A Farewell to Drowsy: As We Stumble Along

[singingbackup]

Posted: 12/30/07 at 10:15pm

As the approach of the New Year looms large in Times Square, the first crime of 2008 has been reported. Come January 1, The Drowsy Chaperone will no longer play the Great White Way. And frankly, thats a felony, or at least it should be.

Tonight a packed house at the Marquis Theater screamed, cheered, laughed and cried, as we bid a fond farewell to a wild, wonderful, wistful winning piece of true musical theater. And what a magical night is was. I found myself reluctant to take my seat in the Mezzanine, for I knew once I did, the show would start, and I so didn't want to see it ever end.

This was my first closing night on Broadway attendance and, though I hate to see it close, I am so grateful that I was able to see The Drowsy Chaperone end its run the same way it came, loved and adored by a full house. My first Drowsy experience was the second night of previews in Los Angeles. I fell head over heals for the show and everyone in it, and I have not wavered an inch since. This amazing final performance was everything you dream of : A room full of patrons embracing an original piece of theater with the same affection that it deserves and loved the way you do.

Once inside the packed house (the Mezz was full near to the brim) the energy in the room was palpable and once the lights went down, the place went nuts. Suffice to say that everyone got big to huge entrance applause, every joke landed beautifully and every song exceedingly well received. All the actors were appropriately over the top or at the top of their game, and even the sometimes maligned Bob Saget (he's not my fave and I thought the last time I saw him, he was weak) rose to the occasion, relaxing into the night, waiting for and getting all the laughs in all the right places. Troy Britton Johnson added a bit of sass to "Robert Martin" that was hysterical, tapped the B.Jesus out of his number with Patrick Wetzel and then gave him a kiss on the forehead at the very end. Beth Leavel was in another stratosphere tonight and her "As We Stumble Along" was on fire. Though towards the very end, and even from my seat up in the rafters, you got a sense that she was really starting to choke up and was finding the moment as bitter sweet as many of us were. Even the Gangsters were getting great applause during their pastry schtick.

There were many other little extras that I can't remember at the moment, but the big delightful surprise of the night was the appearance of BOB MARTIN as the Super.
He was hilarious, and even got in a dig about "Cry Baby" , having 'seen it out of town. I heard it is coming to NYC if it can find a theater" Priceless. It got very emotional during the closing song, and Mr Saget did his best to keep it together, showing some true emotion and adding another layer to Man In Chair. Miss Leavel got choked up (understandably) during her last musical lines and the whole cast seemed overwhelmed.

Curtain call included Bob Martin and Casey Nicholaw.

It's a sad day indeed, but a happy one too. Many in the cast are going on to new projects right away, and hopefully the rest of the talented group will be heading to new and exciting things for us to see, and soon. And we still have the show in its many forms, OBCR, National Tour and most assuredly, future regional theater productions for years to come.

Thank you Mr. Martin and your theater family for giving us such an amazing gift, one to be cherished for a long time.

[singingbackup]

Posted: 12/30/07 at 10:15pm

Oh, and I cried like a baby. :)


Updated On: 12/30/07 at 10:15 PM

[MotorTink]

Posted: 12/30/07 at 10:17pm

awww, Bob came out as the Super? that's adorable!

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 12/30/07 at 10:29pm

Sounds like it was a very nice evening. I wish I could be there!

He was hilarious, and even got in a dig about "Cry Baby" , having 'seen it out of town. I heard it is coming to NYC if it can find a theater"

I am actually pretty sure he never saw it out of town. But, who cares? It's still funny.

The rest of the creative team didn't come out for the curtain call? Updated On: 12/30/07 at 10:29 PM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 12/30/07 at 10:31pm

They should hire Bob Martin to write and host the Tonys. Shame it will never happen.

He has to be one of the funniest, most entertaining people around.

[uncageg]

Posted: 12/30/07 at 10:31pm

Drowsy was possibly the most fun I have enver had in a theater! Last year my best friend went to New York with me for vacation. We were going to the Tony awards. Although he had seen a show many many years ago on Broadway, he barely remembers it. So this trip was his 1st real Broadway experience (We saw 7 shows). I wanted something fun and a good show to start off our vacation and Drowsy looked like it might be the one to see 1st so I got tickets. Well I was right, we left the theater floating on a cloud and laughing still. It was the perfect show to start off what was a great stay in NYC. I can't wait for the tour to get here. I am sure he and I will see it together.

[BNN]

Posted: 12/30/07 at 10:33pm

I got to see Drowsy on Dec. 9th and after hearing it was closing came back to see it on the 26th. It is awful that it, of all shows on Broadway, is closing as it was the only show I've seen that caused me physical pain from laughing so hard. I can only hope someone illegally recorded it.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 12/30/07 at 10:34pm

There were many other little extras that I can't remember at the moment, but the big delightful surprise of the night was the appearance of BOB MARTIN as the Super.

