Drowsy Chaperone

Wheaton Drama

We saw A Streetcar Named Desire in Wheaton last year in a really nice production. I hadn't seen it since 1992 with Alec Baldwin and Jessica Lange on Broadway. So, it was a really nice refresher. And, so when invited to go see Drowsy Chaperone, having seen that on Broadway fairly recently - I thought, why not? And, thereby I've gotten to enjoy this show twice now.

Drowsy Chaperone was a huge undertaking for a community theater. And, I thought they pulled it off remarkably well. Casting was very appropriate with some real delights. Everyone was where they should be, certainly.

I thought some real standouts were the best man (Garrett Ard - great dancing and energy) and Sara Malloy (Janet Van de Graff - great all around).

The major drawback were the sets, actually. It was like they ran out of money for the production at that point.

And, yet - the production was delightful. It had the spirit of the musical, the jokes held up, the energy of it worked. It was delightful.

I'm glad I saw it, too, because often when you see a new Broadway musical you have to think about how it will play in high school theaters, in community theaters and other venues eventually. Does it have the bones, so to speak, to move around in different circles? This is one show that certainly does. I think it will become a regular possibility for ambitious, bigger volunteer theaters as time goes on.