‘The Drowsy Chaperone’ comes to SLO Little Theatre

Sometimes, it takes something fun and frolicsome to lift your spirits.

San Luis Obispo Little Theatre kicks off its 70^th season with “The Drowsy Chaperone,” directed by Suzy Newman with musical direction by Mark Robertshaw and choreography by Andrew Silvaggio.

A playful pastiche of Jazz Age musicals, “The Drowsy Chaperone” — which features music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, and a book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar — debuted in Toronto in 1998 and opened on Broadway in 2006, winning five Tony Awards. This production channels the same merry mood.

Our anonymous narrator, known only as Man in Chair (Mike Mesker), is feeling blue. “I just want a story and a few good songs that will take me away,” he explains. “I just want to be entertained.”

The only remedy is listening to the soundtrack of his favorite musical.

The needle drops and the audience is immersed in the delightfully frothy world of “The Drowsy Chaperone,” set in the Roaring Twenties when “the whole world was a party.” As the action unfolds, the Man in Chair offers a running commentary — providing arch insights and snide asides in every scene.

Absent-minded heiress Mrs. Tottendale (Dori Duke) and her long-suffering butler, Underling (Larry Kaml), are hosting the nuptials of dashing oil tycoon Robert Martin (Tim Stewart) and glamorous Broadway star Janet Van De Graaff (Melanie Marie). Robert’s forgetful friend, George (Issac Bromby), is the best man.

Janet plans to give up show business once she weds, much to the alarm of producer Feldzieg (Ed Cardoza). Equally irked are two gangsters (Darrell Haynes and Vincent Lemos) posing as pastry chefs; their employer is the financial muscle behind “Feldzieg’s Follies.”

But at least one person sees a bright side: ditzy chorus girl Kitty (Claire Edmonds), who dreams of becoming a headliner.

It’s the Chaperone’s job to ensure that the bride and groom are kept apart before the wedding. But with her penchant for knocking back highballs and taking naps, it’s unlikely this gin-swilling gal will be able to stop any shenanigans.

And shenanigans are not in short supply.

“Will it ever work out in the end? Of course it will! It’s a musical,” our narrator crows.

Mesker is a hoot as the Man in Chair, an opinionated musical theater fan with a seemingly endless supply of wry wisecracks. To his credit, he manages to find some moments of genuine emotion amid all the snarky jokes.

Marie and Stewart play it straight as the central couple.

Stewart, who’s making his Little Theatre debut, is superbly cast as stuffed-shirt Robert. His smile never wavers and his impeccable hair barely bobs during “Cold Feets,” a terrific tap dance duet with Bromby that shows off Stewart’s fleet footwork and his splendid voice.

Like her co-star, Marie has a strong voice and a winning stage presence. She effortlessly finds the humor in “Show Off” — in which Janet sings about eschewing the spotlight while posing for photographers — and “Bride’s Lament,” a bizarre number that’s “a little Busby Berkeley, a little Jane Goodall.”

Keith Wetzel’s glitzy costumes make as much of an impression as the characters who wear them. They range from the Chaperone’s natty hats and bead- and sequin-spangled outfits and Aldolpho’s ruffled shirts and sweeping cape — paired, naturally, with an Elvis-style pompadour and a pencil-thin moustache.

As always, the Little Theatre makes the most of its performance space with a sleek and versatile set by David Linfield and lighting by Kevin Harris. Silvaggio packs the small stage with playful dance numbers.

As fluffy as an ostrich feather on a flapper’s dress, “The Drowsy Chaperone” doesn’t attain the heights of some so-called “serious” productions. But as light-hearted entertainment goes, it’s fabulous stuff.

This story was originally published August 26, 2016 at 10:08 AM with the headline "‘The Drowsy Chaperone’ comes to SLO Little Theatre."