Barn Players "Drowsy Chaperone" review by kellyluck

An enjoyable paen to musical theatre, past and present

Rating: 5

The Drowsy Chaperone

The Barn Players, Inc.

When Don McKellar sat down with Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison to write what eventually became "The Drowsy Chaperone", they had nothing more in mind than to give their friends, Robert Martin and Janet Van De Graaff, a good laugh or two in celebration of their upcoming wedding. Fourteen years and numerous awards later, the show has established itself as a favorite for anyone who enjoys being swept up in the world of the musical. The Barn Players, a community theater group out of Mission, KS, recently finished a three-week run of the show which showed off the talents of cast and crew to marvelous effect.

The show starts with The Man in The Chair (Eric Magnus), cranky, catty, lover of classic Broadway and the audience's proxy and host. He holds forth for several minutes on various foibles of modern theatre (getting more than a few digs in to contemporary shows) before digging out the record ("yes, record") of a classic example of the early-20th-century jazz age shows that he enjoys so much, "The Drowsy Chaperone." As he plays the album for us, the show comes alive in his cramped apartment and he--and we--get swept up into the action.

The show-within-a-show is a clever send-up/pastiche of the genre: think Ziegfeld meets Wodehouse at one of the Fitzgeralds' parties, and you're not far wrong. Handsome young Robert(Rob Reeder) has retreated tot he home of Mrs Tottendale (Kay Noonan) to wed his sweetheart, Broadway star Janet (Julie O'Rourke). Along with them are George (Jay Coombes) the best man, and the titular Chaperone (Julie Shaw), charged with keeping the lovebirds from seeing each other before the wedding. Also along for the ride is Janet's agent Feldzieg -- yes, "Feldzieg"-- (Greg Butell) and his assistant Kitty (Rebecca Johnston). Feldzieg is worried because Janet intends to leave show business forever upon marriage, which would ruin him and also bring about the unwelcome attention of his backers, who have sent along a couple of henchmen (Trevor French and Curt Crespino) to make sure Janet stays single and on the boards.

The show proceeds in the classic screwball manner, with misunderstanding building upon misunderstanding until it looks like all hope is lost. At the last moment, of course, the day is saved, wedding bells ring, and all is well. In the meantime, time is found for a good dozen songs or so, ranging from the sentimental "Accident Waiting to Happen" to "As We Stumble Along," a rousing anthem to alcoholism. The music is an excellent cross-section of musical styles; the original composers have clearly done their homework.

During the production, the soundtrack recording conceit is given free rein; the performance 'skips'; intermission is just a break while the records are switched, only for the 'wrong' one to be put on. Even a power outage intrudes at just the worst possible moment. Throughout, the Man stops the 'record' to interject commentary of his own, giving background on the original performers and other insights into the show. As the  show continues, these insights become more personal, and by the end, we've been given some very intimate glimpses into his very private world.

The Barn Players' production is presented very nicely in the intimate space the company calls home. The set decoration is simple, but sufficient to convey the setting, and the show makes good use of space (there is some particularly good business with characters entering and exiting via an old Murphy bed). Ann McCroskey's choreography is right in line with the period, and the (unseen but live) orchestra does ample justice to the material.

If there are to be complaints, they are minor ones, and more tied to the material than its presentation. One thing in particular was the role of Trix the Aviatrix, played by Kristin Leathers. She appears once at the beginning, and then doesn't show up again 'til the very end to deliver the most literal deus ex machina this side of Euripides. It is a shame there isn't more for her to do, particularly given Ms Leathers' vocal talents.

In the end, however, there is very little not to like about Chaperone. The play was written with a real fondness and enthusiasm for those old-time shows, and this is mirrored in the Barn Players' performance. "Keep the actors out of the audience, God," the Man prays at the beginning of the show, "I didn't pay my hard-earned money to have the fourth wall come crashing down around my ears." But in the end, it is he--and we--who take down the fourth wall, joining this corny old show for a moment of unabashed escapism.