Kallen at Calvary

On Wednesday afternoon October 21st 2009, I attended one of the six free concerts and lunches at Calvary Episcopal Church, located downtown at the corner of 2nd St and Adams Ave. If you haven’t heard about Calvary and the Arts, I recommend looking into it! It’s a great opportunity to hear wonderful music for free and for a small fee enjoy some delish food as well! This past Wednesday I saw renowned opera star Kallen Esperian perform a diverse repertoire ranging from traditional American art songs to operatic standards. Sometimes between songs Kallen would explain why she chose to include a particular piece in the program that afternoon. While it was hard to hear a lot of what she was saying since I was sitting towards the back of the sanctuary, it was great to see how passionate she was about each song she sang. Her rendition of “Vissi d’arte” from Puccini’s opera Tosca nearly brought me to tears! I thought the combination of American music with standard opera rep was an interesting change from last year’s performance, in which almost all of the selections were operatic. I have to say, though, I really do prefer hearing her sing the arias rather than the American folk songs!
These concerts will be going on through December 9th every Wednesday at 11:45 am. They last about 45 minutes and are totally worth it! This upcoming Wednesday features Joyce Cobb, a “Jazz Diva with a Memphis Soul”. Don’t miss out!
-Brigid Hannon

The Topping Tooters of the Town!

On Tuesday October 20^th, 2009, upon my return to Rhodes after fall break, I immediately launched back into the Rhodes music scene by attending an early-music concert featuring The City Musick ensemble, directed by William Lyons. They performed “Music of the London Waits” on period instruments such as the sackbut (a precursor to the trombone), cornett (similar to a clarinet), recorder and bagpipes. Between many of the pieces Mr. Lyons would explain the background of the next piece to be played as well as giving informational tidbits about the instruments. Thankfully he also explained what a “Wait” is. The London Waits in particular were town pipers who rivaled the king’s minstrels and every English town worth its salt had a band of Waits. Their music is instrumental and the vocal selections are mostly secular, although there were a few psalms (including the old hundredth) featured in this concert. All of the music on the program was composed between 1550 and 1650. While I had not heard of many of the composers on the program, a few names did stick out: Thomas Morley, Anthony Holborne and John Dowland.

I particularly enjoyed how each performer truly embodied the concept of the “Renaissance Man” because each member of the ensemble played at least two instruments and sang. Their overall sound as vocal ensemble was interesting. I enjoyed the timbre of their singing because it had a folky feel to it. They did not refine vowels and kept their sound very bright and forward.

Currently The City Musick ensemble is concluding a tour through the United States and I assume they will return back to their native UK soon. If you’re ever across the pond and get a chance to hear them perform, seize it! It’s a great opportunity to hear Renaissance music and hear how different their antiquated instruments sound compared to their modern day counterparts!

- Brigid Hannon

George Crumb Retrospective II

On Friday evening, October 2nd, 2009 a friend of mine and I attended the George Crumb Retrospective II concert at University of Memphis. This program featured music by the 21st century composer, George Crumb—a composer best known for his unusual use of traditional instruments. This concert featured Crumb’s application of extended musical techniques on the piano. These techniques included plucking the piano strings from under the lid and applying various “tools” to the piano keys and strings. There were three different pianists who each played three distinctly different pieces.
The first piece, Processional (1983), was my favorite, though I rather enjoyed the whole program. Processional did not employ any extended techniques and consequently sounded the most “normal” of the bunch. In fact the non-functional harmonies and soothing nature of the piece reminded me of music by impressionist composer Claude Debussy . The only “Crumb-ian” thing about the piece was the occasional cacophonous sound of “tone clusters” abruptly banged on the piano by holding down several keys at the same time. Expect the unexpected in works by George Crumb!
The rest of the program was fascinating and much more indicative of the George Crumb style I’m familiar with. The other two works performed were A Little Suite for Christmas, A.D. 1979 and Gnomic Variations (1981). The Christmas suite was cool and eclectic, incorporating original music and occasional quotations of other music by different composers. My only complaint is that it was hard to follow since all the movements flowed into each other. The Gnomic variations sounded like moon music because of the strange timbres elicited from the piano by means of a block applied to a cluster of keys and plucking the piano strings. Both of these pieces used extended techniques to achieve unique timbres, proving that the piano is a much more versatile instrument than most expect.
I really enjoyed this concert and highly encourage any interested in contemporary music to attend the next installment George Crumb Retrospective III on Friday October 16th, 2009 at 7:30 pm. It will be held in the Rudi E. Scheidt Music Building on the University of Memphis campus.

