Drowsy Chaperone Starts Bway Previews April 3, Opens May 1

THE DROWSY CHAPERONE, a completely original new musical comedy directed and choreographed by Tony Award® nominee Casey Nicholaw (Spamalot), with music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison and a book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar, will begin previews April 3, 2006 and officially open May 1, 2006 at the Marquis Theatre (1535 Broadway). THE DROWSY CHAPERONE will arrive on Broadway following an acclaimed American premiere engagement produced at the Ahmanson Theatre by Center Theatre Group, L.A.'s theatre company, where Variety called the show "Positively inebriating."

THE DROWSY CHAPERONE features a company of 17 including Danny Burstein (Titanic), Georgia Engel ("Everybody Loves Raymond"), Tony Award® winner Sutton Foster (Thoroughly Modern Millie), Edward Hibbert (Noises Off), Troy Britton Johnson (Damn Yankees), Eddie Korbich (Wicked), Garth Kravits (Toxic Audio), Jason Kravits (Sly Fox), Beth Leavel (42nd Street), Kecia Lewis-Evans (Once on This Island), Second City's Bob Martin, Jennifer Smith (The Producers), Lenny Wolpe (The Sound of Music), Linda Griffin (42nd Street tour), Angela Pupello (Grease), Joey Sorge (Follies), Patrick Wetzel (The Producers) and a 15 piece orchestra.

To chase his blues away, a modern day musical theatre addict known simply as "Man in Chair" (Martin) drops the needle on his favorite LP – the 1928 musical comedy The Drowsy Chaperone. From the crackle of his hi-fi, the uproariously funny musical magically bursts to life on stage, telling the tale of a pampered Broadway starlet (Foster) who wants to give up show business to get married, her producer (Wolpe) who sets out to sabotage the nuptials, her chaperone (Leavel), the debonair groom (Johnson), the dizzy chorine (Smith), the Latin lover (Burstein) and a pair of gangsters who double as pastry chefs (Garth and Jason Kravits). Man in Chair's infectious love of The Drowsy Chaperone speaks to anyone who has ever been transported by the theater.

The creative team for THE DROWSY CHAPERONE features scenic design by Tony Award® nominee David Gallo (Thoroughly Modern Millie), costume design by Tony Award® nominee Gregg Barnes (Flower Drum Song), lighting design by Tony Award® winner Ken Billington (Chicago) and Brian Monahan and sound design by Acme Sound Partners. Orchestrations are by Larry Blank, dance and incidental music arrangements by Glen Kelly (The Producers), music director/vocal arrangements by Phil Reno and technical supervision by Brian Lynch. Casting is by Bernard Telsey Casting, hair design is by Josh Marquette, make up design is by Justen M. Brosnan. Karen Moore is the production stage manager.

THE DROWSY CHAPERONE is produced by Kevin McCollum, Roy Miller, Boyett Ostar, Barbara Freitag, Jill Furman and Stephanie McClelland.

DANNY BURSTEIN (Adolpho). Broadway: A Class Act; Titanic; Company; Saint Joan; The Seagull; Three Men on a Horse; A Little Hotel on the Side and The Flowering Peach. Off-Broadway: Mrs. Farnsworth; All in the Timing; I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change; The Boys from Syracuse; Weird Romance, among others. Regional: The Drowsy Chaperone (CTG Ahmanson). Film/TV: Martin on the BBC's "Absolutely Fabulous;" "Ed;" "Law & Order;" "Hope & Faith;" Duane Incarnate (TriBeCa/ Boston Film Festivals); Transamerica; "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." Training: High School of Performing Arts; Moscow Art Theatre; Queens College (BA) and UC San Diego (MFA). Danny is also the voice of Darius Fontaine in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and can be heard on numerous cast recordings.

