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<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">CVLT offers buoyant,
delightful ‘Drowsy Chaperone’<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Bob
Abelman<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">News-Herald,
Chagrin Valley Times, Solon Times,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The
Morning Journal, Geauga Times Courier<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Member,
American Theatre Critics Association <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">This
review will appear in the <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Herald
</I></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">on
3/23/12<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; COLOR: #556666; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>“The Drowsy Chaperone,”
currently on stage at the Chagrin Valley Little Theatre, opens in the dark,
where a voice says out loud what those dragged to the CVLT by their spouses have
been murmuring in their heads:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I
hate theater. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>"Well, it's so
disappointing, isn't it?" says the voice.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Musical theater, however, is a wonderful escape from the dreary horrors
in the world “as long as it is short, free of actors who roam the audience, and
blessed with a story and a few good songs."<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>“The Drowsy Chaperone” is
exactly that.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>When the lights come up,
the owner of the voice—an effeminate, middle-aged loner (Don Bernardo) who is
our designated best friend for the evening—is revealed.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>So, too, is his passion for 1920’s
musicals, with their catchy show tunes, lightweight plots, and cookie cutter
characters.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>When he plays for us
the original vinyl cast album of his favorite show, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” it
miraculously comes to life as his drab apartment transforms into a Broadway
stage during the hay-day of glitzy musical theater extravaganzas.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>Soon the stage is
populated with period Great White Way archetypes—a beautiful starlet (Suzanne
Davis) giving up fame to marry a rich, self-adoring playboy (Ryan Bernstein),
her hard-drinking and fun-loving chaperone (Libby Merriman), a manipulative
Broadway producer (Michael Rogan) and his airheaded arm-candy (Lisa Tarr), a
ditzy dowager (Tina Burgett-Krause), an aviatrix (Alex LaForce-Marzullo), a
foreign heartthrob (Eric Oswald),and hard-nosed but well intended gangsters
(Clayton Minder and Jerry Schaber)—among others.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They recreate their classic production
as our effusive host offers a running commentary on its madcap, cellophane
storyline.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>Much like “The
Producers,” which is another musical theater parody, “The Drowsy Chaperone” is
in the precarious position of making fun of itself.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>As such, it is a high-wire balancing act
of sorts, with actors having to perform intentionally bad production numbers
well and play purposefully broad characters realistically.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This balancing act operates without a
net, for if performances stumble everything falls into a state of musical
theater mediocrity.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>Fortunately, this play
and this production of it do nearly everything right.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>“The Drowsy Chaperone” is
not only blessed with an ingratiating story by Bob Martin and Don McKeller, but
it delivers a few good songs by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>There’s no mistaking these tunes with
those of Cole Porter or the Gershwins, but they hold their own for a show that
covers its assets with the subtitle “a musical within a
comedy.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>What makes the story so
ingratiating is the delightful pretense of our omnipresent host directly
addressing the audience and offering his thoughts on the musical he loves so
dearly.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Much of the commentary
takes the form of adoring jabs, such as “ignore the lyrics” and “this scene
couldn’t be any more ridiculous,” which cleverly sidesteps the show’s flaws by
blatantly acknowledging them. <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>What makes our host so
ingratiating is Mr. Bernardo in the role.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>He is absolutely brilliant.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Careful never to cross that fine line between character and caricature,
Mr. Bernardo is thoroughly endearing and an absolute pleasure to watch at all
times.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>Also wonderful, and
equally adept at not going over the top in their portrayals, are Ms. Merriman as
the Drowsy Chaperone and Ms. Davis as the starlet, Janet.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Both have gorgeous voices and
substantial stage presence, and fully understand what the playwrights are
intending.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Ms. Davis’ Janet is
gloriously artificial and deadpan, while Ms. Merriman‘s chaperone is
delightfully oblivious to everything except a ripping good time.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>Oh sure, there are flaws
in this play. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>As did the musicals
of the 1920s, “The Drowsy Chaperone” offers a showcase for vaudeville novelty
acts—such as tap dancing routines and slapstick comedy—that fall flat unless
performed by true artisans.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This
makes it tough on community theaters like the CVLT to sell these bits and even
tougher on their audiences to watch them.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>And, yes, there are
problems with this production.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Edmond Wolff’s functional but unimpressive apartment set undermines its
magical transformation to the Broadway stage of our host’s vivid
imagination.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Also, the orchestra
under Anney Jeandrevin’s direction is severely understaffed, which also
undermines the magic.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>Nonetheless, Marc C.
Howard’s buoyant direction and choreography keep things lively and pushes the
fun to the forefront.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“The Drowsy
Chaperone” is a wonderful escape, even for those brought kicking and screaming
to the box office.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">“The Drowsy
Chaperone” <SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">continues
through April 14 </SPAN>at the Chagrin Valley Little Theatre, 40 River Street,
Chagrin Falls.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>For tickets, $14 to
$18, call 440-247-8955 or visit <B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><A
href=""><FONT
color=#0000ff>www.cvlt.org</FONT></A>.</B><o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>