Union Catholic Delivers Laughs with 'Drowsy Chaperone'

student-actors take to the stage Friday and Saturday for the final two performances of their spring musical, “The Drowsy Chaperone.”

The play is an upbeat, one-act show-within-a-show that pays homage to the Jazz Age, replete with vaudeville, mistaken identities and Charlestons galore. The narrator, a character known as simply "Man in Chair," is a lonely soul who lives alone in his apartment, but nurtures a love for 1920s musicals. He plays for the audience a recording of the titular musical, which immerses him and his viewers in a vibrant, effervescent story that centers on the upcoming marriage of Robert Martin and starlet Janet van de Graaf. Naturally, hijinks – and plenty of dancing – ensue.

"This was just the right show for us," said Maryann Carolan, director of the Union Catholic Performing Arts Company. "We had done a lot of big musicals. We did 'Les Miz' last year and 'Into the Woods' before that. This was kind of a departure for us from some of those heavier, dark musicals."

Senior Dylan George, who plays the scheming producer, Feldzeig, agreed. "It was a really nice, light, happy show compared to the show we did last year, which was 'Les Miz,'” he said. "This was great show. It really made you want to participate and get into it."

George and his cast-mates said that the musical's liveliness helped bind them together.

"I basically grew up with these guys since I was a freshman in PAC," said senior Patrick Napurano, who plays a love-struck oil tycoon named Robert. "It’s nice finally to see all of us on the stage together instead of someone’s doing a show and someone’s not, or someone’s doing tech and someone’s not. It’s really nice to see all of our talents together and have it not just be characters on stage, but actually be really good friends off the stage. It’s a lot of fun."

Despite the challenges of producing the musical, cast members – and particularly the seniors – said they will miss the time they spent together.

"I'm going to miss all of you guys and being comfortable around everyone," said Karyn Kiziili, who plays the high-flying Trix the Aviatrix. "Even if it's the end of the day and we're here until 9, 10, midnight. Even on my worst days, when all I want to do is crawl into a corner and cry, these guys can make me laugh harder than anyone else I know."

As Naporano said simply, "It's going to suck next year when we'll have to do this all over again with new people." 

Carolan, the director, said that this year's cast proved particularly dedicated to the production. "I love the ability they have to create such incredible characters onstage at their age," she said. "I'll miss their work ethic. You look at Dylan and his head is shaved. The ability that they have to give and how much that they put into this."

The final two performances of "The Drowsy Chaperone" will be held Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Union Catholic High School auditorium. For more information, call 908-889-1600.