‘Quintessential’ Broadway musical to hit Auditorium stage

The Broadway musical “The Drowsy Chaperone” will fill the IU Auditorium stage today and Wednesday with slapstick comedy reminiscent of the vaudeville era.

“‘The Drowsy Chaperone’ is just one of those examples of a quintessential Broadway musical,” Doug Booher, director of the IU Auditorium, said. “Not only is it funny, but it is also filled with great music, great dancing and a lot of really hilarious moments.”

Booher described the show as a play within a play. The show opens with a man sitting in a chair in his apartment, listening to his record collection and recalling memories of his favorite musical: “The Drowsy Chaperone.” As he describes the show to the audience, the show begins to unfold onstage.

“You are able to see what is going on in his memory and imagination and this hilarious, slapstick comedy unfolds,” Booher said.

He said the show includes a lot of big, over-the-top characters including an oversexed
villain who is trying to woo every woman on stage.

“It’s extremely well performed,” Booher said. “It’s one of the shows in which the fun the actors are having on stage is quickly soaked up by the audience and reflected back onto the stage.”

Freshman Jordan Mazur, an usher for the show, has heard of it before but never seen it. She said she is excited to see it tonight.

“I know it’s supposed to be funny,” Mazur said. “It’s pretty big in New York. I remember seeing all of the billboards for it when I went in high school and again for New Year’s this year.”

Sophomore Caroline Diamond said she has been excited about the show since she heard last year that it was coming to IU. Diamond saw the show on Broadway in New York her senior year of high school.

“I loved it and thought it was really funny and really different,” Diamond said. “There’s a narrator who controls the plot and tells you what’s going. He’ll stop the action to tell the audience what’s happening. It’s really interesting.”