy guests and witness all of the trouble they get into. Whether the comedic and lady’s men Aldopho (Jeremy Goldman) is looking to seduce some women or the ditzy, yet highly entertaining Kitty (Cecelia Grady) attempting to become a star, this show is bound to keep you laughing and smiling. As the story continues, Man in Chair adds in his own opinions of the shows that add a new perspective to the show.

“The Drowsy Chaperone” was an amazing, fun, and witty show. The Man in Chair would constantly break the fourth wall, which was an effective element to the show. There were plenty of jokes about today’s world in comparison to the 20’s. That made this show relatable to our time.

Man in Chair (Scott Jones) played a huge role in what impressed me in this show. You could see by his facial expressions and reactions the show he was visualizing, that he really truly had a love for the story. Even when sitting in his chair you could notice him mouthing the words to all of the songs. He really stayed in character and was very believable. The bride Janet Van De Graaff (Sarah Whiteford) captured my attention is her song “Show Off”. This performance showed her star quality. As for Robert Martin (Spencer Franco) and Underling (Sam Kobren), I loved the incorporation of tap in “Cold Feets”. Lastly, you should anticipate a wonderful performance by the drowsy chaperone herself (Chikodili Agwuna) in “As We Stumble Along”.

The chorus had just as big as an impact as the leads. Kitty (Cecilia Grady), Feldzig (Javier Scott) and the gangsters (Brad Plaxen, Nick Tsusaki, and Ben Vaughn) brought a lot of energy and comedy. Keep an ear out for all of the puns used by these seemingly intimidating gangsters. The dancers from the ensemble were always together and very coordinated. In addition, I found it very interesting how children were incorporated into the ensemble. I am definitely not used to that, and it was nice to see kids involved, and it added to the plot because children are at weddings.

The costumes of the show were bright, colorful, and resembled the fashion of the twenties. There were not many special effects in the show and the light were very basic and that was definitely a good thing. The characters and story was live enough that special effects would just be unnecessary. The only things that I noticed with technical aspects of the show were a few minor microphone issues. However, the actors worked around the microphone issues and stayed in character.

If you want to see a funny, exciting, and colorful musical, “The Drowsy Chaperon is the show for you! Come see Janet Van De Graaff show off, Aldopho seduce women, Kitty try to be famous and see how everyone “stumbles along” to the wedding day.

Permalink Reply by Jenna Antoniades on April 4, 2011 at 11:11pm

Sabotaged weddings, intimidating pastry chefs, and random airplanes? No, this is not a strange dream, it’s just part of what you’ll find at Atholton High School’s production of The Drowsy Chaperone.

The Drowsy Chaperone is an incredibly unique story that is narrated by a hardcore-theatre-enthusiast, who is quite passionate about his love for classic theatre. He shares with the Audience the story of The Drowsy Chaperone, which is centered around the wedding of Robert Martin and Janet Vander Graaf. Things turn crazy when Janet Vander Graaf’s agent tries to sabotage the wedding and the story instead a whirlwind of miscommunication, unexpected love, and intense tap-dancing.

The overall production was quite enjoyable. The actors were fully committed to their characters, and the entire production seemed to flow very well. The energy was maintained throughout both acts, and was carried through to the ending that left the entire show on a strong note.

The Man in Chair was played by Scott Jones. Jones played this role with such enthusiasm and commitment, he quickly built a strong connection with the audience he was addressing. Even the most subtle character choices were strong, whether he was telling the audience why he was :obsessed” with a certain moment, or if he was just sitting eagerly watching the show. Everything choice he made made his character one of the most loveable characters on stage. Robert Martin, the leading man in the story of the Drowsy Chaperone, was played by Spencer Franco. Franco’s portrayal of Robert was both charming and comical. He kept consistent recognizable traits throughout the show, such as a cheesy smile directed towards the audience after certain lines that played on the reality that he was playing an actor playing a character. Franco was also full of surprises, and one of his songs unexpectedly turned into an enjoyable tap number that was very well done.

Jeremy Goldman played the character Adolpho, and made quite an impact whenever he was on stage. His choices were outrageous, exact, and absolutely hilarious. Goldman’s approach to the character included acting out most of what the character said, and making abrupt movements whenever something surprised him. These choices were not only comical, they also helped communicate more clearly what this crazy foreigner of a character was trying to say. The overall ensemble worked well together. Whenever the ensemble was on stage, they looked as though they were truly invested in and enjoying the show, which strengthened the impact of the show as a whole.

The technical aspects of the show were simple yet fitting to the plot. The lighting was mostly either on or off with a few moments of specific focus. This was an excellent choice, especially since the story itself is so active, and allowed the audience to focus more on the story without being distracted by extravagant light designs. The set was strong and fitting to the story. It was structured to look like the Man in Chair’s house, but was also used as the set of The Drowsy Chaperone being performed within the play. This transformation proved to add to the amusement of the play, as parts that were once a closet or a refrigerator turned into an entrance for the other characters.

Anyone looking for a bizarre night full of fun, romance, and comedy need look no further than Atholton High Schools production of the Drowsy Chaperone.

