Preview

The Drowsy Chaperone: A Musical Phenomenon

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
578 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Drowsy Chaperone: A Musical Phenomenon
“The Drowsy Chaperone," a musical phenomenon, with songs by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, based off the book written by Mr. Martin and Don McKellar. An hour and forty minutes of pure comedic relief, a nod to the aspect of escapism of the twenties. Adorned with the perfect balance between historicism and modernism, this musical provides the foundation for a night of amusement and thrill. It is a sneak peak into the extravagant musicals of the 1920s. A long lost era where prohibition dampened the spirits of many, liquor flowed like water, flappers were the rage, and gangsters were high on life. With the lights completely down, an eager audience sits in a dark theater waiting for the anticipated rise of the musical. Meanwhile a man lingers aimlessly on stage and puts on his favorite record: the cast recording of a popular 1928 musical comedy. The recording beams as it livens the atmosphere, causing the stage to burst with energy and come to life, noting the beginning of “The Drowsy Chaperone”. Between two lovers just hours before their wedding, a clumsy best man, a eager theatre producer, two posing pastry chefs, and a highly intoxicated chaperone, the stage is set for a combination of many thrilling musical acts and comedic narratives, creating a bustling stage of controversy. I found these first few minutes captivating, the ability of a character to draw the audience in so quickly was pure talent. The audience felt connected. The …show more content…
The premise is appealing; the narration, clever. The music, lyrics, dancing, jokes, and sets make for a fascinated audience. From the captivating introduction, to the everlasting conflicts, and the plethora of comedic hints, this musical was sure to thrill. Whether one was looking for a night of fun and laughter or looking to escape the pressures of everyday life “The Drowsy Chaperone” was the way to go. Everyone can appreciate the witty writing and wonderful timing of this quirky little

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Even the lyrics of Shadow Waltz stress the power of imagination: “Let me dream a song that I can bring to you . . . Let me linger long, let me live my song.” During the Great Depression, viewers wanted to leave their harsh realities and escape into the world of entertainment, if only for a while. However, escape is ultimately fleeting; as the shot of the flower creating ripples in the pond illustrates, illusion is always broken. Likewise, the concluding shot of the audience members and the lowering curtain reminds the viewer that the fantastical “reality” of “Shadow Waltz” is merely an illusion, a musical within a…

    • 1048 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Cabaret takes place in the years 1929 to 1930 Berlin before Hitler’s appointment as chancellor. The play follows Cliff Bradshaw, an aspiring American writer, and Sally Bowles, a performer at the Kit Kat Klub and their friends through the trying times before the Nazis. The story shows the struggles of those torn between what they want, and what is acceptable and how blind some were to the problems staring them right in the face. In the words of the emcee: “Leave your troubles outside! So-life is disappointing? Forget it! In here, life is beautiful-the girls are beautiful-even the orchestra is beautiful! Willkommen im Cabaret!” As the story unfolds, we see how this blindness affects those who…

    • 1073 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    As the film starts, the opening captions reads exactly what the film is about and establishes the way in which Chaplin is going to perform by stating “A Comedy Romance In Pantomime.” The film begins with the unveiling of a new city statue by the mayor and assorted aristocrats. However, a sleeping tramp is revealed resting on it once the white sheet is removed for the ceremony. The Tramp (Charlie Chaplin) ungraciously dismounts from the marble statue in humorist fashion.…

    • 1270 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Fantasticks

    • 981 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Upon my arrival to the ticket booth, I wasn't quite sure what musical I would be watching. Then I stumbled over The Fantasticks, which currently the number one with most off Broadway performances. It was first premiered in 1960, and it was able to have been going on since that long, something about had to be good. I wasn't quite clear what to expect, but just something different. The auditorium had, give or take, 200 seats. After settling down, I opened my program booklet for an overture about the musical. Book and lyrics were by Tom Jones. Music was by Harvey Schmidt. It was also directed by Tom Jones, and the original production stage was by Word Baker.…

    • 981 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hairspray Play Analysis

    • 1074 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Segregation, intolerance, and prejudice are all tackled in Vincennes University’s fall musical Hairspray. While both celebrating and critiquing aspects of American culture in the 1960’s, the overall message is the beauty of acceptance and freedom. Despite a few minor weaknesses, likely due to limitations on time and resources, the play was very impressive and a definite success.…

    • 1074 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Strictly Ballroom Essay

    • 5195 Words
    • 21 Pages

    A musical comedy, with big production dance scenes and a plot similar to musical comedies in the 1930s and 1940s…