GEORGIA ENGEL (Mrs. Tottendale). Broadway: Hello, Dolly! with Ethel Merman; My One and Only with Tommy Tune and Sandy Duncan. Off-Broadway: The House of Blue Leaves with Anne Meara and Harold Gould; Cut the Ribbons with Donna McKechnie and Barbara Feldon. National Tours: Nunsense 20th Anniversary all star tour. Regional: The Drowsy Chaperone (CTG Ahmanson), Charity in Sweet Charity; Adelaide in Guys and Dolls; Gooch in Mame; Sabina in The Skin of Our Teeth; Fairy Godmother in Cinderella. TV: Georgette on The Mary Tyler Moore Show (two Emmy nominations); Coach; Everybody Loves Raymond (three Emmy nominations).

SUTTON FOSTER (Janet). Broadway: Jo in Little Women (Tony Award nomination); Millie in Thoroughly Modern Millie (Tony Award); Eponine in Les Misérables; the 20th Anniversary of Annie; The Scarlet Pimpernel; Grease. Also in New York: performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Town Hall; Actors' Fund benefit performances of Funny Girl and Chess. National Tours: Les Misérables (Ahmanson, 2000); Grease; The Will Rogers Follies. Regional: The Drowsy Chaperone (CTG Ahmanson), La Jolla Playhouse; Old Globe Theatre; Pittsburgh CLO; Goodspeed Opera House. Recordings: Little Women and Thoroughly Modern Millie original Broadway cast recordings; The Maury Yeston Songbook. TV: Tony Awards, "The Today Show," "The Rosie O'Donnell Show," "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade," "Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon," "CBS Early Show," "Regis & Kelly."

EDWARD HIBBERT (Underling). Broadway: Noises Off (revival); The Green Bird; Me and My Girl; Alice in Wonderland. Off-Broadway: Oscar Wilde in Gross Indecency; My Night With Reg; Privates on Parade; Jeffrey (Obie Award and DramaLogue Award). Other New York: Lady in the Dark (Encores!, London's West End); The Mystery of Irma Vep; Lend Me A Tenor; The Way of the World; Twelfth Night. Regional: Regional: The Drowsy Chaperone (CTG Ahmanson), Love! Valour! Compassion! (Barrymore Award); The Importance of Being Earnest (Connecticut Critics' Circle Award); Rough Crossing and No Time for Comedy (Bay Street), among others. Center Theatre Group: The School for Scandal at the Mark Taper Forum. Film: Uptown Girls; Dummy; The Paper; Now That It's Morning; Everyone Says I Love You; The First Wives Club. TV: includes 11 seasons on NBC's "Frasier" in the recurring role of Gil Chesterton and "Once Upon A Mattress," upcoming on ABC. He is the voice of Zasu in "The Lion King" II & III.

TROY BRITTON JOHNSON (Robert). Broadway/Off-Broadway: Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees with Jerry Lewis; Elvis in the short-lived The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public; original cast of The Will Rogers Follies; Craig Prince in the infamous Vampire Lesbians of Sodom. National Tours: Corny Collins in Hairspray (Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles); Teddy Slaughter in The Full Monty (first national). Also in Los Angeles: Bells Are Ringing (Blake Barton) and Strike Up the Band (Timothy Fletcher) for Reprise!; and the original staging and recordings of The Masada. Regional: Regional: The Drowsy Chaperone (CTG Ahmanson), Monty in the West Coast premiere of Violet at the Laguna Playhouse; Harry Warren in Boulevard of Broken Dreams at Coconut Grove Playhouse; That's Christmas at Chicago's Shubert Theatre, and many others. TV: "The Drew Carey Show," "The Kennedy Center Honors," "Beverly Hills, 90210," Disney's "Gepetto" and numerous appearances singing on "The Rosie O'Donnell Show."

