Television icon JoAnne Worley ("Rowan & Martin's Laugh In") is now starring as "Mrs. Tottendale" in the five-time Tony Award-winning musical The Drowsy Chaperone. Associated Press Radio's Jane Waldman recently sat down with the outspoken and vivacious comedienne backstage in her dressing room at the Marquis Theatre to discuss her return to Broadway, experience on the groundbreaking television variety show and recent scene-stealing in the Encores! production of Follies.
Listen online to Worley's Associated Press radio interview, also permanently available as a pod cast on the Associated Press website.
Click the following link: Listen to JoAnne Worley on Associated Press radio, then click "AP on Broadway" and select "JoAnne Worley is Back on Broadway!"
Prior to joining the cast of ="http:>="http:>The Drowsy Chaperone, Worley recently appeared on the New York musical stage in the acclaimed Encores! production of Follies and returns to Broadway for the first time in nearly 15 years since appearing in the revival of ="http:>="http:>Grease. She made her Broadway debut in The Billy Barnes People and was in the original cast of Hello, Dolly! as ="http:>="http:>Carol Channing's standby. She was recently named President of "Actors and Others for Animals."
The Drowsy Chaperone, the winner of 5 Tony Awards, began previews April 3, 2006 and opened on Broadway on May 1, 2006 at the Marquis Theatre (1535 Broadway). It is directed and choreographed by Tony Award-nominee ="http:>="http:>Casey Nicholaw (Spamalot), with music and lyrics by Tony Award-winners ="http:>="http:>Lisa Lambert and ="http:>="http:>Greg Morrison and a book by Tony Award-winners ="http:>="http:>Bob Martin and ="http:>="http:>Don McKellar.
"To chase his blues away, a modern day musical theatre addict known simply as 'Man in Chair' drops the needle on his favorite cast album – the 1928 musical comedy ="http:>="http:>The Drowsy Chaperone. From the crackle of his hi-fi, the uproariously funny musical magically bursts to life on stage. We are instantly immersed in the hilarious tale of a glamorous bride and her uproarious wedding day, complete with thrills and surprises that take both the cast (literally) and the audience (metaphorically) soaring into the heavens. Man in Chair's infectious love of ="http:>="http:>The Drowsy Chaperone speaks to anyone who has ever been transported by the theater," state press notes.
The show is produced by ="http:>="http:>Kevin McCollum, ="http:>="http:>Roy Miller, Boyett Ostar, ="http:>="http:>Stephanie McClelland, Barbara Freitag, and ="http:>="http:>Jill Furman.
="http:>="http:>The Drowsy Chaperone plays 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. Tickets prices range from $26.25 - $111.25 (including $1.25 facility fee) and are available through Ticketmaster (212-307-4100), online at www.ticketmaster.com or in person at The Marquis Theatre box office (1535 Broadway).
