The Five-Time Tony Award®-Winning Musical, THE DROWSY CHAPERONE, Will Play Philadelphia for a Limited One-Week Engagement at the Academy of Music Nov. 27 - Dec. 2
October 8, 2007
The most celebrated musical of the 2006 Broadway season, The Drowsy Chaperone, a completely original musical comedy, is coming to Philadelphia at the Academy of Music from Nov. 27 to Dec. 2. The show is directed and choreographed by Tony Award® nominee Casey Nicholaw (Spamalot) with music and lyrics by Tony Award® winners Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison and a book by Tony Award® winners Bob Martin and Don McKellar. The musical launches the new theatre season as the first production for the 2007-08 Cadillac Broadway Series.
Tickets ranging in price from $25 to $77.50 will go on sale Sunday, Oct. 14 beginning at 10am. A limited amount of box seats priced at $100 are also available. Tickets can be purchased by calling 215-731-3333, online at www.kimmelcenter.org/broadway, at the Kimmel Center box office, Broad & Spruce Streets (open daily 10am - 6pm) or the Academy of Music box office, Broad & Locust Streets (during performances only). Groups of 20 or more will receive discounts for select performances by calling 215-790-5883. Tickets can also be purchased as part of a Choose 3 subscription package by calling 215-893-1955.
Performances include: Tuesday through Thursday evenings (Nov. 27 - 29) at 7:30pm; Friday & Saturday evenings (Nov. 30 & Dec. 1) at 8pm; Sunday evening (Dec. 2) at 6:30pm; and matinees on Saturday at 2pm and Sunday at 1pm.
The Drowsy Chaperone tells the story of a modern day musical theater addict known simply as "Man in Chair." To chase his blues away he drops the needle on his favorite LP — the 1928 musical comedy, The Drowsy Chaperone. From the crackle of his hi-fi, the musical magically bursts to life on-stage telling the tale of a pampered Broadway starlet who wants to give up show business to get married, her producer who sets out to sabotage the nuptials, her chaperone, the debonair groom, the dizzy chorine, the Latin lover and a pair of gangsters who double as pastry chefs. Man in Chair's love of The Drowsy Chaperone speaks to anyone who has ever been transported by the theater.
Canadian actor Jonathan Crombie, who is widely known for playing Gilbert Blythe in the popular "Anne of Green Gables" movies, plays the musical-loving Man in Chair. Georgia Engel ("The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "Everybody Loves Raymond") will reprise her role of Mrs. Tottendale for the tour. Joining them are Cliff Bemis (Feldzieg), Andrea Chamberlain (Janet Van De Graaff), Robert Dorfman (Underling), Fran Jaye (Trix), Mark Ledbetter (Robert Martin), Marla Mindelle (Kitty), James Moye (Aldolpho), Nancy Opel (The Drowsy Chaperone), Paul Riopelle (Gangster #1), Peter Riopelle (Gangster #2), and Richard Vida (George). Rounding out the cast are Kevin Crewell, Taylor Farrell, Tiffany Haas, Alicia Irving, James Patterson, Chuck Rea, Mason Roberts and Jennifer Swiderski.
The Drowsy Chaperone received more Tony Awards® than any other musical of the 2006 season, including Best Book (Bob Martin and Don McKellar); Original Score (Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison), Costume Design (Gregg Barnes) and Scenic Design (David Gallo). The creative team for The Drowsy Chaperone also includes lighting design by Ken Billington (Chicago) and Brian Monahan, sound design by Acme Sound Partners, orchestrations by Larry Blank, dance and incidental music arrangements by Glen Kelly, and music director/vocal arrangements by Phil Reno.
The Drowsy Chaperone is produced by Kevin McCollum, Roy Miller, Bob Boyett, Stephanie McClelland, Barbara Freitag and Jill Furman.
The new Cadillac Broadway Series marks the first full season of cooperation between Kimmel Center, Inc. and Shubert Organization, Inc., where theatrical presentations in Philadelphia will be presented at the Academy of Music and the Forrest Theatre. In addition to The Drowsy Chaperone, the new 2007-08 season will include: Rent(Jan. 4-6); RAIN, The Beatles Experience (Jan. 15-20); Avenue Q (Jan. 29-Feb. 10 at the Forrest Theatre); African Footprint (Feb. 29-March 2); My Fair Lady (March 11-16); Annie (March 21-23); Hairspray (May 2-4); Gypsy (May 9-11); David Copperfield: An Intimate Evening of Grand Illusion (May 16-17); Oprah Winfrey Presents The Color Purple (June 17-July 13); Mamma Mia! (July 15-27); and Monty Python’s SPAMALOT (Aug.14-31).
All performances of Cadillac Broadway Series are supported by Cadillac, CITI, Target, WPVI-TV 6, The Philadelphia Coca-Cola Bottling Company, The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Philadelphia Daily News. American Airlines is the Official Airline of Cadillac Broadway Series.
Visit www.drowsychaperone.com for more information.
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