Review By Lexi Sanderson, Front Row Reviewers
The hilarious musical, The Drowsy Chaperone comes to Salt Lake City at the beautiful Grand Theatre and if you want a great laugh, you’re in for a real treat. The story of The Drowsy Chaperone is told by a “Man in Chair” (Jason Campbell), our narrator for this adventure. He takes us along on an exploration of his favorite, fictional musical comedy. As we listen together (with numerous small asides and factoids), the musical comes to life in his apartment. The themes and tropes of early musical comedies are explored and teased in a way that is both immersive and interactive. We follow the story of a wedding gone awry in a classic comedy of errors. I found myself laughing throughout at the small jokes and playfulness of the dialogue and characters. Campbell is humorous but he also portrays his character with such authenticity, we wonder, haven’t we met him before?
The character of the drowsy chaperone, drowsy meaning drunk, is skillfully played by Lauren Slagowski as she sings and sways and slinks through this role. The chaperone, in my opinion, has the funniest lines and Slagowski nails each one. It is not possible to overact this part, and this talented actress embraces this role with vigor and hilarity.
Janet van de Graff, the star who wants to leave it all behind for love, is played with such humor by Morgan Fenner singing the funniest and “worst” song in the show, “Bride’s Lament/Monkey on a Pedestal” and Fenner shines. Rarely can a great actress embrace being a self-involved character as well as Fenner does and she is wonderfully on point. Her scenes with her fiancé/ex-fiancé Robert Martin (Clayton Barney) entertain us with their on again-off again engagement. Barney’s character is a little tricky (not revealing why–spoiler), and we the audience could dislike him. But Barney is winning and adorable and who can resist him? Can Janet? Again, no spoilers. These two characters are rather selfish (so are perfect for one another) but the connection between Fenner and Barney is believable and quite wonderful. There is great chemistry there.
Mrs. Tottendale is a ditsy woman–she lives in a world of her own, and we all love her. Dawn Veree along with her counterpart Underling, played by Jeffrey Black, airily provide even more oddity and silliness. These two players provide some hefty laughs of their own. Hoping to draw Janet back to the stage, Doug Caldwell as the pushy, desperate producer Feldzig hires Adolpho (DRÜ) to seduce her, with hilarious, and I mean HILARIOUS consequences. DRÜ’s portrayal of the Latin lover isn’t to be missed. Feldzig has a back up of sorts to his leading lady, but poor Kitty (Natalie Wren) is a poor substiture. She is, ahem, not an Oscar winning talent, let’s say. Wren embraces the role of terrible actress and we laugh at her, but maybe feel a little sorry for her, too.
Luke Logan as George the best man, Kacee Neff as Trix, Steve Shoemaker as Tall Brother I, and Kaltin Kirby as Tall Brother II round out this entertaining cast. Logan as best man George plays his role with a goofiness that isn’t over the top but kicks the show into a higher gear. Neff brings Trix to the forefront with her confidence and flair. Shoemaker and Kirby as the brothers tall are nefariously funny and their number “Toledo Surprise” brings an even more delightful humor to the show.
Impressively put together by Stage Director and Choreographer Jim Christian, he squeezes every possible laugh with the wonderful script and a troupe of amazing performers. Somewhere between a parody and a love letter to the genre, this show-within-a-show captures the essence of some of our most beloved musical and theatrical productions. The endearing and neurotic narrator holds so much genuine passion, it’s akin to watching a classic film with a quirky but knowledgeable relative. You can see the production through the eyes of someone who adores it and holds strong emotional connection to its message, and so you gain a love and appreciation for it as well. You leave the production feeling uplifted and with a newfound respect for the genre of musical comedy.
A generous note about the amazing history and beauty that is The Grand Theatre at South City Campus. This building is a repurposed and beloved old high school building that was brought to life again as a community theater in 1989 as part of SLCC’s South City Campus. With 35 years of amazing shows, The Grand Theatre is the one area of the campus that is structurally unchanged since the building’s start. While updates have been made, including impressive new seats (with cup holders!) generously made a reality by the alumni association, the original majesty of the theater shines through and feels like a step back into time—a perfect sentiment for the production of The Drowsy Chaperone.
Come along into the 1920s, with witty banter, magnificently performed songs, and comical characters and lose yourself in this production.
The Drowsy Chaperone runs at The Grand Theatre Thursday-Saturday until September 14, 2024. This production is rated PG and a great time for all. The theater aims at being very accessible and offers audio enhancement equipment and wheelchair accessible seating areas. It should be noted, this show is performed without an intermission.
The Grand Theatre presents The Drowsy Chaperone with Music and Lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison. Book by Bob Martin and Don McKeller.
The Grand Theatre, 1575 S State St, Salt Lake City, UT 84115
August 21-September 14, 2024 7:30 PM, Saturday matinees on Aug 31 and Sep 7 2:00 PM
Tickets: $37
(801) 957-3322
The Grand Theatre Facebook Page
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