The Drowsy Chaperone Tour Review Thread- Page 2

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 3:47pm

The name of the "new Robert Martin" is Mark Ledbetter.

[Tkt2Ride]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 4:31pm

Mark Ledbetter indeed! He looks cheery enough and at least has red curly hair like the real Robert Martin.

I like Aldolpho quite a bit. He is such a ham and if he and Drowsy work well together I think they are hilarious. I just cannot imagine him yet as Aldolpho. I really am waiting impatiently for pictures from the tour. The Drowsy website says they will post some but nothing new yet.

I think the sort of fanfiction you speak of is too much to read. I am quite happy with just Jonathan playing MIC but thanks.

So you attended the Matinee? I think you are right about stagedooring though. It isn't something done too regularly outside of New York but many Actors don't mind if you ask for them, if you are patient. It must have been alright for Georgia if the stagedoor guy introduced you to her. I don't think he would do something that would upset her, I hope.

I've read that the Matinee is a good time to see most Actors but not probably if they have something planned in advance. This is normal for Jon though to leave right after the show. Next time you need to find the door ahead of time and speak to an usher who can tell you how to meet certain Actors.

I think it must be a kind of thank less job to work the stagedoor since they don't seem too enthusiastic about their job.



You might want to start a new thread though about your other questions since most people won't come to this thread about POTO. I am sure though someone here will will you answer your question.
Updated On: 10/22/07 at 04:31 PM

[giddyup]

Posted: 10/23/07 at 12:26pm

Marla Mindelle is fabulous in this role. I also saw her in Boston's Wild Party as Queenie. After that, Kitty is so not the role you would ever think her to, one, be cast in and, two, to be so damn funny. WHoever said that she would be a waste of talent in that role is mistaken. She is hysterical, which probably makes her even more talented, that she can go from diva to ditz. As for Adolpho, he is hilarious. HIs accents are very, very funny, as are his stage movements. I think this is a great cast. I will def. see if again when it hits Boston.

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 10/23/07 at 12:32pm

If you think Marla is funny here check out her Youtube videos. SO GREAT!

[giddyup]

Posted: 10/23/07 at 12:40pm

Oh, I have. She is just so funny/creative. I have heard that she does a lot of her own comedy writing. She is definitely someone who could morph into Sat. Night Live. And, some of the songs she has on that website are her own arrangements, like Life Is/Small World. That is so amazing.

[theminutepast]

Posted: 10/28/07 at 2:52pm

I saw the show last night as it wrapped up in Cleveland. The performance was great. I have also seen Drowsy on Broadway, and the touring production lives up to the original. Everything was the same and brought back memories from when I first saw it. I loved the cast. They worked well together and made the audience laugh a lot. The few flaws I noticed didn’t mar the show or performances. This tour is great, and I encourage everyone to see it if they can. Here’s a review of the actors:

Andrea Chamberlain—She is a wonderful Janet! I love her voice. She had a cutesy tone and a pretty belt. In the encore to “Show Off,” she walked off stage instead of descending through the trap door. They changed the line from “Disappear through the floor no more” to “Make the audience roar no more.” I actually prefer this change. The floor thing never made sense to me. There were a few things I didn’t like, though. In “Show Off,” the tempo was slower and she didn’t do as many impressive tricks. For example, she used the rope, but didn’t jump in and out of it, and walked on stage and did one cartwheel after the lock-up. The other thing I didn’t like was that she cut her final note short in “Bride’s Lament.” It left you with a disappointed, what-just-happened-to-the-ending feeling. I was so happy with Chamberlain’s performance. (I’m a big fan of Sutton Foster, so I definitely went in with a bias!).

Jonathan Crombie—I saw the original cast and Bob Martin really is irreplaceable. When I first bought tickets for the tour, I hoped that Martin would still be playing MIC since Cleveland was one of the first tour stops. When I found out he was only playing Toronto, I was disappointed. However, I was pleasantly surprised by Crombie’s performance. He nailed all the laughs. Although, I felt his interpretation was off-kilter. Crombie didn’t garner as much sympathy; he wasn’t endearing. The ending didn’t move me like it did on Broadway. I suspect this is because Crombie played MIC as grumpy and bold. He came across as sardonic and disdainful towards the audience in some of his jokes. He also was too assertive. For example, in the “aviatrix, what we now know as a lesbian” joke, he just said it and didn’t recoil from the statement in a nervous, “don’t attack me for not being PC” way. Still, Crombie was very funny and I was happy with his performance. Strangely enough, he didn’t do the greeting card joke, which was disappointing.

Nancy Opel—How old is she? My boyfriend remarked that at times she looked like she was 50 and at other times she looked like she was 20. It was kind of odd. Anyway, Opel was OK. She didn’t get many laughs partly because she wasn’t “drowsy” enough and partly because she played the role too seriously. For example, she acted like she really wanted to get married and like she was in love. “As We Stumble Along” wasn’t as funny because, again, she played it too seriously.

