Theater program will perform “The Drowsy Chaperone,” a comedic Broadway musical

The Department of Music, Theatre and Dance is proud to announce that the theatre program will be offering a performance of the Broadway musical “The Drowsy Chaperone.” The production will run on Thursday, March 31, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, April 1, at 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday, April 2, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. All members of Salve Regina’s community, as well as the public, are invited to attend.

Tickets are $15 general admission; $10 for Salve Regina faculty and staff, seniors and military; $8 for non-Salve Regina students; $5 children 12 and under; free for Salve Regina students with ID. All seating is general admission, and reservations are encouraged. Proof of vaccination or negative test result is not required for entry. Masks are also not required but are certainly not discouraged. To purchase tickets, please go here.

“The Drowsy Chaperone” is a comedy that pokes fun at musical theater from the 1920s, along with its stereotypes and presumptions. The plot revolves around a man — called The Man in the Chair — in New York who is feeling isolated but lifts his spirits by playing music from his favorite musical. While the characters come to life in his living room, The Man in the Chair wryly comments on the music, story and actors. It’s a charming musical within a musical experience.

The Man in the Chair plays the music from his favorite musical, while the characters appear in his living room.

“The musical opened in 2006 on Broadway, and when I went to see it, I don’t remember ever laughing so hard,” said Tara Brooke Watkins, assistant professor of the theater program and director of the show. “I thought it was just one of the best musicals in a long time, and I am really surprised it doesn’t get done more often.”

There are 35 students involved in the production — including the cast, crew members and student musicians. The cast includes students like Thomas Froessel ’23, a double major in theater arts and dance. Froessel plays the lead character The Man in the Chair, and he elaborated on the character a little more.

“The Man in the Chair serves as the show’s narrator. He walks the audience through the show and makes some cynical quips and snarky remarks, as well as shows audience what theatre can do to just one person,” Froessel explained. “Personally, theatre has saved me in so many ways, so many times. Being given the ability to draw from that experience in a character that feels so much like myself is truly so exciting.”

Froessel also pointed out that the writing in “The Drowsy Chaperone” is smart.

“There are jokes written in this show that take deep research to understand, but even at the surface level of just hearing the sentence, you can’t help but chuckle because you would never think you’d hear a sentence like that strung together,” he said.

As the country continues to slog through a pandemic, the importance of having a good laugh can’t be underestimated, according to Watkins.

“Just being in an audience filled with laughter is one of the most healing experiences to have and kind of gives us strength to … return to life,” said Watkins. “That’s the theme of the play, but I think that actually happens when you sit and watch the show.”

“The Drowsy Chaperone” will run on Thursday, March 31, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, April 1, at 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday, April 2, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 general admission; $10 for Salve Regina faculty and staff, seniors and military; $8 for non-Salve Regina students; $5 children 12 and under; free for Salve Regina students with ID. All seating is general admission, and reservations are encouraged. Proof of vaccination or negative test result is not required for entry. Masks are also not required but are certainly not discouraged. To purchase tickets, please go here.