Wedding bells rang, wedding bells chimed. In case you missed it, the Musical Theater Conservatory put on an early fall production of The Drowsy Chaperone. The show opened with a charming old man playing a record that ushered in a heartfelt comedy, titled The Drowsy Chaperone, about a beautiful actress quitting the glitz and glamour of show business to marry the man of her dreams. Behind the red curtain and bright lights, the relationships between the actors and their characters set the stage for a successful run. Many of the actors took it upon themselves to research their characters thoroughly in their own ways. Sawyer Valin (MT ‘23), who played The Man in the Chair, even contacted the actor who played his role in the original production of the show, Bob Martin, to flesh out his character as much as possible. Jolie Wang (MT ‘23), who played Mrs. Tottendale, the bubbly socialite with an enthusiasm for weddings, watched different videos of her Drowsy character.
I built my version of Mrs. Tottendale out of [the videos]. I sort of pieced together bits of all the Mrs. Tottendales I watched,” said Wang.
Though the show’s run at CSArts has come to an end, the cast of The Drowsy Chaperone will remember the family they formed and the lessons they learned through rehearsing, performing, and embracing the show.
You have so much more freedom and possibility as an actor when you are diligent with your character breakdown work, supportive of every member of your cast, production team, and crew, and consistently eager to learn about the show itself and the exciting process of putting on a show,”
Tara Moran (MT ‘23), who played Janet van de Graff, said.
Students learned to dedicate themselves to their roles thoroughly and make the most of their rehearsal time to produce a masterful performance for everyone to enjoy. The Drowsy Chaperone was the semester’s first performance, kicking off the new school year with comedy, music, and a reminder of what CSArts truly values: celebrating and honoring art as a community.
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