Conard's 'The Drowsy Chaperone': Musical, Comedy, and All Around Fun - We-Ha

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone’ in West Hartford for two weekends beginning March 6.

Charlie Uthgenannt as The Man in the Chair and Sara Rodonis as the Drowsy Chaperone. Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

By Ronni Newton

If you’re not familiar with the Tony award-winning show, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” the name won’t give you much of a clue about the musical within a comedy that includes toe-tapping classic 1920s style song and dance with an overlay of current day humor and social commentary.

“The Drowsy Chaperone” begins its run at West Hartford’s Conard High School on March 6.

There are obviously corny “dad jokes,” parodies of some well-known Broadway shows, slapstick, gangsters disguised as pastry chefs threatening to administer a “Toledo surprise,” and cymbal-banging monkeys. Several of the characters are intentionally inappropriate stereotypes in today’s world – like an over-the-top Latin lover named Adolpho and an airplane pilot lesbian named Trix.

Charlie Uthgenannt as “The Man in the Chair.” Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

The modern day commentary is provided by the “Man in the Chair,” played by Conard stage veteran Charlie Uthgenannt. The Man in the Chair – a musical theater enthusiast who unearths and decides to listen to an LP recording of his mother’s favorite musical, “The Drowsy Chaperone” (a show he confesses to never having actually seen) – is behind the fourth wall and watching the action unfold along with the audience. He’s onstage the entire time, participates in some of the action, but is never “seen” by the other characters.

Uthgenannt, a triple threat who plans to study musical theater in college in New York City next year (decision about exactly where to be determined, but he has several acceptances) played Don Lockwood in Conard’s rendition of “Singing in the Rain” last year. This role is quite different.

“I think she gave me such a challenge this year,” Uthgenannt said of Corrine Kravetz, Conard acting teacher and director of the show, who cast him in the role.

“It’s a musical within a one-man show,” he said, with many monologues. He does get to do some dancing alongside those who are in the musical, and look for him to sing as well – eventually.

The musical is truly an ensemble cast.

Bride to be, Stephanie Reuning-Scherer. Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

“When they chose this chose I was so excited. I had seen it at the Goodspeed – twice,” said Stephanie Reuning-Scherer, who plays the role of Janet Van De Graaff, who is giving up her career on stage to marry the wealthy Robert Martin.

“I love what the comedy is, the number of lead characters,” she said of the show.

Ray Plocharczyk plays Broadway producer Feldzieg, (yes, that’s a play on Ziegfeld), who doesn’t want to lose Janet as the star of the Feldzieg Follies. He decides to stop the wedding, setting off a chain of mix-ups and events that form the plot of the musical within the comedy.

Plocharczyk said one of his favorite things about this show is that so many of the characters are featured. “Everyone gets to do something,” he said.

The Drowsy Chaperone played by Sara Rodonis. Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

The “Drowsy Chaperone” herself, Janet’s maid of honor who enjoys her Prohibition-era bootlegged liquor perhaps a bit too much (“drowsy” is what she becomes after drinking), is played by Sara Rodonis, who like Reuning-Scherer and Plocharczyk loves the fact that there are so many feature roles.

Rodonis said she wasn’t personally familiar with the show when it was chosen, but said she told the mother of kids she babysits for, and “She lit up!”

“People who are musical theater geeks know it. It takes place in the early 2000s but really spoofs the ’20s, with flapper dresses, 1920s voices, but the comedy is modern. It’s today’s quick comedy,” Reuning-Scherer said.

“There’s something for everyone,” said Plocharczyk. Younger people in the audience will love the satire, while older people will love the music, he said.

Best Man, played by Nathan Souza, with wedding host Mrs. Tottendale (Samantha Bowin). Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Nathan Souza, who plays the Best Man, wasn’t familiar with the show before auditioning, but said he’s now watched lots of versions on YouTube. The show “allows for a lot of creative expression. No performances are the same, and it’s very unique,” he said.

