Above: The cast of The Drowsy Chaperone closes a musical number with a dynamic tableau, drawing enthusiastic applause from the audience during their Dec. 11 matinee performance. – Stephen Dafoe Photo
By Stephen Dafoe
Morinville Community High School (MCHS) debuted The Drowsy Chaperone on Dec. 11 with a matinee and evening performance, captivating audiences with its blend of seasoned and new student talent. Directed by Vanessa King, alongside alumni Alyssa Short and veteran contributor Riley Quinn, the musical comedy returns for two evening shows on Dec. 12 and 13 at the Morinville Community Cultural Centre.
MCHS has staged several notable productions in recent years, including Newsies, Legally Blonde, and last year’s Matilda, alongside earlier shows like Willy Wonka and James and the Giant Peach. Many of these were larger productions with extensive sets and casts. This year, King and her cast opted for a shift, taking on straightforward comedy—something the school hadn’t tackled in years—with The Drowsy Chaperone.
Before Wednesday’s matinee performance for Georges H. Primeau student, King said she was proud of her cast’s work over several months, particularly in nailing the over-the-top characters in the comedy parodying 1920s musicals.
“I think the focus on this show is a lot more about the acting craft because it’s way less about the set and the changing parts and the huge production,” King said. “It’s shrunk down to a New York City apartment, so we got to focus a lot more on that instead, which has been fun.”
Written by Bob Martin and Don McKellar, with music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, the Tony Award-winning show debuted in 1998. The play follows the Man in Chair, portrayed by MCHS veteran Avery Pelletier, who invites the audience to experience the soundtrack of the lead character’s favourite Broadway musical as it comes to life in the Man in Chair’s apartment.
Joining Pelletier was Lauren Andrews as the Drowsy Chaperone, showcasing her talent in her third musical with the school. In her senior year, Amy Begg portrayed the bride, Janet Van De Graff, while Kaleb Imgrund-Harvey played the groom, Robert Martin. Other key roles included Taryn Meyer as Best Man George, Benjamin Allain as Aldolpho, Bella Harding as Kitty, Liz Nelson as Mrs. Tottendale, and Drew Kolotyluk as Feldzieg.
The supporting cast and ensemble brought considerable energy and dedication to the production. Aidin Farough took on the role of Underling, Bri Farough and Kara Suvan played the Gangsters, and Finn Dionne portrayed the aviatrix Trix. Ensemble members included Kayden Fuder, Abriele Hughes, Reese Klettke, Hope Tucker, Ryder Langlands, Katie Fingler, Benjamin Veenstra, Maddie Blunden, Braelyn Allain, Evelyn Whitson, and Mikaela King. Together, the cast delivered a vibrant and engaging performance that showcased student talent across all grade levels.
The show had to do some shuffling. Lead Pelletier was in an accident recently and took on her role of man in chair quite literally, making her way around the stage in a wheelchair.
“We had some challenges because we had to figure out how do we do all the same blocking that we had planned for the previous two-and-a-half months,” King explained. “So we pulled in an alumnus Avery Thompson as her at-home nurse. She will help her do the blocking that [Pelletier] couldn’t do in the wheelchair. That was a fun hiccup.”
While the cast were the show’s stars, the set was also worth closely examining. Past productions featured elaborate sets, including a moving giant peach for James and the Giant Peach and media-ready stained glass windows for dynamic settings in The Sound of Music. In contrast, The Drowsy Chaperone employed a more straightforward set, requiring significant care and creativity to depict a New York City apartment styled as a small tenement or brownstone. The goal was to contrast this intimate setting with a Broadway show’s vibrant, flashy elements unfolding within the same space and key cast members making dramatic entrances through the apartment’s refrigerator.
“We were really in love with our set. We created a New York City apartment, and because he’s a Broadway connoisseur, we did as much memorabilia on the walls as we could,” King explained of Pelletier’s character’s apartment, adding they tried to envision what a fan of Broadway would have on their walls. “We snuck in some Easter eggs—show playbills from our shows, from shows we’ve seen. There are a couple of photos from our shows and things like that. It’s incredibly detailed. It’s made with a lot of love.”
One of the other behind-the-scenes takeaways from each year’s show is that King tries to give students as professional a theatre experience as possible, from rehearsals to the actual production. Keeping with that experience, this year saw the return of the Alberta Youth Theatre Collective (AYTC), an organization that focuses on promoting and recognizing the work of young performers in Alberta’s theatre scene. This is the first year the collective will hold high school theatre awards.
Tickets for Thursday and Friday night’s performances are available online for $10 or $15 at the door.
Broadway star and bride-to-be Janet Van De Graff, played by Amy Begg, is carried by cast members to the pool in the Drowsy Chaperone. – Stephen Dafoe Photo
Aviatrix Trix, played by Finn Dionne, during one of the Drowsy Chaperone’s musical numbers. – Stephen Dafoe Photo
Below is a gallery of photos from Wednesday’s matinee performance.