Permalink Reply by Grace Davenport on April 28, 2011 at 2:39pm

 

The Un-Drowsy Audience

 

What would you prefer, a strait-laced chaperone, or a drowsy one?  The cast of Atholton High School’s The Drowsy Chaperone blew away their audiences with their drowsily drunken chaperone.

The Drowsy Chaperone is, essentially, a musical within a comedy.  The character “Man in Chair” is an aging theatre enthusiast who wants to let the audience listen to one of his favorite records from back in the day (The Drowsy Chaperone).  He plays it on his record player as we see how he visualizes the show for us on stage.  The other cast members are amusingly a figment of his imagination.  But, as with record players, there can be some intrinsic difficulties such as accidentally putting on the wrong record while you make a dash for the bathroom.  The musical part of this production is The Drowsy Chaperone itself.  A couple is on the verge of marriage, but they both have their doubts.  The bride’s chaperone is not much help to her by way of advice, seeing how the prohibition means nothing to her (hint hint). 

            The overall production was pulled off very nicely, with constant laughter from the audience.  The show itself was clever and witty.  The audience could tell that the cast had fun on stage, which made their experience more enjoyable.

            “Man in Chair” is perfectly over-enthusiastic as we go through his favorite musical.  He explains to us things from the musical and how they would be different in real life.  He knows all the words to every song and knows exactly what is going to happen.  He sometimes even came into the scene, longingly trying to touch the actors that he was imagining in his living room.  Scott Jones played “Man in Chair” fantastically.  Janet van de Graaff, played by Sarah Whiteford, was a great portrayal of a girl torn between two things, a man she was in love with, and her career as a famous actress.  Her groom Robert Martin, played by Spencer Franco, and his perfect “Albright Smile” amused the audience with his ‘cold feet’ and rollerblading excursions.

            The pastry chefs, otherwise known as the gangsters, had much visible chemistry between them.  This goes the same for Kitty and Feldzieg, a dumb blonde and producer who unexpectedly get married in the end, thanks to a little trick that Kitty had up her sleeve.

            The set of this production was fantastic, including a secret passage that came out of the refrigerator, and the walls would open up to allow for set changes.  But the best, by far, was the airplane which appeared at the end. The lighting was simple, but very effective. They never drew too much attention to themselves.  And lastly, the microphones seemed to have a few problems, but despite this, the actors kept acting professionally and communicating their part through their actions.

            This production had a unique quality that was not to be expected, but was pleasantly surprising all the same.  It was a great performance that left the audience wanting more.  Bravo to Atholton High School!

 

Permalink Reply by Steven Tremor Cale on April 28, 2011 at 3:58pm

Steven Cale
The Drowsy Chaperone

    Students get married in Atholton High school! On March 3rd-6th Atholton held a musical called “The Drowsy Chaperone” and knocked the socks off of everyone in the theater with there amazing dancing and singing. The show was about the memories sparked by an old record of a musical. It was really a musical within a comedy.

    The show starts off with the old man telling how he misses the old musicals way back in the day. This man then played one of his favorite musicals from a record, and as he plays the record you see the actors are in his kitchen playing the scenes. But the old man cant interfere with them because they are playing as the record. The musical that happened on the record, is about a star marrying a young rich man at the price of giving up her career of singing. Along the way the old man stops the record and adds his own commentary with smart remarks and information about characters.

    This show really focused on the amazing actors, all of them seemed to be right on cue with perfect facial expressions. The actors had to play along with the record pausing, skipping, and repeating and stayed together like clockwork. Another aspect that really brought the show together was the set, it was a simple kitchen but had special doors and flats and even a plane to fly apon. The show had everything you could imagine.

    The main characters name was “man in chair” played by Scott Jones who was an old, slightly insane man, who was very enthusiastic about the musical. he played his role perfectly from his silly walk to his hilarious hand movements to show his excitement he was spot on. Now the main characters in the musical that the man in chair was watching were Janet Van De Graaff played by Sarah Whiteford and her soon to be husband Robert Martin played by Spencer Franco who did an amazing job acting singing and dancing. They had there own moments that kept the feeling or love wile continuing to keep the laughter up.

    This show could not have been what it was without its supporting cast every character reacted realistically and every line that was supposed get a laugh, got a laugh. The characters had the tone as each character in the musical should. They had everything down from there facial expressions to the hardly noticeable simple movements that made it more believable and entertaining.

    This show did very well on the stage as well as behind the scenes. The lights of the show were exactly what they needed to be ,which was simple, there was general lighting through the whole show and spots on important characters. Unfortunately the mics seemed to cut out frequently and there seem to be feedback too, but all the sounds and bells seemed to be working well. The set was beautifully put together they had a nice kitchen with a fold out bed and had the characters do most set changes to keep it flowing smoothly. What I really liked was the specialties of the set like the fridge that people walked out of, the swinging flats, and my favorite an airplane on stage. These little set things made the show just that much more fun to watch.

    This show had everything it needed a wonderful set ,lead characters, and supporting cast. This show not only was something that you watched you felt like you were apart of it and could feel every emotion the characters could. This was truly one of the best musicals I have ever seen and hope to see the next show Atholton puts on.