Corinne Melancon Leads THE DROWSY CHAPERONE at STAGES

One of STAGES most frequently requested shows and winner of the Kevin Kline Award for Outstanding Production of a Musical, The Drowsy Chaperone, makes its triumphant return to the STAGES stage.

A musical about people who love musicals, The Drowsy Chaperone offers a delightful and hilarious testament to the transformative power of Musical Theatre. This Tony Award-winning show features a laugh-a-minute script and one show-stopping song and dance number after another.

It all begins when a die-hard musical theatre fan decides to play his favorite cast album in his small brownstone apartment - a 1928 smash hit musical called "The Drowsy Chaperone." The show magically bursts to life before him as audiences are instantly transported to an earlier time and place and immersed in the glamorous and hilarious tale of a celebrity bride and her uproarious wedding day, complete with gangsters, mistaken identities, an off-course aviatrix, and an uplifting ride to the rafters.

Paying tribute to a "by-gone era" of American Musicals during the 1920s Jazz Age, The Drowsy Chaperone echoes a dazzling score full of pastiche pieces by many of the era's beloved popular composers. Written by Don McKellar, Lisa Lambert, and Greg Morrison, this uproariously funny musical originally debuted in 1998 at the Rivoli nightclub in Toronto, where it began its life at a stag party as entertainment celebrating the upcoming marriage of their friends, Robert Martin and Janet Van De Graaf. The show subsequently underwent multiple revisions, including adding the quintessential character of "Man in Chair," before finding its way to Broadway. The show debuted on May 1st, 2006 at the Marquis Theatre, where it enjoyed a run of 674 performances and received five Tony Awards - the most Tony Awards of any musical that season.

Bringing this production to life is an all-star cast, complete with several Broadway actors. Broadway Actress Corinne Melançon stars as The Drowsy Chaperone. Melançon recently completed an 11-year run on Broadway in Mamma Mia! and has appeared in several other Broadway shows, including Kiss Me, Kate, Jekyll & Hyde, Big, and My Fair Lady. Melançon returns to STAGES, previously appearing in several of STAGES' earlier productions, including A Little Night Music, Sweet Charity, and High Society. Other New York credits include appearances at Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, and Rainbow & Stars.

Broadway Actor Edward Juvier reprises his role of Aldolpho, which he previously played in STAGES' 2009 production of The Drowsy Chaperone. Juvier also appeared earlier this season in It Shoulda Been You. Other STAGES' productions include Man of La Mancha, Guys and Dolls, and My Fair Lady. Broadway and National Tour credits include Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera. Other New York credits include Fanny and Smoking Bloomberg.

Broadway Actor Andrew Fitch stars as Robert Martin. Fitch also returns to STAGES after appearing in past productions including Damn Yankees, Sweet Charity, and Gypsy. Broadway credits include Monty Python's Spamalot, Chicago: The Musical, and the 2013 Tony Award-winning revival of Pippin, where he was featured in the iconic Manson Trio. Other credits include The Jack Cole Project at the Queens Theatre, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, touring companies of Billy Elliot and Spamalot, and the pre-Broadway premiere of the Pippin revival at The American Repertory Theatre.

Also starring is New York Actor David Schmittou as Man in Chair, which he previously played in STAGES' 2009 production of The Drowsy Chaperone, where he won the Kevin Kline Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Musical. Schmittou has appeared in STAGES productions for over 15 years and was most recently seen in its 2016 production of It Shoulda Been You. Other regional credits include Freud's Last Session, Side by Side by Sondheim, and West Side Story.

Rounding out the cast in alphabetical order are Keith Boyer (Super/Ensemble), Debbie Devine (Swing), Kari Ely (Mrs. Tottendale), Laura Ernst (Ensemble), Morgan Amiel Faulkner (Ensemble), John Flack (Underling), Drew Humphrey (Ensemble), Steve Isom (Feldzieg), Austin Glen Jacobs (Gangster #2), Ryan Alexander Jacobs (Gangster #1), Kendra Lynn Lucas (Trix), Con O'Shea-Creal (George), Shain Stroff (Ensemble/Dance Captain), Laura E. Taylor (Janet Van De Graaff), and Dana Winkle (Kitty).

The creative team for the production includes: Michael Hamilton (Direction and Musical Staging), Dana Lewis (Choreography), Lisa Campbell Albert (Musical Direction), James Wolk (Scenic Design), Brad Musgrove (Costume Design), Sean M. Savoie (Lighting Design), Stuart M. Elmore (Orchestral Design).

Complete biographical information is listed on STAGES' website at www.stagesstlouis.org. New York Casting is done by Scott Wojcik and Gayle Seay of Wojcik/Seay Casting.

Single tickets are on sale now and prices range from $20 - $59. STAGES performs in the intimate, 377-seat Robert G. Reim Theatre at the Kirkwood Civic Center, 111 South Geyer Road in St. Louis, MO. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 314-821-2407 or visit www.StagesStLouis.org.

STAGES St. Louis is the region's foremost not-for-profit company committed to preserving and advancing the art form of Musical Theatre through excellence in performance and education. In 2016, STAGES celebrates its 30th year of producing Broadway-quality theatre, presenting 135 performances from June through October to nearly 50,000 patrons.

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