James Moye (Adolpho), Cliff Bemis (Feldzieg), and Robert Dorfman (Underling)—I don’t like the Adolpho character, and Moye didn’t change my opinion. He did OK, just not very memorable. Bemis didn’t have any stage presence. He wasn’t as invested in keeping Janet in show business, and he didn’t get as annoyed with Kitty. He seemed to be walking through the motions. Dorfman’s humor wasn’t subtle at all. He didn’t seem like a butler. The spit take scene was only funny because Georgia Engel is fabulous as Mrs. Tottendale.

I don’t have much to say about Mark Ledbetter or Marla Mindelle. Their performances were great and reminded me of the original actors. Fran Jaye was so-so. Her voice wasn't very powerful; it wavered and she didn't enunciate.

Go see this show! It’s in wonderful shape. You won’t be disappointed.

As a side comment, I didn't realize how casual the Palace Theatre staff was about food and drink. A woman in front of me was eating a big pretzel, and next to her was a couple enjoying their wine and beer. I even saw ushers before and during the performance going around the theater with serving trays serving drinks to people! Wtf. Updated On: 10/28/07 at 02:52 PM

[otis33]

Posted: 10/28/07 at 2:56pm

FYI - Tour reviews have been posted on the show website.

[Tkt2Ride]

Posted: 10/28/07 at 9:25pm

Thanks for the review. In San Francisco, seeing Ave. Q. I too was surprised that people could bring in drinks and snacks. I was kind of glad, since I have asthma and drinking water helps me a lot in musty old Theatres. I can use cough drops though just as well. People though were good about it so if it keeps them quiet I don't mind as much. If someone spills something on me though, I am sure I won't be happy about it though either. I can't say I support it much. A pretzel? Oh well....

I didn't mind Crombie's interpretation. I wonder why they cut the Greeting Card part out? It might have been an accident that he forgot? I don't know why so many seems to not like Opel? Her resume looks so good too? I wish I didn't have so long to wait for the show. Only Florida sounds remotely interesting to me but not much.

It may be tough for me too because I fell in love with the Broadway cast too. I might go back to NY to see it once more before it closes. It is still a little early for me to make that kind of commitment yet.

I've read some reviews from Cleveland and they seem to be really favorable. It did seem like an off-night for some when you attended. Good review.

[Juliash]

Posted: 10/28/07 at 9:33pm

Mark Ledbetter is really fantastic!!! I took a tap masterclass with him and he's an absolutely lovely person too!!

[Tkt2Ride]

Posted: 10/28/07 at 10:17pm

The tap dancing is one of my favorite parts. No one except for me and MIC seem to admire Robert Martin much in his role? I guess Janet does too! I'm sure I won't miss him though, thanks for the background.

Here, I'll post it again in this thread. This was from Mark Ledbetter's website. How can he not be funny?

[nygrl23]

Posted: 10/28/07 at 11:27pm

Tkt2Ride, you're waiting for tour pics? Do you know where they might be showing up?

[Tkt2Ride]

Posted: 10/29/07 at 1:54am

They say they will post them here~ http://www.drowsychaperone.com/

but when? Who knows?

I got mine, thanks to the wonderful Otis at Andrea Chamberlain's website http://www.andreachamberlain.com

When I can get some better shots, I'll update my avatar and website. Until than this will have to do. Though I think Andrea and Mark are cute. I like Aldolpho but James is so tall compared to Nancy. I'm having trouble imaging how that part will work out. A tall skinny guy with all of that hair? It will be interesting to behold.

[theminutepast]

Posted: 10/29/07 at 9:19am

I noticed the height difference between Moye and Opel.

I didn't dislike Opel or anyone in the cast. I was being nitpicky, but the things I noticed certainly didn't detract from the overall performance. For those who have seen the OBC, you won't be disappointed with the tour cast and production.

The costumes and set are exact replicas of what's on Broadway. Costumes replicate the original costumes, not the costume changes that have happened since then.

[jerseyboyslover]

Posted: 1/22/08 at 2:36pm

Hey Everyone,

It has been a while since I have posted on here. Guess it's time I came back.

Anyone going to see Drowsy Chaperone in Atlanta this week?

I am going tomorrow. I got three tickets in orchestra for $126.

I have another question, For any of you who have seen shows on tour, or at the fox in atlanta, do the actors come out and sign playbills at the stage door? I went and saw West Side in August, and the actors did come out, but that was a 2pm show, my dad thinks for some reason that they wont come out after a 8pm show.

