Review: THE DROWSY CHAPERONE at Desert Theatreworks is Rip-Roaringly Funny

The Coachella Valley is fortunate to have so many top-notch community theatres. One of them is Desert Theatreworks (DTW), currently presenting a howlingly funny, expert production of the musical farce THE DROWSY CHAPERONE.

Don't look for Shakespeare or Chekhov in this show. What audiences will find instead are brilliant performances and direction, nonstop lunacy, and nostalgia for the old shows that have gone the way of wringer washing machines and girdles. The enthusiastic audience at the performance I attended cheered every number.

THE DROWSY CHAPERONE is a send-up of 1920's musical comedies, where plots had no more substance than cotton candy and where every situation provided an excuse for a song and dance. The story, such as it is, involves an unnamed, aging Luddite of a Broadway fan (Timm McBride) who prefers vinyl to CDs and who breaks the fourth wall to describe his favorite musical, while imparting his philosophy of life and theatre. ("Please, Elton John, must we continue this charade?"). The fictitious 1928 extravaganza magically comes alive in his living room as he plays the scratchy original Broadway cast recording. The show's producer, Feldzieg (Arnie Kleban) - get used to the groaners - wants to stop his star (newcomer Coco Girelli) from marrying a man she hardly knows (Ryan Holmes). Otherwise, he will become a tasty dish served by two bumbling gangsters (Mark Dembry and Ed Lefkowitz) masquerading as chefs. Feldzieg enlists ladies man Aldopho (Allen Jensen) to seduce the star and stop the wedding. This description barely scratches the surface of the hijinks, which make no more sense than the plot of a comic opera, but like a comic opera, there is a happy ending.

Ron Phillips-Martinez's set perfectly fits its occupant's personality (comforters on the shabby furniture and Broadway posters tacked onto the walls). Look for the cardboard album cover of the 1928 "Drowsy Chaperone" - its details are perfect, complete with the RCA Victor pooch. Heidi Hapner, who serves as choreographer, among other roles, manages to make all the cast members look like expert dancers, by cleverly mixing moves by the experienced hoofers in with those of the non-dancers. The whole cast, crew, and creative team together help create a hilarious experience for theatregoers; there is not a weak link in the entire production.

This show is a must-see. DTW has added an extra performance on Thursday, March 16th, at 7 p.m.. I would not be surprised if the run sells out - the production certainly deserves to fill every seat. Do yourself a favor - do NOT miss the fun.

THE DROWSY CHAPERONE runs through Sunday, February 5, 2017. Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm, and Saturdays and Sundays at 2pm.

All of DTW's performances take place at the Arthur Newman Theatre, in the Joslyn Senior Center, 73-750 Catalina Way, Palm Desert CA, 92260. Tickets can be purchased online at www.dtworks.org, in person at the Joslyn Center, and by phone at 760-980-1455. General admission is $28, senior admission (ages 55+) is $26, and student admission (with i.d.) is $15. A package of six flex tickets, which can be used for any show during the season, up to a total of six tickets per package, are $144. Tickets for groups of 8-19 attendees are $22 each. Tickets for groups of twenty or more are $19 each. For further information, call the box office at 760-980-1455.

THE DROWSY CHAPERONE runs through Sunday, March 19, 2017. Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm, and Saturdays and Sundays at 2pm. In addition to the regular schedule, there will be a performance on Thursday, March 16, 2017, at 7 p.m.

All of DTW's performances take place at the Arthur Newman Theatre, in the Joslyn Senior Center, 73-750 Catalina Way, Palm Desert CA, 92260. Tickets can be purchased online at www.dtworks.org, in person at the Joslyn Center, and by phone at 760-980-1455. General admission is $28, senior admission (ages 55+) is $26, and student admission (with i.d.) is $15. A package of six flex tickets, which can be used for any show during the season, up to a total of six tickets per package, are $144. Tickets for groups of 8-19 attendees are $22 each. Tickets for groups of twenty or more are $19 each. For further information, call the box office at 760-980-1455.

The last show in DTW's 2016-17 season is NEXT TO NORMAL (April 21-30, 2017), a musical about the perfect family - or not.

For information on DTW's educational programs, including KidsWorks, an upcoming, tuition-free program for those under 18, see www.dtworks.org. A Broadway World article on KidsWorks can be found at www.broadwayworld.com/palm-springs/article/BWW-Feature-Desert-Theatreworks-Plans-KidsWorks-a-Training-Program-for-Children-20160823.

Finally, for more information regarding DTW's ongoing lease negotiations, see www.dtworks.org .

Photo Credit: Paul Hayashi

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