    • 5195 Words
    • 21 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    It should be quite obvious by now the fact that the Phantom happens to be the cunning culprit responsible for the act of my Broadway musical ‘cherry popping’ exposure. I hope the reader would excuse my French simply because I mean no disrespect in any profane way to a long time next door rival production called “Mary Poppins”. In other words “The Phantom of the Opera” has comfortably secured the first spot in my list of viewing many other Broadway plays that are yet to come. I cannot help but emphasize this primo genial melancholy contact by quoting a title of a very popular pop song “First Cut is the Deepest” which I could now relate to very intimately.…

    • 934 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The article explores the works of Stephen Sondheim, and what other people thought of it. It has opinions from other musical theater producers and audience members. The article introduces Ted Chapin, a young admirer of Stephen Sondheim, talks about one of Sondheim’s pieces called company in which he states “American musical theater had been set on a path…

    • 326 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Bouncers is a comical, yet serious dive into urban nightlife. The actors use multi-role to play a variety of different characters with hilarious results. Throughout the updated version of the play, John Godber (original writer and director) highlighted his intentions through Lucky Eric’s daunting monologues; we still drink too much as a society today. Nonetheless, the dated stereotypes and the use of Frank Sinatra and ‘Thriller’ did make the play feel slightly dated.…

    • 1003 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The first song in the musical and possibly one of the most well-known tells the story of how Sandy and Danny met. “Summer Nights” perpetuates gender essentialism as Sandy romanticizes her version of the story while Danny performs an emotionally unattached masculine recount. Danny sings lyrics such as “she got friendly down in the sand” and “she was good, you know what I mean” while Sandy sings more innocently about drinking lemonade and holding hands. The contrasting lyrics as well as the differing responses from the two friend groups sends the audience a message that men refer to women as objects and focus on sex, while women indulge in the romance. “Summer Nights” portrays gender as extremely binary and uses essentialist beliefs while reducing Sandy to plaything for…

    • 1040 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Bosley Crowther of the New York Times calls the film a “flimsy motion picture” with “reckless gags” (n.p.). Not exactly key words in a review that will get those reading the highbrow journal for period intellectuals into seats at the box office. Crowther has no praise for the film-adaptation of an original stage play. Crowther recognizes that the comedy and the narrative of the movie was supposed to bring people away from their TVs and into movie theaters…

    • 805 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Avenue Q Critique

    • 1504 Words
    • 7 Pages

    With music-writer and lyricist Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, this luxurious play triumphed a number of awards including: the 2003 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding New Musical, three Tony Awards in 2004, and two Theatre World Awards the same year (alongside with many more nominations). The comical musical’s success can be derived from the actors and actresses, themselves, not to mention the multiple roles the actors and actresses had to play, at times during coequal scenes. Though it may cause discomfort at peculiar…

    • 1504 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Unlike other musicals he wrote where the distance between him and the reality of the source text or subject was expansive, there is no denying that Sondheim knew an awful lot about what it was like being a Broadway composer working in the 60s and 70s. Sondheim did not just modernize Hart and Kaufman’s piece — they glamorized it. Sondheim did not necessarily need to know what it was like to backstab or betray those close to him, but he knew what it meant to collaborate with others — often his dear friends — on artistic projects in theatre where something as simple as the right show at the right time meant the difference between community recognized fame, or utter failure. It is not impossible to imagine that even if he didn’t see it in himself, Sondheim could see in others working at his level the consequences of greed and self service in a highly glamorized industry — which in theory, made him an ideal artist to help portray the story of Frank Shepard. In execution, Merrily We Roll Along was nothing short of a flop, which is fascinating when one considers how close Sondheim’s reality was to that of the…

    • 1368 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In this essay I will be talking about stage fright, Jonathan Pryce, and the film Chicago. In stage fright I will touch on what stage fright is to me and how it affects my acting. Then I will talk about Jonathan Pryce and all his thoughts on how stage fright is selfishness. Lastly, I will talk about the film Chicago and how the character’s emotions tie to the emotions of real people.…

    • 450 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The whole production starts with a sharply dressed Skiffle band, entertaining the crowd as they all take their seats and to set the mood that filled the theatre. As the heavy red curtain finally rises after deep anticipation, the stage is decorated with a lounge room scene filled with an array of different characters. The first few minutes seem to pass quite slowly, mainly because it was rather difficult to understand the characters strong British accents and jokes only an Englishman would find funny. The first hint of what is to come, is the entrance of Francis Henshall, the lovable harlequin played by Owain Arthur, as he enters and proceeds to catch a grape in his mouth after somersaulting over a chair and landing on his back, adding a superb element of slapstick to the show. Another golden point is the addition of short musical performances in-between set changes, which kept the audience enthusiastic and didn’t let the energy fade.…

    • 676 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays