The Drowsy Chaperone to Launch Tour in Toronto

The Drowsy Chaperone, a completely original musical comedy, will launch a national tour in September 2007 with a return to Toronto, where it was the sleeper hit of the 1999 Toronto Fringe Theatre Festival before transferring to a hit commercial run at Toronto's Winter Garden Theatre.

The show is directed and choreographed by Tony Award-nominee Casey Nicholaw (Spamalot) with music and lyrics by Tony Award-winners Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison and a book by Tony Award-winners Bob Martin and Don McKellar.

After leaving Toronto the show will travel to more than 30 cities across the United States including Cleveland, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Ft. Lauderdale, Tampa, Atlanta, Hartford, Pittsburgh, St. Paul, Houston and Los Angeles. Casting and the full tour itinerary will be announced in the coming months.

The recipient of thirteen major awards, The Drowsy Chaperone received more Tony Awards® than any other musical of the 2006 season, including Best Book (Bob Martin and Don McKellar); Original Score (Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison), Costume Design (Gregg Barnes) and Scenic Design (David Gallo). 

"The Drowsy Chaperone tells the story of a modern day musical theater addict known simply as 'Man in Chair.'  To chase his blues away he drops the needle on his favorite LP – the 1928 musical comedy, The Drowsy Chaperone.  From the crackle of his hi-fi, the musical magically bursts to life on-stage telling the tale of a pampered Broadway starlet who wants to give up show business to get married, her producer who sets out to sabotage the nuptials, her chaperone, the debonair groom, the dizzy chorine, the Latin lover and a pair of gangsters who double as pastry chefs.  Man in Chair's love of The Drowsy Chaperone speaks to anyone who has ever been transported by the theater," state press materials.

The creative team for The Drowsy Chaperone features scenic design by Tony Award-winner David Gallo, costume design by Tony Award® winner Gregg Barnes, lighting design by Tony Award-winner Ken Billington (Chicago) and Brian Monahan, sound design by Acme Sound Partners, orchestrations by Tony Award nominee Larry Blank, dance and incidental music arrangements by Glen Kelly, and music director/vocal arrangements by Phil Reno.

The show is produced by Kevin McCollum, Roy Miller, Boyett Ostar, Stephanie McClelland, Barbara Freitag and Jill Furman.

Visit www.drowsychaperone.com for more information.