Director's Note
by Mr. Uminski
I, like the Man in Chair, have a love/hate relationship with theatre. There are definitely moments in rehearsal when I would rather be sleeping, or eating, or anywhere else, really. There are also times while sitting in a performance that I find myself cringing at how cheesy it is, and I'm ashamed of myself that I'm getting goosebumps...or even crying. And any time I'm around large groups of theatre people, it takes everything in me not to roll my eyes or shake my head at the weird things being said or done.
And yet, I stay.
I stay because I've seen how theatre has changed me and how it has enlightened my life time and time again. Every production that I work on, I learn something new. This year, Elf taught me about what Christmas means to me; Macbeth taught me the corrosive nature of selfish ambition; and The Drowsy Chaperone has taught me to not take theatre too seriously, but seriously enough.
While I'm sad that my time here at Clearfield is nearing an end, I am excited to continue my journey in the arts by attending Southern Utah University this fall. I have cherished my time here at CHS and the opportunity that I have had to work with so many talented students. I will miss learning with and from them.
I love that my final show here at CHS glorifies musical theatre...but mostly just makes fun of it. Because in reality, musical theatre is just the worst. But it's also the best. And that's what keeps me coming back for more.
Dramaturgical Note
by Shelbie Jones
The Drowsy Chaperone is an original musical written by Bob Martin and Don Mckellar. The show first debuted in 1998 at The Rivoli in Toronto and opened on Broadway on May 1, 2006. Nabbing five Tony Awards in categories such as Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical, the Drowsy Chaperone became an overnight success.
What makes this show so unique is the show-within-a-show concept. The audience is listening to the musical on an old LP record, while the characters come to life in a dingy New York apartment owned by the “Man In Chair.” The audience is constantly being pulled in and out of the fantasy by the Man In Chair’s need to make his extensive-but-trivial knowledge about the musical known, which results in the audience slowly learning facts about his personal life.
Our production of The Drowsy Chaperone will bring you an escape from the world’s constant demands and into the fantasy of mistaken identities, dream sequences, and spit takes. Make sure to pay attention to how our concept of “transformation” is shown throughout the show.
