[NEohioPAL] The Drowsy Chaperone opening weekend

[Janis Harcar]

Hilariously Charming Musical Comedy

‘The Drowsy Chaperone’ Closes Out Weathervane Playhouse’s 77th Season!

Delightful Comic Valentine to Old-Time Broadway Musicals, This Show-Within-a-Show Won Five 2006 Tony Awards

 

Weathervane Playhouse closes its 77th Mainstage season with the hilariously charming musical comedy, The Drowsy Chaperone. This heartfelt spoof of old-time Broadway musicals is presented live on stage between June 14 and July 8, 2012. The production is directed and choreographed by Gwen Arment with musical direction by John Ebner. 

The show begins when a lonely musical-theater fan – known only as Man in Chair – seeks to cure his "non-specific sadness" by listening to the original cast recording of his favorite Broadway musical from the late 1920s, a fictional smash hit called The Drowsy Chaperone. As the needle drops on his record player, the Jazz Age-era show and its wacky cast of characters suddenly come to life in his dumpy apartment! It’s a hilarious show-within-a-show packed with musical and comedic delights!

Winner of five 2006 Tony Awards – including best score and best book – The Drowsy Chaperone is a delightful valentine to Broadway musicals of old, complete with loveable stock characters.

The Drowsy Chaperone introduces us to Janet Van De Graaff, a young Broadway starlet about to be married. There’s her harried producer, Mr. Feldzieg, who’s eager to stop the nuptials. Attached to the producer is a dizzy chorus girl. We also meet the handsome and carefree bridegroom, his tap-dancing best man, two gangsters pretending to be pastry chefs, a conceited Latin song-and-dance man, an aviatrix, and a daffy rich woman and her foppish butler. And then there’s the vampish, slightly older – and slightly tipsy! – woman known as The Drowsy Chaperone, who’s supposed to be keeping an eye on the blushing bride! 

Against this Roaring ‘20s backdrop, hilarity ensues as The Drowsy Chaperone serves up clever songs and a gleeful story about love and marriage – complete with all the witty post-modern asides interjected by Man in Chair, who comments on the action with witty asides as his favorite musical magically unspools in his apartment.

 
Weathervane’s The Drowsy Chaperone Performance and Ticket Information

 

The Drowsy Chaperone plays on the Weathervane Playhouse Founders Theater stage between June 14 and July 8, 2012.

The low-cost preview performance is Thursday, June 14 at 7:30 p.m.; the official opening-night performance is Friday, June 15 at 8 p.m.
Between June 14 and July 8, 2012, the performance days and times are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m.
Tickets for the June 14 preview performance only (at 7:30 p.m.) are $18 each. Tickets for performances after June 14 are $24 each.

$21 tickets for seniors are available for Thursday and Sunday performances. Tickets for children (ages 17 or younger) and college students are $5 each at all performances. Additional discounts for groups of 12 or larger are also available.

The Weathervane Playhouse Box Office is open Mondays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Tuesdays through Fridays between 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. and is also open beginning one hour before each performance. For tickets, visit or call the Weathervane Box Office at (330) 836-2626 during Box Office hours or connect online to www.weathervaneplayhouse.com.

About the Show’s Director/Choreographer

GWEN ARMENT did her undergraduate work at the Indiana University School of Music in piano and voice and her Masters work in Theater History at Hunter College. She also studied at London’s National Theatre. Based in New York City, she performed there as well as on tour and in regional theaters before starting a career in producing, directing and teaching. In the New York area, she has directed at the Abingdon Theatre, Theatre 315, The Theatre Arts Center, Ensemble Studio Theatre (associate producer 1995), Broadway Theatre Institute for Musical Mondays Theatre Lab (artistic director 2002-2003) and The Century Center. Nationally, she also has directed at the South Jersey Regional Theater; Arundel Barn Playhouse in Maine; Charles Playhouse in Boston; Pennsylvania Stage Company; Mishler Theatre in Altoona, Pennsylvania; and at the Royal Palm Festival Theater in Florida, where she received Carbonell nominations for choreography and performing. At Ohio Northern University in 2010 and 2011 Gwen had the pleasure of directing and choreographing Urinetown and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. She has also given master classes in musical theater at both ONU and Indiana University. As a teacher of professional actors, alongside guest faculty instructors from the Royal National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company, she produced and taught Shakespeare workshops in New York City and at Western Connecticut State University. In addition, she instructed in piano and voice at Valparaiso University as well as theater history at Hunter College. In 2004, she co-founded and currently remains the artistic director and producer for Hell’s Kitchen Musicals (HKM), a company that develops new works with readings, staged readings and showcases. Most recently, HKM produced the new musical Peg O’ My Heart for New York City's 2011 Midtown International Theatre Festival. It won the award for best musical. Among the many celebrated artists with whom Gwen has worked are Gower Champion, Peter Gennaro, Donald Saddler, Christopher Hewitt, Bob Herget, Tommy Tune, George Faison and Ron Lagomarsino. When performing the role of Lola in Damn Yankees, Gwen danced Bob Fosse’s original choreography, having been taught and supervised by the original Lola, Gwen Verdon. When not directing or producing, Gwen teaches voice privately.
 
About the Show’s Musical Director
JOHN EBNER is glad to be back at the Weathervane Playhouse. In past seasons, he directed Ragtime and Putting it Together, receiving a Chanticleer and YACTA Marque Award for Ragtime. John has worked extensively in a variety of ways as music director, keyboardist and accompanist for Canton Cabaret, Carousel Dinner Theatre, Coach House, Ohio Shakespeare Festival, Player’s Guild of Canton and Voices of Canton. He has performed with Arthur Fiedler of the Boston Pops Orchestra, Academy Award-winning Paul Williams and a Billy Joel Tribute band at Cleveland’s House of Blues. John is a retired music teacher and continues to work with local schools in Stark & Summit counties. “It is great to be working with Henry, Karen and Mandy again. Special thanks to Nancy, Terry, Ron and Jim for giving me the opportunity to do what I truly love as well as Gwen, Scott, Jason and our fantastic cast, orchestra and crew.”

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
 Weathervane Playhouse and its dedicated volunteers offer vital performing arts resources for the people of Northeastern Ohio. We create exciting and thought-provoking shows with impressive production values. Through educational programs and volunteer opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds, Weathervane serves the theater community, our patrons and our volunteers.

 

The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, education excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

 Janis Harcar

Director of Advancement
Weathervane Playhouse
330-836-2626 X16
jharcar at weathervaneplayhouse.com



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