Sam MachadoOne of Broadway’s most timeless musicals is playing at Musical Theatre Village in Irvine. The Drowsy Chaperone opened on Valentine’s Day and runs until March 15.
The Drowsy Chaperone takes on the story of “The Man in Chair” who listens to a fictional musical comedy called The Drowsy Chaperone. He then finds himself transported into this musical where he sees characters with their own comical storylines. The show is known for its unique tap numbers and iconic songs “Show Off,” “Toledo Surprise” and “I Remember Love.”
Director Josh Teincuff said in an exclusive interview that he’s a fan of the show-within-a-show because of how it makes fun of itself while giving a glitzy piece of entertainment. “The show does an incredible job of shining light on the absurdity of musical theater while also celebrating it,” he said. “I don’t think any other show manages this while also maintaining a fun enjoyable show for musical theater novices as well. You don’t need to love theatre to enjoy this show, but for those that do, this show gives you almost a few bonus laughs.”
Drowsy (Courtesy of Musical Theatre Village)
A show that requires different kinds of talent comes with challenges, but Teincuff said the cast worked hard to put on something memorable. “[The cast] took on this monstrous project head-on and took it upon themselves to put the work in and make this show what it was,” he said. “I think my vision definitely changed during the process and in a good way the many actors in the show brought new ideas and perspectives to this that I could never have dreamed of.”
Rebecca Leeds, who plays the “Woman in Chair” is one of four actors (David Teincuff, Andres Plett and Lanette Gutman) sharing this role. She said that with both men and women sharing the role, everyone has his or her own special way of bringing the character to life. “I think we have each approached the role holistically and, as a result, we have created four completely different characters regardless of gender,” Leeds said. “We have each made it our own.”
Drowsy (Courtesy of Musical Theatre Village)
Leeds saw this production for the first time at the Ahmanson Theater more than a decade ago. Now that she’s in the show, it provides a much different perspective from what she saw the first time. “On the one hand, the show is one big theatre ‘in-joke.’ But, on the other hand, it really shows the power and magic that musical theater can have as a form of escape.”
Choreographer Lucy Riedling said she and her dance assistants Makenna Olsen and Patrick Murphy wanted to keep this show traditional while adding their own creations. After listening to the music, they decided to keep it as a “fun prohibition-era, Gene Kelly-esque style.” One particular dance number that stands out for Riedling is “Fancy Dress” because it’s the first time audiences get to know the characters. “I left a lot of room for the actors to make personal choices for their specific characters,” she said. “Each actor made some different choices with the foundational movements I gave them, and wow, did it look fun to be up there!”
Riedling also said that audiences are bound to enjoy a show like this no matter how many times they see it. This particular production has actors who brought their own flair to their roles and their director helped bring the characters to life. “[Josh] has worked with all of the main characters to understand their unique motivations and this really shines through in their performance. This production also aimed to keep honesty as a central tenet. The Man in Chair is grappling with some very human dilemmas: time passing, human interaction and failed expectation. For this reason, this multifaceted show becomes richer and richer with each minute.”
The Drowsy Chaperone plays at Musical Theatre Village on Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m.
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