by Sofia Gulmi ’28
December 10, 2024
USN’s high school musical, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” had a successful run from November 21-24.
The production was directed by High School Theater Director Dr. Lillian Palmer, with music direction by Ginger Newman, choreography led by High School Dance Teacher Caren Lyons, and technical direction and set/sound/light design by Technical Theater Director Jim Manning. Preparations began in early September and included auditions, casting, and intensive rehearsals.
The production tells the story of a devoted musical theater fan (played by Henry Gatto ‘25), who plays a cast recording of his favorite fictional 1928 musical on his record player. As the music begins, the characters spring to life in his living room, delivering a nostalgic and humorous theatrical experience of a play within a play. Gatto’s “Man in Chair” frequently breaks the fourth wall and perodically interrupts the recording to give the audience background stories on the original cast.
Maya Parikh ‘27, who played in the ensemble, explains that the musical is simply about “a man listening to a musical record, and the musical he’s listening to is then depicted on stage.”
Lyons explained how everyone involved has tended to an almost daily rehearsal schedule to be prepared in time. Rehearsals took place almost daily from 3:30 to 5:30 PM, with extended sessions lasting until 8:00 PM in the week leading up to the show.
“The creative process is both challenging and rewarding,” Lyons said. “One of the biggest challenges has been teaching choreography to a cast with varying skill levels. But seeing it all come together is incredibly fulfilling.”
The musical that the Man in Chair listens to tells the story of Janet Van Graaff (played by Addi King ‘26), a showgirl who wants to quit her successful career to marry Robert Martin, (played by Caden Carrabba ‘27). But her producer, played by Blaise Seale ‘26, doesn’t want her to abandon her career. Things get wild with plot twists: two gangsters pretending to be bakers (played by AB Jones ‘27 and Lily Margalit ‘27), threaten the producer if the marriage goes through, while a tipsy chaperone, played by Maddie Womack ‘26, gives odd and humorous advice to the bride-to-be.
Carrabba brought the musical to life through the role of Robert. His singing, dancing, and acting along with the pure energy and talent he put into the character and musical itself captured the audience. King, as Janet, also helped make the musical so lively with her phenomenal acting, singing, and dancing.
The ensemble cast helped make the show feel full of energy and excitement, and the group numbers were especially impressive. Behind the actors, a lot of work went into making the musical a success. The stage crew and lighting team worked hard to make the show look and sound great.
The audience was thrilled by the performances, the music, and the choreography. The opening number immediately grabbed everyone’s attention and set the stage for a fun and memorable show.
Lyons reiterated how she and Palmer shared responsibilities when creating the choreography and numbers for the musical. Lyons explained that creating something meaningful is both demanding and very rewarding.
The elaborate and captivating numbers throughout the play was a demonstration of how talented each member of the cast is. Audience members were impressed with the overall play, dancing, singing, and everything that came together for the show.
With its humor, heart, and high energy performances, “The Drowsy Chaperone” was a huge success. The audience cheered voraciously as the cast took their final bows, celebrating a job well done.
