BWW Reviews: Centerpoint Legacy Theatre's THE DROWSY CHAPERONE is Effervescent

Centerpoint Legacy Theatre's production of The Drowsy Chaperone is as sparkling and effervescent as champagne (or iced soda water).

The show is narrated by the Man in the Chair, who plays a record of a 1920s musical about all the mishaps at a celebrity wedding. His commentary illuminates what is so wonderful about classical musicals without failing to poke gentle but hilarious fun at their idiosyncrasies.

If you are a fan of musical theatre and have never seen The Drowsy Chaperone, you must make seeing this production a priority.

The recently completed Davis Center for the Performing Arts is the perfect blend of proscenium theatre bombast and small-venue intimacy for a show that simultaneously celebrates Broadway theatre-going and the at-home listening of cast recordings.

While the set designer, Dan Christensen, could have gone the easy route with just some painted flats and a few pieces of modern furniture, he instead created a set that is both whimsical and functional and feels at the same time old-fashioned and fresh. The detailed costumes are another asset of the show.

For this musical to work, the audience must empathize with the Man in the Chair. Leslie Warwood (double cast with Doug Caldwell) creates a delightfully nuanced character who is wonderfully charming and self-deprecating.

Other highlights of the cast include Greg Dowse as Robert Martin (double cast with AaRon Hales), Shalee Schmidt as the Drowsy Chaperone (double cast with Kate Rufener), and Megan Flinders as Janet Van de Graaf (double cast with Michelle Robbins).

The dancing and singing in ensemble numbers could be much tighter, but overall it is a first-rate community theatre production.

The Drowsy Chaperone will be performed through March 31. For tickets or more information, call the box office at 801-298-1302 or visit www.centerpointtheatre.org.

Photo Credit: (left to right) Shalee Schmidt (Drowsy Chaperone), AaRon Hales (Robert Martin), Megan Flinders (Janet Van De Graaff)

Tyler Hinton is an avid theatre-goer and a big fan of Broadway musicals. He has a BA in Communications from Brigham Young University (BYU) with an emphasis in Public Relations and a minor in Theatre Studies. In the past, he has written for the BYU Daily Universe and the Connersville (Ind.) News-Examiner. He has also written and directed a handful of shows.

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