The Players Theatre News www.theplayers.org
838 North Tamiami Trail • Sarasota, FL 34236 • 941.365.2494 Fax: 941.954.0282
January 2, 2016
THE PLAYERS THEATRE PRESENTS “THE DROWSY CHAPERONE”
Sarasota, FL–From January 13-31, 2016, The Players Theatre gets whisked back to the roaring 20s when a die-hard theatre fan plays his favorite cast album and the characters come to life in the hilarious musical farce “The Drowsy Chaperone”. Winner of 5 Tony Awards (including Best Book and Best Original Score), “The Drowsy Chaperone” is a loving send-up of the Jazz age musical featuring one show-stopping song and dance number after another. A masterful musical within a comedy, the narrator leads the audience through the backstage and on-stage silliness of the show he loves so dearly. A tap number, a rousing inspirational anthem, comedy routines, bad jokes, pastiche tunes, hoary ethnic songs, and a deus ex machina (with a propeller) fill the stage throughout the exposition. New York Magazine called it, “The Perfect Broadway Musical”.
Story: A man in a chair appears in a shadowy apartment and puts on his favorite record: the cast recording of a fictitious 1928 musical. The recording comes to life and “The Drowsy Chaperone” begins as the man in the chair looks on. Mix in two lovers on the eve of their wedding, a bumbling best man, a desperate theatre producer, a not so bright hostess, two gangsters posing as pastry chefs, a misguided Don Juan and an intoxicated chaperone, and you have the ingredients for an evening of madcap delight.
Jeffery Kin, Artistic Director comments, “A slice of musical theater heaven is how I would describe ‘The Drowsy Chaperone’. As a kid, putting on a show album whisked me away to so many different places…far away from my everyday farm kid world. I hope the same thing happens with you too– that the turbulence of your daily grind is left behind, and this delicious musical theater feast sweeps you away!”
The creators, and lead producers Kevin McCollum and Roy Miller, prefer not to call “The Drowsy Chaperone” a parody of musicals. They prefer to refer to it as an homage to old-fashioned shows that is aimed at, as McCollum said, “people who love musicals and people who are suspicious of them.”
Promo Photos: https://www.mediafire.com/folder/4807315jhnnfe/Promo_Photos
Performance Dates:
“The Drowsy Chaperone”
January 13-31, 2016
January 13: Preview Night
January 14: Opening Night
January 13, 14, 16, 19-23, 28-30 at 7:30PM
January 17, 23, 24 & 31 at 2:00PM
Tickets:
$25 Regular
$30 Premium (rows A-E)
$12 Full Time Student under 24 w/valid ID
Cast:
Man In Chair Michael Bajjaly
Mrs. Tottendale Betty Robinson
Underling Carl Bowman
Robert Martin Logan O’Neill
George Berry Ayers
Feldzieg Tony Boothby
Kitty Amanda Heisey
Gangster #1 Mike Phelan
Gangster #2 Tom Palazzo
Aldolpho Chip Fisher
Janet Van De Graaff Jessica Tasetano
The Drowsy Chaperone Nancy Denton
Trix The Aviatrix Jordan Obbema
Superintendant David Russell
Ensemble:
Ladies Ashley Figlow
Naomi Glatzer
Casey Kelley
Grace Vitale
Men David Russell
Mark Menezes
Crew:
Director Jared E. Walker
Musical Director Rick Bogner
Set Design Kenneth Mooney
Lighting Design Brian Frey
Costume Design Jared Walker
Technical Director Ken Junkins
AVLE Seth Berry
Props Andrea Keddell
Stage Manager Kathy Junkins
Assistant Director Helen Holiday
Assistant Stage Mgr Josh Linderman
Assistant Tech Director Alyssa Goudy
Associate Lighting Design Jonathan White
Guest Choreographer Charles Logan
The Players Theatre
838 N. Tamiami Tr., Sarasota FL 34236, 941-365-2494, Fax: 941-954-0282
www.theplayers.org. Box Office: Mon-Sat, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., and one hour prior to curtain time.
The Players Box Office is located on Tamiami Trail between 10th Street and Blvd. of the Arts.