EDDIE KORBICH (George). Broadway: After The Night and The Music; Wicked; Seussical; Carousel; Singin' In The Rain; Tobias in Sweeney Todd. Off-Broadway: Takin' A Chance On Love (Obie Award); Assassins; Godspell; The Gifts of the Magi; Flora, The Red Menace; A Little Night Music; Eating Raoul. National Tour: Frank in Show Boat, directed by Harold Prince. Regional: Regional: The Drowsy Chaperone (CTG Ahmanson), The Gamester (St. Louis Rep); Dracula (North Shore Music Theatre); George in George M; Charlie in Tintypes; Sancho in Man of La Mancha. Center Theatre Group: Lawnchair Man in 3hree at the Ahmanson. TV: guest starring roles on "Law & Order," "New York Undercover," "Out of the Box." Cartoon voice on Doug and PB & J Otter. Film: Jennifer 8; Quiz Show.

JASON KRAVITS (Gangster #1). Broadway: Sly Fox. New York: Making Faces, 1999 U.S. Comedy Festival Jury Award winner; A Rumble in the Redroom. Regional: The Drowsy Chaperone (CTG Ahmanson), The Taming of the Shrew, Love's Labour's Lost, The Merry Wives of Windsor and Henry V, all at Shakespeare Theatre, Washington, DC; Free Will and Wanton Lust; Goodnight, Desdemona (Good Morning, Juliet); Billy Nobody; Nicky Silver's Shrinks; all at Wooly Mammoth Theatre Company; The Diary of Anne Frank; Season's Greetings; Tintypes; all at The Roundhouse Theatre. Film: The Stepford Wives; Sweet November; Monkeybone. TV: Richard Bay on "The Practice," "Wanda at Large," "Friends," "Law and Order, SVU," "Yes, Dear," "According to Jim," "CSI, " "Becker," "Strong Medicine," "Everybody Loves Raymond," "Ed," "The Gilmore Girls."

GARTH KRAVITS (Gangster #2). Off-Broadway: Toxic Audio; Loudmouth. Regional: Regional: The Drowsy Chaperone (CTG Ahmanson), The Lion in Winter (with Ed Asner); Sheldon Harnick's Dragons; Esther and Brighton Beach Memoirs, Toronto. Film: Sweet November. TV: "Nash Bridges," "Hollywood Squares."

BETH LEAVEL (The Drowsy Chaperone). Broadway: Dorothy Brock in 42nd Street (revival); Tess in original company of Crazy for You; Mrs. Bixby in original company of The Civil War; Ellie in Show Boat; Anytime Annie in 42nd Street. New York/Off-Broadway: Lone Star Love; Mary in The Jazz Singer (Jewish Rep); Beth in An Unfinished Song (Provincetown Playhouse). Regional: The Drowsy Chaperone (CTG Ahmanson), Miss Hannigan in Annie (Oklahoma Lyric Theatre); A Little Night Music (Pittsburgh CLO); Vera in Mame (St. Louis MUNY); Fascinating Rhythm (Hartford Stage Co.); Kudzu (Ford's Theatre, Washington, DC). TV: "Ryan's Hope," "Nickolodeon," "Law & Order, Criminal Intent."

KECIA LEWIS-EVANS (Trix). Broadway: Once On This Island; stand-by for Nell Carter in Ain't Misbehavin'; Big River; The Gospel at Colonus with Morgan Freeman; Effie White in Dreamgirls, directed by Michael Bennett. Other NY: From the Mississippi Delta (Circle in the Square); Once On This Island (Playwrights Horizons) National Tour: Big River. Regional: The Drowsy Chaperone (CTG Ahmanson), Polk County (McCarter Theater, Berkeley Rep/Bay Area Theater Critics Award); Smokey Joe's Café (Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities); Effie in Dreamgirls (2000 LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award-winner); Bloody Mary in South Pacific,Raisin (ICT, Long Beach/LA Drama Critics Circle Award nominee); Lady Thiang in The King and I (Sacramento Music Circus). TV: Guest starring on "Crossing Jordan," "Kate Brasher," "Law & Order" and "The Hughleys."

