'The Drowsy Chaperone' At Middletown Arts Center Feb. 28 - March 9

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — The MAC Players at the Middletown Arts Center presents the musical within a comedy, "The Drowsy Chaperone," over two weekends, February 28 – March 9.

The Tony award-winning "The Drowsy Chaperone" brings to life a forgotten Jazz Age musical in the living room of a die-hard theater fan. As he eagerly spins his favorite cast album, a hilarious vintage show suddenly appears, exploding with song, dance and pure entertainment.

SHOWTIMES

• Friday, February 28 and Saturday, March 1 at 7 p.m.
• Sunday, March 2 at 2 p.m.
• Friday, March 7 and Saturday, March 8 at 7 p.m.
• Sunday, March 9 at 2 p.m.

Ticket prices range from $17.50–$32.50 ($5 student/senior discount) with reserved seating. Purchase tickets online at middletownarts.org or call the MAC Box Office at 732.706.4100. The Middletown Arts Center is located at 36 Church Street, Middletown, NJ (next to the Middletown Train Station). Free parking is available onsite with additional free parking available in the station-metered lot on weekday evenings after 6 p.m. and on weekends.

Hailed by New York Magazine as “The perfect Broadway Musical,” "The Drowsy Chaperone’s" original Broadway run was produced by Kevin McCollum, Roy Miller, Bob Boyett, Stephanie McClelland, Barbara Freitag and Jill Furman.

An accomplished live orchestra will accompany The MAC Players, led by director Kate Cordaro, musical director Eric Sayre and choreographer Samantha Amaral.

Plot: With the house lights down, a man in a chair appears on stage and puts on his favorite record: The cast recording of a fictitious 1928 musical. The recording comes to life and "The Drowsy Chaperone" begins as the man in the chair looks on. Mix in two lovers on the eve of their wedding, a bumbling best man, a desperate theater producer, a not-so-bright hostess, two gangsters posing as pastry chefs, a misguided Don Juan and an intoxicated chaperone, and you have the ingredients for an evening of madcap delight. "The Drowsy Chaperone" is a masterful meta-musical, poking fun at all the tropes that characterize the musical theater genre.

The MAC Players production features Kevin McGee (The Man in Chair), Meredith Buchholtz (The Drowsy Chaperone), Elizabeth Molfetto (Janet Van De Graaff), Renee Green (Mrs. Tottendale), Justin Grossman (Underling), Patrick Comey (Robert Martin), Brenden Kortenhaus (George), Justin Jajalla (Aldolfo), Colleen Gilgan (Kitty), Trish Tyler (Gangster 1), Jeni Star (Gangster 2), John Paul Durazzo (Mr. Feldzieg), Jessica Vincello (Trix), Madison Steinert-Santangelo (Ensemble), Kimberly Gelfand (Ensemble), Jazmynn Perez (Ensemble), Anna Blaine (Ensemble), Thomas Fulbrook (Ensemble/Superintendent), Brittany Ahr (Ensemble) and Natalie Dunn (Ensemble).