That is too funny.

I'm really going to miss Drowsy.

Updated On: 12/30/07 at 10:34 PM

[singingbackup]

Posted: 12/30/07 at 10:37pm

Not sure whom from the creative team was there, but there were lots of 'backstage' folks onstage at the very end.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 12/30/07 at 10:43pm

Were there any speeches?

I can only hope someone illegally recorded it.

hahahahhahah

[SpellingBeeFan4Ever]

Posted: 12/30/07 at 10:48pm

5 audios and 2 videos of tws closing was made. There will defentially be one for this show.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 12/30/07 at 10:50pm

I think he was talking about the show in general, not specifically closing night.

[Fabrizio2]

Posted: 12/30/07 at 10:59pm

Guys, could someone remind me what the super is? I can't remember and I've seen this show twice.

I am very sad to see this go. I remember how much I loved this show when it first hit broadway.

Edit: Never mind. Updated On: 12/30/07 at 10:59 PM

[mywonderwa11]

Posted: 12/30/07 at 11:15pm

I adored every moment of this show when I saw it in May 2006 with the OBC. It's such a fun, high-spirited, and funny show with a lot of heart. I hope the cast moves on to more amazing things. I wish them the best of luck!

Once again...the Marquis marquee in Times Square changes

Updated On: 12/30/07 at 11:15 PM

[uncageg]

Posted: 12/30/07 at 11:27pm

I just looked at the Earthcam in Times square for one last look.

The Super is the superintendant that comes into Man in the Chair's apartment near the end.

[RadioTV2]

Posted: 12/30/07 at 11:51pm

Well, I was there too tonight. Last row of the mezz this evening, but I still enjoyed myself like I have twice before. There were rounds of applause like crazy and it felt kind of like being at a rock concert. Beth Leavel was on fire tonight and held her last "a" in "along" in her normal "As We Stumble Along" for such a long time . She really did start to lose it during the final minute of the show and couldn't bring herself to sing some of the final bars because she was so moved. Bob Saget was better than I expected him to be and pulled off most of the jokes very well. Danny Burstein was also phenomenal tonight (as always). Bob Martin's cameo was wonderful and when he said that thing about "Cry Baby" I just lost it and thankfully so did about 10 other people in the theater (probably everyone reading this posting).

I stage-doored it and encountered a very congenial Casey Nicolaw and Bob Martin (along with most of the rest of the cast including the BRILLIANT Mara Davi), a Cindy Williams Stalker (seriously, this man had problems and pushed it way too far when asking her to sign things and when various people came out he'd tell his wife "Oh, that's no one. Just wait for Cindy".), and Bob Saget proved to be a no-show. I have to tell you that after waiting for an hour in the cold and rain, to have a security guard tell you that the star will not be signing after the last performance of the show seems downright mean, and although he passed out pre-signed fliers, it's just not the same.

So, all in all, it was a great evening and Drowsy got the send off it deserved (albeit way too early in its run).

[Eris0303]

Posted: 12/31/07 at 12:04am

I was at the show tonight as well and I felt the cast was playing to the audience much more than they had done before. Troy's forehead kiss at the end of "Cold Feet" was just the sweetest thing and I just had to go "awww".

And was for Bob Martin...what a wonderful surprise! I don't know why I didn't recognize his voice before they brought the lights up again. I've only listened to the CD about a million times. I guess I was just caught up in the show and I didn't recognize his voice because I simply wasn't expecting it.

His "it'll be a hit if they can find a theatre" quip was hilarious and the audience just ate it up.

And then Beth's choking up during the Stumble reprise was pure theatre. This is why we love the theatre. It's so human and emotional. Nothing like our "celluloid gods".

I will miss this show and I'm glad I was able to experience it more than once. Can we get a "limited return engagement" in three years? *s*

[winston89]

Posted: 12/31/07 at 12:24am

Eris,

i am glad I'm not the only one who didn't recgonize Martin until the lights came up. Truth be told, I thought that they were cheering because they cheered everyone else major or minor. When the lights came up I realized why.

I got tickets to this last night. Mid Mezz and totally worth it. I loved how Saget waited for the audience to calm down before he began the prayer.

Everything was just increadable. I almost started to cry when Beth was too emotional to sing her verse in the reprise of stumble.