BOB MARTIN (Book/Man in Chair). Canadian credits: The Drowsy Chaperone (Fringe of Toronto, Theatre Passe Muraille, Winter Garden); An Awkward Evening With Martin and Johnson; The Good Life; Creative Trust Gala (Princess of Wales Theatre); Skippy's Rangers (National Tour). Second City Toronto (Artistic Director 2003-04): Invasion Free Since 1812 (Director); Sordido Deluxo (Director) Old Wine, New Bottles; What Fresh Mel Is This?; Last Tango On Lombard; Tragically Ohip; Second City National Touring Company (Two National Tours). Film: Childstar; Last Night; Torso; Clubland. TV: Puppets Who Kill; Made in Canada; Burnt Toast; Getting Along Famously; Slings & Arrows. Regional: The Drowsy Chaperone (CTG Ahmanson), TV Writing: "Sling & Arrows" (Writer, Creative Producer); "Made in Canada," "Twitch City." Four Gemini nominations, four Canadian Comedy Awards, 2004 WGC Screenwriting Award for "Slings & Arrows." Happily married to Janet Van De Graaff.

JENNIFER SMITH (Kitty). Broadway/Off-Broadway: The Producers; The Scarlet Pimpernel; High Society; Once Upon A Mattress; Victor/Victoria; She Loves Me; The Secret Garden; La Cage Aux Folles (original production); Change in the Heir; Forbidden Broadway; No Frills Revue. Other New York: 1-2-3-4-5 (Manhattan Theatre Club); White Lies. National Tours: Cats; Annie; Singin' In The Rain; Hello, Dolly! Regional: The Drowsy Chaperone (CTG Ahmanson), George M!, Lucky In The Rain; The Times; Das Barbecü; Happy End; The Hostage (Center Stage Baltimore). Film: The Producers; 1999. TV: "Law & Order," "Criminal Intent," "Law & Order, SVU," "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

LENNY WOLPE (Feldzieg). Broadway: The Sound of Music; Onward Victoria; Into the Light; Copperfield. Off-Broadway: Mayor; Brownstone; Company; The Wonder Years. National Tours: Little Shop of Horrors; South Pacific; A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Los Angeles: A Class Act; Radio Gals; Of Thee I Sing, Fiorello, Mack & Mabel, and She Loves Me; Fiddler on the Roof; Damn Yankees, Me and My Girl and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, both for Musical Theatre West; The Music Man (Hollywood Bowl). Regional: The Drowsy Chaperone (CTG Ahmanson), The Baker's Wife; Herbie in Gypsy; The Tale of the Allergist's Wife (Papermill); The Rothschilds; No Way to Treat A Lady. Leading roles with Pittsburg CLO (17 productions); Sacramento Summer Theatre (15 productions); Into the Woods (TUTS-Houston). Film: SFW; Panthers; Swan Princess; And The Band Played On; Locked Up; Murder Between Friends; Secrets. TV: "Baby Talk" and "You're The One." Recurring on "L.A. Law," "Sisters," "Something So Right," "Pacific Palisades." Guest star on over 80 shows including "ER," "Six Feet Under," "Ally McBeal," "King of Queens," "Roseanne," "The Golden Girls," "Murder One," "Crossing Jordan."

CASEY NICHOLAW (Director/Choreographer). Broadway: Tony Award®nomination for Best Choreography for Monty Python's Spamalot directed by Mike Nichols. Other New York credits include Bye, Bye Birdie for City Center Encores! directed by Jerry Zaks; Candide starring Patti LuPone and Kristin Chenoweth for NY Philharmonic (also on PBS Great Performances); the musical staging for Can Can (City Center Encores!) directed by Lonny Price; and Sinatra: His Voice, His World, His Way at Radio City Music Hall directed by Des McAnuff and starring the world famous Rockettes. Other original musicals Mr. Nicholaw has choreographed include: Lucky Duck (The Old Globe) directed by John Rando; The Road to Hollywood (Goodspeed Opera House) directed by Walter Bobbie; and The Prince and the Pauper (5th Avenue Theater/The Ordway). TV: PBS "Great Performances" and segments for "The Today Show" and ABC.

