Photo Flash: Farmington Players Presents THE DROWSY CHAPERONE

Get ready for a farcical romp through the mad-capped world of musical theatre - A musical comedy show within a show. That's what the Farmington Players are promising with their production of the Tony Award-winning Broadway Musical The Drowsy Chaperone. The comedy opens Friday April 26th and runs through Saturday May 18th at the Barn Theater in Farmington Hills. Tickets are available at the box office (248) 553-2955 or at www.farmingtonplayers.org

Director Cynthia Tupper of Farmington Hills calls it an "old fashioned musical with a new twist." The Drowsy Chaperone is narrated by an unnamed man in a chair who breaks "the fourth wall" taking the audience back in time as he recalls his favorite 1920s musical entitled, The Drowsy Chaperone. While reminiscing in his apartment, "the man in the chair" plays a cast recording of the show for the audience. The characters then come to life to complete a loving tribute to and a spoof of musical theatre in a powerful parody of the art form.

The show, with a book written by Bob Martin and Don McKellar and music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, opened on Broadway in 2006 and starred Detroit's own Sutton Foster along with Danny Burstein and others. The plot for the "show within a show" focuses on a coddled Broadway starlet Janet Van De Graff (Lark Haunert of Canton) who wants to give up show business to marry the handsome toothpaste model Robert Martin (played by barn regular Jason Wilhoite of Farmington) who can tap dance like there's no tomorrow and roller skate blind! Janet's goofy producer Feldzieg (Tim Timmer of Wayne) hatches a plot to sabotage the wedding plans.

Edmond Guay of Royal Oak (a retired teacher of English, Speech and Theatre) plays "The Man in the Chair" who breaks the fourth wall to pull the audience into his fantasy, offering witty asides as he watches the action unfold in his apartment. Guay says his character, "embodies so much of what makes the average geeky musical theater lover a musical theater lover. He (the man in the chair) simply enjoys the show, the music, the glamour the escape. And I think his quirky and bizarre little character represents a little piece of all of us."

Drowsy, like many musicals, involves lead characters "larger than life" and dynamic ensemble members with wonderful voices who perform stunning dances (created by Choreographer Mary Murphy of Milford). Crowds will marvel at the magic produced from such tunes as "Fancy Dress," "Cold Feets" and "Toledo Surprise." The latter is a thrilling dance number that serves as a valentine to vaudeville.

Some other zany characters ready to take you on this wild ride include: A Latin lover (Bob Hotchkiss of Bloomfield Hills), a martini-loving chaperone (Barb Bruno of Oxford) a pair of gangsters who double as pastry chefs, a ditzy 1920's "flapper" and much more.

As with every Cynthia Tupper musical at the Farmington Players Barn, you can expect the costumes and choreography to be nothing short of magical. "The show is filled with theatrical surprises, lavish costumes, high energy dancing and catchy songs performed by one of the best ensemble casts I have worked with," says Tupper. "This funny and clever show will have you laughing and smiling for an hour and a half." Guay adds that it's a music lover's dream to be part of a show like this because "the script is hysterical yet human and makes the concept of musical theater one that is very reachable for so many."

Guay likes that his character sums it all up by saying that Drowsy, as well as the Barn's performance of it, "does what a musical is supposed to do: it takes you to another world, and leaves you with some tunes that you can remember when you're feeling a little blue."

Tickets for "The Drowsy Chaperone" sponsored by Tru-Vista Wealth Advisors are available online at www.farmingtonplayers.org or by emailing

Photo Credit: Jan Cartwright