The Drowsy Chaperone at Morgan-Wixson Theater

Santa Monica’s 

Morgan–Wixson Theatre

2627 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica 90405

www.morgan-wixson.org

Press Contact: Cori Goldberg

cori.goldberg@morgan-wixson.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Morgan-Wixson Theatre YES proudly presents

The 29th Fall Youth Musical 

the Broadway and Tony-award winning musical favorite 

The Drowsy Chaperone

THIS IS DEFINITELY MORE THAN JUST “A STORY AND A FEW GOOD SONGS TO TAKE YOU  AWAY.”

The Drowsy Chaperone, the Tony-award winning Broadway musical, will be presented at the Morgan-Wixson Theatre, running from November 8 through December 7, 2025 and closes the 20th season of YES shows

The Drowsy Chaperone features music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar. Directed by Eve Keller, produced by Cori Goldberg, Karin Klein, and Kasi Peters,  music direction by Sarah Marie, and choreography by Ashley Douglas.

(Santa Monica, October 30, 2025) A musical within a play, The DROWSY CHAPERONE taps onto the Morgan-Wixson Theatre’s stage in Santa Monica November 8 through December 7th . This witty, affectionate parody of 1920s musical comedies — a show-within-a-show celebrates the joy of theater while poking fun at its clichés.

The production features a 21 member all-youth cast, ranging in ages from 14 to 18. Eve Keller, Vice President of the YES program and director of The Drowsy Chaperone,  says she has very much enjoyed working on this show because of the exciting challenge of bringing together a show full of musical theater tropes. She says “I so appreciate the charming homage to musical theatre! It has something for everyone to enjoy from comedic vaudeville, an array of archetypes to the depth of the overarching story. The arts heal just as much as they delight. Like Man in Chair says, “The Drowsy Chaperone does everything a musical is supposed to!”

Regarded as “a musical within a comedy,” The Drowsy Chaperone begins when a modern day, die-hard musical theater fan known simply as “Man in Chair” plays his favorite cast album, the fictional 1928 musical comedy The Drowsy Chaperone, on his turntable. As the overture begins, the musical comes to life in his studio apartment, telling the frothy tale of a brazen Broadway starlet giving up her life on the stage to marry her true love and her producer so desperate to keep his showgirl that he will go to great lengths to stop the nuptials. With an elaborate cast of over-the-top characters, including the dashing groom, his best man, two gangsters posing as pastry chefs, the Latin lover, and a drunken chaperone, The Drowsy Chaperone boldly addresses the universal desire in everyone’s heart — to be entertained. The Broadway production, starring Sutton Foster, won five Tony Awards.

The cast features (in alphabetical order): Henry Anderson, Finnley Blaine, Jacob Carlin, Cat Casas, Maia Goldberg, London Hartmann, Joaquin Hosfeld, Cole Huang, Rahland Keller, Chase Klein, Molly Levitt, Lily Moss, Mia Negrete, Amelia Olson, Shai Painter, Felicity Peters, Catalina Ramirez, Harper Sawicki, Evan Simonowitz, Anna Stillman, Aydin Washington

Rahland Keller,  who plays Man in Chair, is in his senior year and this will be his last youth musical with the YES program after having acted in 15 of YES productions. “Drowsy Chaperone is such an amazing show to end my time in the YES program. The Man in Chair has been a role that I’ve always wanted to play and it’s so amazing to see this story being put together in such a beautiful way. I’ve grown so much throughout my time in the program and in the show, and am so excited to see what lies ahead.”

Chase Klein, Janet Van de Graaff, “Playing Janet in my last fall musical at the Morgan-Wixson has been such an incredible and rewarding experience. Although it's incredibly bittersweet, I'm so grateful that The Drowsy Chaperone is my last YES musical, because it truly is a love letter to musical theater and all the beautiful things I love about performance. Every moment in the show is for theater lovers, and it reminds me of why I fell in love with theater in the first place. The Drowsy Chaperone is a celebration of musical theater, honoring everything beautiful about the art form: the laughter, the absurdity, and the pure joy of storytelling. 

The YES program at The Morgan-Wixson Theatre is welcoming several newcomers to the youth musical in this production and is excited to have many veteran performers on the stage. With actors from several neighborhoods surrounding Santa Monica, the Morgan-Wixson Theatre is a welcoming and inviting community where all who attend are sure to find a neighborhood connection with an actor in the show. 

