Review: 'The Drowsy Chaperone" at PPAC

I have been listening to The Drowsy Chaperone cast album for months now, eagerly waiting for the tour to swing through New England. I had fallen in love with the songs, but worried if what I heard on the album would translate into the touring production. I had nothing to worry about. The touring cast does not disappoint.

The Drowsy Chaperone is a show within a show, narrated by the "Man in Chair" played by Jonathan Crombie. When he gets a little blue, the Man in Chair puts on his favorite cast album, The Drowsy Chaperone. Set in the 1920's the show tells the story of a young starlet, Janet Van De Graaff (Andrea Chamberlain) who is giving up her career for 'the love of one man', her true love, oil heir Robert Martin (Mark Ledbetter). Or is she?

 Her producer, Feldzieg (Cliff Bemis) owes a powerful investor (read: mobster) a lot of money and will lose more than money if Janet stops performing. Said investor has sent two henchmen, posing as pastry chefs (Paul and Peter Riopelle) to make sure the wedding doesn't happen. The hostess of the wedding, Mrs. Tottendale is played by the divine Georgia Engel, who originated the role on Broadway. Mrs. Tottendale's faithful servant Underling (Robert Dorfman) never leaves her side. There is a clueless European lothario, Aldolpho (James Moye), who inadvertently seduces Janet's boozy chaperone (Nancy Opel), who confesses she gets drowsy when she drinks too much champagne. That is a long way to go to get the title, but there it is, The Drowsy Chaperone.

Writers Bob Martin (who played Man in Chair in the original Broadway production) and Don McKellar send up the many of the characters that are part of popular entertainment history. The characters (with the exception of Man in Chair) are two-dimensional and fraught with stereotypes. Nearly everyone in the audience will have a chance to be offended. Chaperone plays as one big "in" joke. It has been crafted so that the Man in Chair, narrates with his sardonic, self-effacing humor, letting the audience in on the joke.

Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison's music and lyrics are infinitely catchy, hum-able, and at times nonsensical. The main characters have a chance to show off in numbers that feel very much like a vaudeville "flash act" or variety show. Stand-outs numbers include the opening song "Fancy Dress", performed by the full cast and "Show Off", sung by Andrea Chamberlain. Chamberlain excels in the unenviable task of playing the role the Sutton Foster originated on Broadway.

Fran Jaye, who plays Trix, is sadly underused, as is Marla Mindelle as Kitty. Richard Vida gets to shine briefly as Robert's best man George, in "Cold Feets".

With more music than dialogue, the pace of The Drowsy Chaperone is quicker than the rat-tat-tat of a Tommy-gun. The show clocks in at an hour and forty-five minutes without intermission. It has all of my favorite things, musical comedy performed by a top-notch cast, some terrific tap-dancing, and a healthy dose of self-aware sarcasm.

The Drowsy Chaperone plays at Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) through May 11, 2008.

Tickets range from $41 - $68 and can be purchased in person at the PPAC Box Office, located at 220 Weybosset Street in downtown Providence; online at ppacri.org; and by calling (401) 421-ARTS.

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