As an aside, “The Drowsy Chaperone” premiered on Broadway in 2006, although an earlier version that did not include the Man in the Chair, was actually written as a spoof of Broadway shows by a group of performers and presented as wedding gift to the real Robert Martin who was marrying the real Janet Van De Graaff. Martin later co-wrote the book, creating the Man in the Chair character, and performed that role in the original Broadway cast.

“It’s about our wedding, because we’re in love,” said Reuning-Scherer, taking the hand of Declan Smith, who plays Robert Martin, the groom, during an interview before a dress rehearsal of the show.

Feldzieg (Ray Plocharczyk, center) with gangsters disguised as pastry chefs Nicholas Roberts (left) and Marlena Pegolo. Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

“But really, it’s about mix-ups, mayhem, and a ‘gay’ wedding,” she said in her character’s voice, adding that “gay” should be interpreted as it was in the 1920s.

“It represents a lot about musical theater,” said Smith. “I love this show. There are so many moments that are so big and over the top, it’s a music theater performer’s dream.”

Reuning-Scherer agreed. “It’s the stuff you’re not usually allowed to do. … This is spoofing everything we did last year. It’s like ‘Singing in the Rain,’ but on steroids.”

“The Drowsy Chaperone” is serious, too.

“It’s just so unique,” added Souza. It was hard to get a feel for the characters he played in “Urinetown” (2018) and “Singing in the Rain” (2019) at Conard, but this show is different. “With this one, I’m moved by it.”

The “Man in the Chair” leads the audience through the show, said Rodonis, and “helps you form a connection to the show.” He’s never seen it, but he describes what’s in his mind as the action plays out on the stage.

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Some of the challenges of the show include having to freeze on stage for long periods of time, while the Man in the Chair is providing commentary. “You always have to be on,” Reuning-Scherer said. And that extends to Uthgenannt, who is on stage the entire time.

The costumes are elaborate, and Reuning-Scherer said Janet has so many costumes – during one song alone she makes three costume changes.

The set isn’t elaborate, but student technical director John Morrey said there have been interesting challenges, such as creating the workable Murphy bed. The technical side of theater, particularly sound, is something he has come to love so much that he plans to study it in college.

Principal Julio Duarte (right) in his stage debut as the Super turns the power back on in the Man in the Chair’s (Charlie Uthgenannt) apartment. Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

At one point the “record” skips, impacting the action on stage. At another point, the power goes out in the Man in the Chair’s apartment, and everything goes completely dark and silent.

The Super – the only other modern day character – comes to the rescue. That role is played by a different “actor,” aka Conard administrator, each day.

The first performance features the stage debut of Conard Principal Julio Duarte.

“I’m excited to do the show,” Duarte said at the dress rehearsal, although it was a bit more than he thought it would be. “When I got two pages of lines I said we need to calibrate our definition of ‘cameo.'”

While the show may sound complicated and it’s a bit hard explain the interrelationship of the characters and the premise of the show, like Reuning-Scherer said, “Everything will be cleared up when you see it.”

“Will it work out in the end? Of course it will, it’s a musical,” the Man in the Chair says at one point when the mayhem and misunderstandings reach a crescendo. “Everything always works out in a musical.”

The full cast list can be found below.

Performance dates and times for “The Drowsy Chaperone” are:

Friday, March 6 at 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 7 at 7 p.m.

Sunday, March 8 at 2 p.m.
Friday, March 13 at 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 14 at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $18 for adults and $15 for students and children. Advance purchase online at www.conardhighschoolmusical.com is recommended to ensure availability. If any tickets remain they will be sold at the door. There are a limited number of wheelchair accessible seats.

All performances will be held in the Conard High School auditorium, 110 Beechwood Rd., West Hartford, CT.

Any questions can be directed to [email protected].

You can also follow Conard High School Musical Productions on Facebook and Instagram (@conardhighschoolmusical).

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Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Principal Julio Duarte in his stage debut as the Super. Conard High School Performing Arts presents ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ Photo credit: Ronni Newton