I also loved how there was a moment on stage that was truly amazing. This is for me one of those theatre moments I will never forget. After The Super turns on the lights. Martin and Sagat were on two different sides of the stage for a moment. And they were staring at one another. it was to me looking at Man In Chair from beginning to end. And that as the moment that made me loose it. I also loved his line about cry baby. " My wife and I have seen all the musicals. Les Miserables, Miss Saigon. And I hear that new one cry baby is looking for a theatre. But, it is still out of town." At the stage door he said that he pretty much ad libbed that part. And he wanted to get the rest of the lines accurate as not to throw of Sagat.

And I agree. The Cindy Williams stalker was a bit much for me.

It was sad to see this show go. As it was a real releaf for Broadway which had been going through a dry spell of creative shows. Other then Spelling Bee, When Drowsy came to Broadway all the shows playing were eiather based on a book, movie or a pop band's music.

Well, one closing night down. Now, I have SRO to Les Miserables to look foward to on the 6th.

Updated On: 12/31/07 at 12:24 AM

[winston89]

Posted: 12/31/07 at 12:24am

Double Post

Updated On: 12/31/07 at 12:24 AM

[the_white_page]

Posted: 12/31/07 at 12:38am

My favorite part would have to be after Beth finished "As We Stumble Along" and got a standing ovation.

We were on our feet in the orchestra, screaming and clapping. It was incredible.

Everyone was so choked up at the end -- Beth couldn't even get her last line out and everyone else was crying too.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 12/31/07 at 12:46am

I didn't even think to have my camera out because, normally, you're not allowed to take pictures of the stage. Well, so many people were snapping shots of the cast and crew standing on stage. No one was stopping them but my camera was at the bottom of my purse and I wasn't able to get it out before the curtain came down. Hopefully some of those shots will surface here.

[guymy13]

Posted: 12/31/07 at 2:00am

Tonight's performance was amazing! I could go into everything I liked about the show, too...but I'd just be echoing everything you all have already said. The whole cast did such a wonderful job. I think I may have met some of you at the stage door as I was right near the Cindy Williams guy too :) I thought it was nice of Bob Saget to send out the pre-signed fliers. It wasn't the same as him coming out to sign obviously, but at least he did something for his fans. But I can see why some may have been disappointed. I'm so happy that I was able to make it tonight.
Updated On: 12/31/07 at 02:00 AM

[Tkt2Ride]

Posted: 12/31/07 at 2:09am

Thank you for your posts. I wish I could have been there. I will miss this great ensemble working together for such a great and funny show. Bob as the Super must have been priceless. Though I would have rather seen him in the chair.

I never thought Saget couldn't play the part, I only feared over time, his fan base would not be drawn to the Theatre. Ah well..

I always have the Tour, with another great Canadian at it's helm, so I will be satisfied. Though pls don't misquote me. It's best played as a Canadian Comic, whoever plays the role and I at least felt assured that Saget got that part the best that he could.

I will not weep though because I know Bob Martin and Casey Nicolaw are plotting even as we speak. I look forward to the future with hopes that these diabolical genius',along with the rest of their plotting crew, can work together once again and give us something new/old with more songs we can mock and have fun with in the near future.

I met Casey too. Except it was one of those, "is it he or isn't it?" I only wish he introduced himself because he is a nice and humble guy. I enjoy the dance numbers in Drowsy and felt badly I hadn't the chance to tell him so in person. The Cast members I did meet were all so pleasant. Even Troy who shyly made his way through the crowd, the best that a Man of his Height can possibly do with grace and all smiles.

At least I will have a fun Summer out here and hopefully return to NYC in the Fall if Danny and South Pacific are up and ready to run. I will miss The Seafarer madly but we may get lucky to see it on Tour or unless we get lucky and it holds over that long.

I am so happy to have seen it in NY and that so many people were able to get a taste of Canadian Humor. I find it very entertaining and well worth the visit to Toronto whenever you get the chance to visit.

I too, feel this show will find it's way to local Theatres in the Future and I will encourage our Colleges to bring it all to life for those who missed the chance of seeing this wonderful and amusing show.

I too, never laughed so much in a Proper Theatre before and was quite relieved to find, in a packed house last Spring, I was clearly not alone.

[Just_John]

Posted: 12/31/07 at 2:10am

It was definately the most emotional closing of a show I've ever attended. During Bride's Lament when when Janet sings "Is it the monkey or my pedistool?" and Man in Chair repeats "pedistool," Bob Saget was drinking his "liquor" when he was supposed to say it so he quickly spit it back in to the cup to say "Pedistool." I was wondering was that a mistake or if he always does that? Saget was a lot better then I expected him to be. Not as great as Bob Martin, which is understandable, but still pretty funny. I also didn't realize the super was Bob Martin until the lights came up and not even right away since I was sitting in the right mezzanine and the back of his head was facing me.

[Broadway_Bound_Star]

Posted: 12/31/07 at 2:30am

Brilliantly written singingbackup!!