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A Perfectly Swell Affair

Theatre Review

by Roger Martin on June 26, 2010

If you remember 23 skidoo, chicken inspector #22, the bee's knees and the cat's pajamas, you're going to just love The Drowsy Chaperone playing now at the Broward Stage Door Theatre. And if you have no idea what I'm talking, about you're going to love the show anyway.

How could you not? Pretty girls and handsome lads singing, dancing and hurtling over the acting fences to the 2006 Tony award-winning score and book. But there's more...a lot more.

A show within a show, The Drowsy Chaperone lovingly polishes every musical theatre cliché of the 1920s into an hour and forty minute one-act that is wonderfully entertaining.

Briefly, a narrator, Man In Chair, plays a reissue LP record of a 1928 musical comedy, and surprise, the show springs to life right there in his apartment. There is a bride, a groom, best man, show producer, producer's ditzy girlfriend, a bride's best friend, servants, gangsters, a Latin lover, pastry chefs, and a lesbian aviatrix and a drowsy chaperone. Oh, and don't forget the Chinese. Forgive me if I've missed anyone.

Dan Kelley, endearing as Man In Chair, doesn't just watch the show, he wanders in and out of it, revealing, explaining and delivering some of the funniest lines in a piece that's full of funny stuff. I don't want to give away the bits here, but think about it: The Drowsy Chaperone won the score and book Tonys. There's a lot going on and the seventeen person cast delivers every bit of pleasure therein.

A tip of the topper, though, to Laura Oldham performing “Show Off.” And Matt Ban in “I Am Adolpho.” And, aw hell, everyone else performing all the other numbers. They were perfectly swell.

Production values are uniformly high, with direction by Dan Kelley, assisted by Chrissie Ardito who also did the wonderful choreography. David Nagy is the musical director with orchestrations by David Cohen and sound design by David Torres. The set and lighting is by Ardean Landhuis. And the costumes, ah the costumes, they're by Kimberly Wick.

There's a lot of good theatre going on around here this year and this show is right up there at the top with its excellent direction and strong, talented cast.

The Drowsy Chaperone plays through July 25 at the Broward Stage Door Theatre, 8036 West Sample Road, Coral Springs. Call 954.344.7765 or visit www.stagedoortheatre.com.

Photos by Roger Martin.

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