Having fun
I think I've chatted with more Canadian notables this week than I've interviewed in the entire past two years.
First, I caught up with the funny guys who shot to fame on Comedy Central in the late 1980s and early 1990s as The Kids in the Hall for a piece to run Friday to preview their show that same evening at The Star Plaza Theatre in Merrillville.
Then, I had the pleasure talking with actor Jonathan Crombie, who is one of the headliners, along with the funny and talented Georgia Engel of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" fame, in the new Broadway in Chicago two-week smash hit musical "The Drowsy Chaperone."
Described as "the most celebrated musical of the 2006 Broadway season," this fun hit "The Drowsy Chaperone" is a completely original musical comedy, at the Cadillac Palace Theatre for a limited two-week engagement opening tonight and continuing until April 13. The show is directed and choreographed by Tony Award nominee Casey Nicholaw of "Spamalot" acclaim, who created the music for this show and the lyrics are by Tony Award winners Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, with the story based on the book by Tony Award winners Bob Martin and Don McKellar.
The Drowsy Chaperone tells the story of a modern day musical theater addict known simply as "Man in Chair," played by Crombie. 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.
"I tell people this is a musical comedy for both people who hate musical comedy and also people who love musical comedy," said Crombie, speaking by telephone from his hotel suite in St. Paul-Minneapolis, where the show was playing last week and who is known to many for playing Gilbert Blythe in the popular "Anne of Green Gables" movies.
He said one of the reasons he's enjoyed being in the show so much is having the chance to see so much of the United States while on tour, as well as the chance to work with Engel, who is reprising her role of Mrs. Tottendale for the tour.
Rounding out the cast is Cliff Bemis as Feldzieg, Andrea Chamberlain as Janet Van De Graaff, Robert Dorfman as Underling, Fran Jaye as Trix, Mark Ledbetter as Robert Martin, Marla Mindelle as Kitty, James Moye as Aldolpho, Nancy Opel as The Drowsy Chaperone, Paul Riopelle as Gangster No. 1, Peter Riopelle as Gangster No. 2 and Richard Vida as George. The ensemble includes Kevin Crewell, Taylor Farrell, Tiffany Haas, Alicia Irving, James Patterson, Chuck Rea, Mason Roberts and Jennifer Swiderski.
"We've had so much fun together on this tour, both on stage and off," Crombie said.
"When we're not performing, many of us has gotten together to see the sights and highlights of the cities where we are booked."
Crombie, who has never been to Chicago before, said he's excited to visit the museums of the Windy City as well, what he referred to as "that big shiny thing in one of the parks downtown," referring to Millennium Park's Cloud Gate aka the Bean.
Crombie joined the tour in October, but he was already familiar with it because he performed in the Broadway New York run last February, first playing the gangster/chef role and then, talking over for Martin, who not only helped write the show, but also starred in the lead as "Man in Chair."
"I love doing this type of stage musical comedy," Crombie said.
"Growing up, I loved watching Carol Burnett and Dick Van Dyke and this show has a lot of that style, nodding back to the days of old-style musicals."
"The Drowsy Chaperone" received more Tony Awards than any other musical of the 2006 season, including Best Book , Original Score, Costume Design and Scenic Design.
Tickets range from $25 to $75 and are available at (312) 902-1400 or Ticketmaster ticket centers For more information, visit www.drowsychaperone.com or www.broadwayinchicago.com.
The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at ppotempa@nwitimes.com or 219.852.4327.
celebBirthdays
Actress Jane Powell is 80. Actress Debbie Reynolds is 76. Country singer Jim Ed Brown and actor Don Hastings ("As The World Turns") are 74. Actress Ali MacGraw is 70. Singer Rudolph Isley (Isley Brothers) is 69. Michael Reagan (son of Ronald Reagan and Jane Wyman) is 63. Reggae singer Jimmy Cliff is 60. Jazz keyboardist Gil Scott-Heron is 59. Keyboardist Billy Currie of Ultravox is 58. Actress Annette O'Toole ("Smallville") is 56. Former child actress Denise Nickerson (Violet Beauregarde in "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory") is 49. Country singer Woody Lee is 40. Rapper-actor Method Man is 37. Filmmakers Albert and Allen Hughes ("Menace II Society," "Dead Presidents") are 36. Actor Sam Huntington ("Superman Returns," "Jungle 2 Jungle") is 26.
