Maids dressed as monkeys danced across the stage during Northfield High School’s musical “The Drowsy Chaperone”. Opening the show was Cullen Hauck whose character name is known only as Man in Chair. He listens to a record playing his favorite musical comedy, The Drowsy Chaperone. Centered around an engaged couple, this comedy describes “cold feet” that some often get on their wedding day. As two gangsters try to stop the wedding, misunderstandings occur and the bride is even confused with her chaperone, who has the job of making sure the bride and groom don’t see each other. While this was occurring, the bride snuck out to see the groom who she found blindfolded and roller skating as a result of the best man trying to get him injured so that the wedding could not go on. Tricking him into kissing her, the bride then ridiculously accuses him of cheating on her.

There were many characters throughout the show that had principle roles. Each role was completely unique and portrayed very different characteristics which limited confusion. While this may be good for a production with many characters, it was difficult to remember who most of them were. The audience wasn’t able to get attached to one character and the story kept switching back and forth, making the plot slightly jumbled and hard to follow. For instance, there were two gangsters that were sent to stop the wedding whose motive, to me, wasn’t clear. There was also a tap dancing number with two guys, which was phenomenal, but I didn’t know why one of the guys was there or who he was.

My favorite part was when Mrs Tottendale, a wealthy widow hosting the wedding, spit on the butler. The Man in the Chair kept rewinding this scene so she repeatedly misted his face with water, which was hilarious. Ending the show was an awesome musical number. Every cast member had a song that he or she performed in the show which made the show captivating because the audience got to see so many different parts and actors interpretations of the songs. They came up behind the man in the chair, who was listening to their performances on a record player, and sang a part of their songs one by one for the finale. The effect was really cool because there were so many parts and different songs which made the audience think back and remember every musical number. Grace Yarbrough stated that the “actors had amazing characterization” and that their “their stage presence and energy was outstanding. “The Drowsy Chaperone” may have had many different parts, but the ending made up for it by re stating every character, helping to remind us who they were. One wedding turned into four and even though they forgot to hire a preacher, they all got their happy endings.