Ciaran Burke as Adolpho and Amanda Reese Burroughs as the title character are part of the zany cast of ‘The Drowsy Chaperone’ at Music Box Playhouse.
Photos courtesy Music Box Playhouse
Musical is ‘just pure fun’
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Dane Bower portrays Mr. Feldzieg and Eyanna Wawrzynek portrays his girlfriend Kitty.
Photos courtesy Music Box Playhouse
Two gangsters go undercover, pretending to be pastry chefs in ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’
Photos courtesy Music Box Playhouse
Earlier this week Mike Wawrzynek was roller skating — or trying to — around the stage at the Music Box Playhouse in Swoyersville.
“The last time I did this I was about 10 years old,” he said, grinning as he added, “I still have two days to get it right.”
Wawrznek portrays would-be bridgroom Robert Martin in the musical “The Drowsy Chaperone,” which Music Box will present April 12 through April 28, and he’ll have an extra challenge as he glides.
“He’s nervous about the wedding,” Wawrzynek said, explaining his character takes advice from a friend to “go out and roller skate. That’s what I do to relax.” And, rather than run the risk of seeing the bride before the wedding, he’ll be skating blindfolded.
“Yes, it’s as goofy as it sounds,” the actor said.
That’s just one example of the frothy goofiness of this production, in which a Man in Chair, portrayed by Michael Speranzo, plays a record and shares with the audience his obsession with a 1920s-era musical.
“It really is just pure fun,” director Ally Liguori of Scranton said of the musical show-within-a-show. “Everyone is over the top, and everything is nudge-nudge, playing to the audience.”
Here the audience will meet a pair of gangsters with strong New York accents, a fading star a little past her prime, an ingenue; an aviatrix; Janet, a star of the Feldzieg Follies who will have to quit her job if she gets married; Mr. Feldzieg, who doesn’t want the prospective bride to quit his show; Mr. Feldzieg’s girlfriend, whom Liguori described as “a ditsy character who wants to be the star” and Adolpho, the “easily manipulated Latin Lothario” who might be able to break up Janet and Robert’s relationship.
Oh, yes, and there’s a chaperone who is supposed to be keeping an eye on Janet … but she has other priorities.
“She likes to drink, and Prohibition isn’t stopping her,” said Amanda Reese Burroughs, who finds her flowing costume, complete with turban, comfortable to wear while nodding off.
“The Drowsy Chaperone” opens April 12 and runs Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through April 28 (no performance on Saturday, April 13.) Reservations are available through reservations@musicbox.org, 570-283-2195, or musicbox.ticketleap.com.