- Brigid Hannon

Opera Memphis Does Gounod’s Faust

Little did I know as I scurried to my seat in the balcony of the Orpheum this past Saturday night, that I was in for an action-packed, thriller of an opera! Charles Gounod’s Faust is an entertaining mixture of drama, tragedy and Christian morals. Faust comes on the stage as an aging, impotent scientist, who feels he has wasted his life expanding his mind and neglecting his body. As such, he makes a deal with the devil and acquires youth, virility and the devil as his wing man, but he gives up any hope of being saved in the afterlife—because once he dies he is the devil, Mephistopheles’ slave. Faust was initially a little wary of this deal, but once Mephistopheles conjured up an image of the pious virgin Marguerite, Faust was determined to win the girl and enjoy his youth.
In the second act, Madness ensues, complete with murder, a overly-suggestive ballet and eternal damnation for Faust. Despite this, the ending does have an uplifting message. You’ll have to watch to find out!
I found the opera to be kind of ridiculous, but in an enjoyable way. It was done very well and I could tell everyone put a lot of time and energy into it. The singing, on the whole was fantastic. It was clearly not Faust’s best vocal night which showed in his high range, but he gave a valiant effort! I thought Marguerite and her suitor Seibel had the best voices of them women, and Valentin and Mephistopheles were best out of the men.
There is one more performance left, on Tuesday night. Call the Orpheum box office (901) 525-3000 for more information! Last I checked they still had $10 student tickets. It was a great show, and totally worth it even if you have to pay more than $10!
- Brigid Hannon

A Night at the Movies

On Thursday evening, April 23rd, 2009 I made my way over to Hardie Auditorium to see the Rhodes Orchestra’s closing performance of the semester. I was already excited because I knew from all of the fliers around campus that they were going to play soundtracks from some of my favorite cult classics! The set up was obviously planned very carefully as the orchestra director, Professor Montelione, had a limited space to work with. The orchestra filled the entire stage plus a good deal of floor space, and there were enough chairs for about two hundred people (and about that many people came to see this performance).
One of the coolest things about the concert were the two screens which displayed a montage of pictures or live action clips from each movie to go along with the music the orchestra played. The concert featured some music from “West Side Story”, Pirates of the Caribbean “The Curse of the Black Pearl”, “Civil War”, Star Wars and Indiana Jones. It’s clear that everyone in the orchestra has been working very hard this semester to present this concert and I have to say, their hard work definitely paid off! They sounded just as good as some cd recordings I have of these very soundtracks. That evening was a thoroughly enjoyable aural and visual experience for me, as well as everyone else in the audience (we were all transfixed by the mixture of beautiful music and exciting movie clips). It was the best-attended orchestra event I’ve ever been to!
Hopefully more orchestra concerts will be as innovative as this! Who knows, the orchestra could acquire an avid fan base that rivals the Woolsocks! There won’t be any more concerts this semester, but if you’re itching to hear more student music, come to the Rhodes chamber music concert on Monday April 27th at 7:30 pm in Tuthill Auditorium, Hassell Hall.


- Brigid Hannon

Looking for a Show? Here’s What Memphis Theatre Has to Offer This Coming March

The Orpheum Theatre:

Legally Blonde (March 3-8); The musical adaptation of the 2001 hit comedy follows sorority girl Elle Woods as she follows her ex-boyfriend to Harvard Law School and tries to win back his love. In the process, she finds a different kind of love…an appreciation and confidence in herself. Student Rush is on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday evening. Shows Tuesday-Thursday begin at 7:30 and the Sunday performance is at 6:00. Student rush tickets ($25 CASH) go on sale 15 minutes before showtime. Students must present a student ID.

Playhouse on the Square:

Romeo and Juliet (March 20-April 19); William Shakespeare’s timeless tale of a “pair of star cross’d lovers” arrives in time for spring. Student tickets are $20.

Theatre Memphis:

The Violet Hour (March 6-22); Independent book publisher John Seavering is trying to find his footing in the industry and only has enough capital to produce one book project. However he is torn between publishing the work of his secret mistress or the work of his best friend, who needs a book deal in order to save his relationship with an heiress who can only marry a man of financial promise. However, this plot takes the backseat to the mystery of a machine in John’s office that spouts out hundreds of pages that shed surprising light on the characters’ futures. Student tickets are $15.

Germantown Community Theatre:

A Raisin in the Sun (March 6-22); Lorraine Hansberry’s touching family drama revolves around the Younger family. When Matriarch Lena is given a $10,000 life insurance check after the death of her husband, everyone in the family has a different idea about the best way to spend the money. Son Walter has ambitions for his business while daughter Bennie hopes for an education but Lena wants to move her family into a nicer neighborhood. CODA is offering $5 tickets.

Hattiloo Theatre:

A Tempest (March 12-22) was written as a response to Shakespeare’s The Tempest and primarily focuses its attention on the natives of Prospero’s island, particularly Ariel and Caliban. Student tickets are $12.