Presented by Santa Monica’s Morgan-Wixson Theatre, 2627 Pico Blvd., November 8 through December 7, Saturday and Sundays at 2pm with select Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm.Adults $25, Seniors and Students $20, and Children 12 & under $16. Visit www.morgan-wixson.org or call (310) 828-7519.

The Morgan-Wixson Theatre’s Youth Season 21st season starts in January and  continues with The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, Snow White and The Prince, You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown.

Easy, free parking is available a block west of the theater. There are lots of great restaurants within walking distance. Group rates are available—call the box office for details. 

JUST THE FACTS

The Drowsy Chaperone

Book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar

Music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison

Directed by Eve Keller

Produced by Cori Goldberg, Karin Klein and Kasi Peters

Choreography by Ashley Douglas

Music Direction by Sarah Marie

Costume Design by

Set Design by William Wilday

Lighting Design by William Wilday

WHAT: The Drowsy Chaperone

WHEN: November 8-December 7, 2025

Saturday and Sundays at 2pm with select Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm

WHERE: The Morgan-Wixson Theatre, 2627 Pico Boulevard, 

Santa Monica 90405.  

Free parking available at 2509 Pico Blvd.

HOW: Reserved seats available at www.morgan-wixson.org

or by phone at 310-828-7519 or by email at mwtboxoffice@gmail.com.

Adults $25, Seniors and Students $20, Children 12 and under $16 

WHO: Recommended for ages 12 and up.

ABOUT THE MORGAN-WIXSON THEATRE

History

Santa Monica’s Morgan-Wixson Theatre is the oldest theatrical organization in the city, founded in 1946. Originally known as Santa Monica Theatre Guild, its first home was the Miles Playhouse. In 1950, the group moved to an abandoned naval facility at 5th Street and Ocean Park Boulevard, near what is now the Muir/SMASH school site. Community members converted the building to the Ranch Playhouse, later renamed the Morgan Theatre in honor of prominent Santa Monican Geoffrey Morgan, who had helped to secure the site. For many years the Morgan Theatre was the center of live theatre in Santa Monica, until 1962 when a fire destroyed the building. 

Fortunately, the organization had been thrifty over the years and was able to purchase land on Pico Boulevard. In 1966, the group built the building you are in today, using mostly volunteer labor. Since 1979, it has been known as the Morgan-Wixson Theatre, after the death of dedicated member Mel Wixson, who passed away shortly after performing on the Morgan stage.

Programming

Our Youth Education/Entertainment Series (Y.E.S.) strives to engage young audiences and train young talent. Y.E.S. was selected as Outstanding New Children’s Theatre Company in the nation in 2008 by the American Alliance for Theatre and Education. Y.E.S. productions are usually based on children’s literature, such as Kate DiCamillo’s Mercy Watson, Eleanor Estes’ The Hundred Dresses, Barbara Parks’ Junie B. Jones, E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, and Hans Christian Andersen’s story “The Ugly Duckling” which was brought to life in the musical Honk! Our annual Youth Musical presented in late fall features larger-scale Broadway favorites such as 42nd Street, White Christmas, Shrek, and Thoroughly Modern Millie. Y.E.S. hosts field trips so that local schoolchildren can see a live play in a real theatre, often for the first time, based on books they read. The Morgan-Wixson is also the home of long-time tenants Kids on Stage and Westside Children’s Theatre which offer creative dramatics classes for youth.

Auditions for our productions are open to all. Youth participating in Y.E.S. productions are selected by audition and are not charged fees or tuition. Likewise, teens and college students are trained in stagecraft, lighting, and sound tech without tuition and may use their work at the Morgan-Wixson toward their school community service hours. Both Mainstage and Y.E.S. shows feature post-performance discussions with actors, directors, and designers.

The Morgan-Wixson Theatre is a 200-seat non-Equity house, operated as a place where talent can train, theatrical passions can be celebrated, and the community can be engaged in live theatre that entertains, enriches, and educates. 

For more information, please visit our website at www.morgan-wixson.org.

Contact Information 

Box office 310.828.7519

MWT email info@morgan-wixson.org

Press email cori.goldberg@morgan-wixson.org 

Website  www.morgan-wixson.org  

Facebook www.facebook.com/morganwixson

YouTube www.youtube.com/morganwixson 

Instagram @morganwixson

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Authors

• Bob Martin
• Don McKellar
• Greg Morrison
• Lisa Lambert

Tony Awards and Nominations for The Drowsy Chaperone