LISA LAMBERT (Music and Lyrics). Canadian Credits: The Drowsy Chaperone (Fringe of Toronto Festival, Theatre Passe Muraille, Mirvish Productions at Toronto's Wintergarden Theatre); Honest Ed: The Bargain Musical and Mirth (both at the Poor Alex Theatre); Ouch My Toe (Fringe of Toronto Festival); The Irish Musical (Rivoli); All Hams On Deck (Summer Works Toronto); An American in Harris (Second City Toronto); An Awkward Evening With Martin & Johnson (Tarragon, Tim Sims Playhouse). TV: Slings & Arrows (Rhombus Media, broadcast on Showcase and the Sundance Network); Getting Along Famously (CBC); Skippy's Rangers: The Show They Never Gave and The Joe Blow Show (Comedy Network). Film: Pippi Longstocking; Highway 61; Blue. Radio: Definitely Not the Opera; Madly Off in All Directions; Brave New Waves. Awards: three Canadian Comedy Awards; one Gemini nomination; one Dora Mavor Moore nomination. Upcoming: the third season of "Slings & Arrows."

GREG MORRISON (Music and Lyrics). Canadian Credits: Composer/Musical Director for Hello … Hello (Tarragon Theatre); Pochsy's Lips; Oh, Baby; Citizen Pochsy and Pochsy Unplugged (Toronto Fringe premiere, Canadian/U.S. tours); The Drowsy Chaperone (Toronto Fringe premiere; Theatre Passe Muraille; Mirvish Productions at Toronto's Winter Garden Theatre); Mump and Smoot in Something Else (Canadian Stage, Yale Repertory Theatre); Mump and Smoot in Flux (Canadian Stage); An Awkward Evening With Martin and Johnson (Tim Sims Playhouse); The Age of Dorian (Artword Theatre). Other: Musical Director for The Second City National Touring Company and the Alumni Café (Tim Sims Playhouse). Musical Director for The Chimps and The Muckrakers (CBC Radio). TV songwriter credits: Slings & Arrows (Rhombus Media for Showcase/Sundance); Getting Along Famously (CBC); The Joe Blow Show (Comedy Network). Recipient of a Canadian Comedy Award, a Sterling Award for Original Composition and three Dora Mavor Moore Award nominations.

DON McKELLAR (Book). Co-founder of Toronto's The August Company, for whom he co-created six critically acclaimed experimental plays. Screenplays: Roadkill (for director Bruce McDonald); Highway 61; co-writer of Dance Me Outside; Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould (with director Francois Girard); The Red Violin. TV: wrote and starred in the CBC series Twitch City (which also played on the Bravo Network in America). Acting credits in Canadian Films: Exotica (directed by Atom Egoyan); eXistenZ (directed by David Cronenberg); When Night Is Falling; Waydowntown; The Event, among others. As director/writer/star, Last Night and the upcoming Childstar.

TICKET INFORMATION:

Beginning Sunday, March 12th, tickets will be available for purchase through Ticketmaster by calling 212-307-4100 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Beginning Monday, March 13th tickets may be purchased in person at The Marquis Theatre box office (1535 Broadway). Ticket prices range from $25.00 to $110.00 (including $1.25 facility fee).

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE INFORMATION:

From Monday, April 3rd through Monday, May 1st, The Drowsy Chaperone will play Monday – Saturday at 8:00 p.m. with matinees on Wednesday and Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

From May 3rd onward The Drowsy Chaperone will play Tuesday – Saturday at 8:00 p.m. with matinees on Wednesday and Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m. There will be no performance on Tuesday, May 2nd. Please note, there will no performance on Tuesday, July 4th, a performance will be added on Monday, July 3rd.