-Cristina Iskander

The Light in the Piazza Shines Dimly

Playhouse on the Square’s production of The Light in the Piazza has lofty goals and good intentions. Set against a Florentine backdrop, a Southern mother and daughter experience the beauty of Italy, but their journey moves far beyond statues and stories. It is serendipity when young Clara (Emily Z. Pettet) meets charming Italian Fabrizio (Jesus Manuel Pacheco) as she chases her windblown hat through the piazza. Their interest and fascination with one another is immediate and their inability to fully interact verbally insignificant. The young lovers embrace and delight in their differences, but Clara’s desperately protective mother Margaret (Carla McDonald) does not share this sentiment. Plagued with worries, Margaret wants to put the affair to end because Clara is unlike other girls. (SPOILER ALERT) Kicked in the head by a horse at her twelfth birthday party, Clara has the external, physical characteristics of a grown woman but the mental capacities of a young girl. Rather than take cues from the struggling relationships around them (Margaret’s empty marriage, Fabrizio’s brother Giuseppe’s infidelity), Clara and Fabrizio remain hopeful and committed to each other and their steadfast idealism and belief in the power of their romance ultimately changes not only the way their families view the whirlwind relationship between the two but also how their families evaluate their personal relationships.

Though much of the plot’s action revolves around the budding romance between Fabrizio and Clara, the heart of the show is mother Margaret. Carla McDonald, who I’ve admired since I saw her several seasons ago in The Wild Party at Circuit Playhouse, gives a rueful, nuanced performance, tracing Margaret’s journey from guilt to acceptance of her past faults and mistakes and her transition from doubt in Clara’s suitability for marriage to belief that the affair is perhaps the way for her daughter to find fulfillment and live a normal life. She lets Clara go, and confronts her own uncertain future. In the heart wrenching “Diving Day” in Act One and “Fable” at the closing of Act Two, McDonald exposes the melancholy beneath Margaret’s manicured façade. However, many of McDonald’s cast mates fail to match the depth of her performance. Despite her beautiful soprano, Emily Z. Pettet’s performance is uneven, unfocused and lacks sense of dramatic trajectory. Her Clara is exuberant, petulant, overwhelmed, infatuated, but she never comes off as mentally impaired. Romantic love interest Jesus Manuel Pacheco fares a little better though this is most likely due to the nature of his role. The sincere yet sexually charged Fabrizio is easier to pull off than Clara, and his bouts of overacting might be attributed as an interpretation of an enthusiastic, expressive Italian. Kent Fleshman, as Fabrizio’s father, seems out of place and he injects humor in moments where comedy is not appropriate. Kevin Todd Murphy and Esther Gray as Fabrizio’s adulterous brother and his volatile wife give good performances but their stage time is very limited.

The principal characters’ costumes, designed by Rebecca Y. Powell, echo, but never imitate the costumes from the original Broadway production, but the ensemble’s wardrobe looks too much like an afterthought. The set design is serviceable but uninspiring and the lion statues situated downstage look more Asian than Italian inspired.

Though the production is flawed, the music, with music and lyrics by Adam Guettel, is stunning and sophisticated. However, the music could be unappealing to some. Unlike traditional musical theatre scores, the song lyrics come off more like poetry and the music is only occasionally melodious. Lyrics are in both Italian and English, and while this might initially cause some discomfort for the audience it enhances the overall experience of seeing the show.

The Light in the Piazza runs at Playhouse on the Square through March 1.

-Cristina Iskander

Mozart and Stravinsky, anyone?

On Friday January 30^th, 2009 I attended the MSO’s performance of selections by W.A. Mozart and Igor Stravinsky. The performance was held at the Buckman Performing Arts Center, located at Saint Mary’s Episcopal School. The venue was much smaller than the Cannon Center and as such, conductor David Loebel took advantage of the smaller, more intimate space and made the concert more personal by giving the audience some background information about Stravinsky’s musical career.

He explained that the unusual combination of Mozart and Stravinsky in that evening’s program was not as strange a combination as one may initially think. He pointed out that the Stravinsky music played in this concert—Eight Instrumental Miniatures for 15 Players and Octet— was from Stravinksy’s neo-classical phase, and therefore more diatonic and more in the style of classical music. Personally, I did not find a very strong connection between Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante, K. 364 and Symphony No. 33 in B-flat major, K. 319 and the Stravinsky selections.

Neither of the Stravinsky pieces was nearly as lyric, melodious or as diatonic as the Mozart. In fact, the Octet reminded me more of “Rite of Spring” than anything ever composed by Mozart. The octet was an unusual assembly of instrumentalists, comprised of a bassoonist, two clarinetists, two trumpet players, a flutist and two trombones. The bassoon was given many complex motives to play in quick succession and while it was impressive, it was not as catchy nor as predictable as the Mozart pieces. The unusual scoring, coupled with the various motives being introduced and sporadic nature of their entrances in the music are what reminded me most of Rite of Spring.

