‘Drowsy Chaperone’ Has A Jewel In Opel

This is my third time visiting the Man in Chair's apartment, the prior times being on Broadway and in London and this third time the cast has knocked it out of the park. The Drowsy Chaperone, the little show that could, is now in town for a two week limited engagement at the Cadillac Palace and, as has been the case more often than not in the last several years, this is hands down the most well rounded cast assembled for this particular show.

From Chaperone's modest incarnation has a stag party gift for co-creator Bob Martin, from his Second City family, the show, billed as a ‘musical within a comedy', has been developed into a full throttle hilarious yet poignant box office success in both New York and Toronto (where it started at the Toronto Fringe Festival).

Though this tour began with Mr. Martin recreating his Tony nominated role as Man in Chair, as he did in London, the role has been successfully succeeded by Jonathan Crombie, most known for his work at the Stratford Festival. Crombie, who is younger then Martin, brings a much more stoic and lonely performance than his predecessor. His commentary, not just on the plot lines of the musical, but of society in general is so biting and so real, he is instantly at one when the fourth wall is broken.

The entire cast is worthy of standing ovations. Andrea Chamberlain is beautiful, graceful and belty as the musical's heroine, Janet Van De Graaff and all thoughts of Sutton Foster are soon forgotten as soon as she begins ‘Show Off' and the part is her own. Mark Ledbetter looks like a cookie cut out leading man and delivers the humor as the finance with his ‘Cold Feets'. Georgia Engel is sensational as the forgetful wealthy widow, Mrs. Tottendale, a role which she created in the Broadway company. Engle is coupled with her long suffering butler, Underling, the great Robert Dorfman. James Moye's silent film semi-star turned over stage actor ‘Aldolfo' is both dynamic and manic.

What struck me in this tour is how much the great Nancy Opel (the second Evita I ever saw) made the part of the Chaperone front and center. Not even diva Elaine Paige had the tenacity and presence that Ms. Opel enveloped her Chaperone with. This is a totally a ‘Vera Charles' take on the character and Opel is the jewel in the crown of this amazing production.

If you haven't seen The Drowsy Chaperone before, everything you might feel it is, it isn't. This is the smartest, funniest, heartwarming and meaningful new musical to grace in stage in a very, very long time.

The Drowsy Chaperone plays through April 13, 2008 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph St., Chicago. For show times and ticket information please visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com or www.Ticketmaster.com