~k

[HBBrock]

Posted: 1/22/08 at 3:08pm

I have tickets for Feb 9th (evening show) in Orlando.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 1:28am

I saw the tour tonight in Atlanta at the Fox Theatre - January 26th 8pm. I thought the show was BRILLANT. It was just perfect. When the curtain went up, I couldn't stop looking at the set. I just thought it was perfectly simplistic, but still really detailed and beautiful. It truly felt like a Broadway style production. I thought the cast was great all-around. I don't know the OBC or anything at all, so I have nothing to base it off of, but I loved the show. I thought Crombie was hilarious. He had the entire audience (all 3,000 of us) roaring with laughter. I just thought the show thought of every little trick. It was hilarious, and I wish it didn't cancel it's Birmingham, AL engagement, so that I could share it with my friends. It's too good. I haven't seen Jersey Boys yet, but I'm not sure how it can be better. It's so good. Everyone go see it!

[Tkt2Ride]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 7:06am

That's so great you finally got to see Drowsy and really liked it! I think Crombie is really hilarious in the role too. He really loves Comedy. I liked his extremes, his sometimes disdain with the audience or players, while still trying to relate to us at different points. That is one of the truly unique parts of the show. I've seen this stunt done before but it has been quite a while and not on a Stage.

There are so many great tricks and sight gags. I've only had the chance to see it once so I know I missed some of it that I will appreciate when it comes out here.

I wonder if they would consider re-booking Alabama? Except for reading that Denver is hoping to get the show in October, I don't know where they will go after San Francisco besides Denver?

There's a week open after the LA dates before Drowsy is expected in SF. It will probably depends on sales down South to determine if they will extend it any there. It is a really good time of year for them to be in Hollywood. They have a month in Sept still open.

Someone mentioned that Denver might be considered a second run? Suggesting perhaps Cast changes? Has anyone else heard this to be true?


All of the number of Cities they said they would like to book haven't been listed yet? I still can't believe they couldn't get a spot in Arizona or Nevada? You might want to write the Booking Agency and see what they think about it? It really was too bad to hear they couldn't show it in Alabama at the last minute.

Well, pls post reviews from Florida. How's the weather right now there? It's storming away here and flights out here change on a day by day basis. Our Winter is finally kicking in with a vengeance.
I did though get to go see a show at the Orpheum today and it was fantastic. The rain stopped just so we could see the Chinese New Year Spectacular and it was really great. Theatre was packed and that always makes you excited to see a show. NY'ers will get the show the end of Jan/early Feb.

August is a very good time in SF and we are really getting anxious for the Tour to finally get to us! Hopefully they will sell some of their swag early to get the word out that Drowsy is finally coming out here.

[harris007]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 11:12am

Can't wait seeing it on Feb 10th

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 11:56am

I know some people complained about Crombie playing the character "too gay," but I didn't get that feeling. I mean, how else are you suppose to play it with lines like that?

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 11:56am

I know some people complained about Crombie playing the character "too gay," but I didn't get that feeling. I mean, how else are you suppose to play it with lines like that?

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 12:08pm

Glad you had a nice time Rentboy86!

[Dancin Thru Life]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 1:34pm

WOOHOO!

Can't wait til it shuffles off to Buffalo in March!
I got my tickets!

Glad to hear it's holding up well!

[Tkt2Ride]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 10:52pm

Rentboy, no kidding? I would suspect a little homophobia in there and Jonathan has some fans with perhaps too romantic an affection for him to see him playing a character that is Gay? That is kind of what Acting is all about right? Trying something different? This doesn't seem to be affecting too many fans I think since I keep hearing good things from most who attend the show? I think the character is pretty funny. Not too many Musicals allow one Actor to perform almost entirely through the whole show. Most probably wouldn't want to but I like the way they wrote it out.

I've seen Mr. Crombie play a few other characters before and he always pulls off the comic parts really well. I love the show so I am looking forward to seeing the new Cast. Tours can be disappointing some times but I don't think it will be with this one. I just want to see the show again and I am so glad they put it on Tour since now we can't see it in New York.

I know Will Smith had some fans unhappy when he played in Six Degrees of Separation. He did a great job. I think it is great that Jonathan Crombie found a fun way to show off some of his own Comedy skills in the U.S. He's a really nice guy so I am happy he took to the road with the part and is representing for the Canadians out here in America. We will be having Drowsy Parties when it finally makes it to SF! Well, it will liven up the late Summer some and we are always looking for something to celebrate out here! Drowsy is a guaranteed good time and my friends are looking forward to it. Might as well make the most of it while we can.

Thanks again for the reviews!
Updated On: 1/27/08 at 10:52 PM

[Maurice]

Posted: 1/27/08 at 11:04pm

I saw the last performance of DROWSY here in Atlanta. It's such a great show... It really took me back to the first time I saw it in NYC. Everyone gave strong performances, but it just doesn't compare to the original cast (for me at least). Georgia Engel was adorable as always.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 1/28/08 at 12:53pm

I was suprised to see Georgia Engel because her part was so small.

Someone explain to me "Trix" - because I don't get why her character is in the show?