The highlight of this concert was definitely Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante, K. 364. It featured a standard orchestra and soloists Susanna Perry Gilmore on violin and Jennifer Puckett on viola. The ornamented melodies and long, running phrases were impeccably played. I especially enjoyed when one would play a melodic phrase and the other would repeat it, in a slightly different fashion, as Mozart notated. They handled their respective instruments deftly and gracefully. It was such a treat to watch as they would physically lean into phrases and really feel the music they were playing.

On the whole it was a good concert and interesting to see how the orchestra members interact in a smaller environment. I especially enjoyed that Loebel addressed the audience, marking this occasion as distinctly different from other symphony performances, perhaps somehow more special.

- Brigid Hannon

Looking for a Great Show? Here’s What February Has to Offer:

Obviously…Rhodes College

Fat Pig (February 20-21, 26-28, March 1)

The Orpheum Theatre:

N.B. Tickets for Celtic Woman (April 8-9) are currently on sale for $12.50-65

Playhouse on the Square:

The Light in the Piazza (January 30-March 1) Student tickets $20. Won 6 Tony Awards, including Best Score. Not your typical song-and-dance musical. A sentimental Valentine to the beauty of Italy and the magic of young love, Piazza tells the story of a mother and daughter traveling throughout Florence. Idealistic daughter Clara falls in love with dashing Fabrizio, and though they do not speak the same language, their romance is overwhelming and seemingly unstoppable. However, mother Margaret threatens to throw a wrench in their plans, as she holds a large secret in Clara’s past. Seasoned actress Carla McDonald’s portrayal of Margaret is not to be missed.

Circuit Playhouse:

History Boys (January 16-February 15) Student Tickets $20. Won 6 Tony Awards, including Best Play.

Featuring Rhodes talent under the direction of Rhodes professor Cookie Ewing, Boys is sure to be a highlight of the season. The show revolves around 8 young British boys’ preparation for university entrance exams, but is more than mere schoolboy fare. The show primarily exams the purpose of education but its scope goes far beyond recitations and lessons in the classroom as it also addresses homosexuality, rivalries, and other topics.

Theatre Memphis:

Cyrano de Bergerac (February 13-March 1). Student tickets $15. Cyrano has a way with words; he’s a poet. However, his large nose causes him great grief and insecurity, preventing him from openly confessing his love and devotion to the stunning Roxanne. Instead, he assists another man, Christian, in wooing Roxanne, feeding him beautiful poetry to pass off as his own in order to impress her. Sound familiar? Steve Martin flick Roxanne (1987) and James Franco film Whatever It Takes (2000) are based on this concept.

- Christina Iskander

Treemonisha at Opera Memphis

If you’re wondering who or what Treemonisha might be, you probably aren’t alone. Treemonisha is, in fact, a relatively obscure opera, composed around the turn of the 20th century by a man most famous for his ragtime tunes: Scott Joplin. Part of the reason for the opera’s obscurity may be due to the fact that the entire score was not found until 1970! Because of this, this opera is relatively “new” and has not had much time to establish a reputation. Joplin’s opera incorporates aspects of standard or “classic” operas from previous centuries such as an overture, chorus numbers, recitatives and arias, but it also differs in a couple of important ways. For one, Joplin’s opera takes place in Texarkana, Arkansas post-American Civil War. As such, it’s also performed in English. Another difference is that Joplin is the music. I could hear some elements of the classical style, but by and large it sounded more modern, especially during the final act in which the whole company did the “Slow Drag”. While Treemonisha is not a ragtime opera, it was interesting that the last number was in the style of ragtime music…in fact it was ragtime music! The final scene was the best part of the opera because it included dancing and singing to Joplin’s peppy, light-hearted music.
On the whole, I felt the plot of this opera left something to be desired, but there were certainly moments of musical genius and something of a plot twist, otherwise, I got a little bored with how slow the plot progressed. I think the best parts of this production were the times when Joplin’s ragtime style came through, the costumes and set and the energy of the cast.
- Brigid Hannon

Photo: Anita Johnson, soprano, as "Treemonisha"

MSO Does Mozart, Strauss and Dvorak

On Saturday January 17th, 2009 I attended the Memphis Symphony Orchestra’s (MSO) performance of selections by Mozart, Strauss and Dvorak. The program began with the familiar melodies from the overture to Mozart’s opera, Don Giovanni, proceeding then to my favorite piece of the evening, Don Juan, Opus 20, by Richard Strauss. It required a full orchestra and then some! I liked the rich sound and the passion and yearning it inspired. I think the violins really made the performance what it was because they created tension by means of various motives played quickly, even urgently, in a minor key. Strauss’ Burleske in D minor was next on the menu for our aural palate and it was quite impressive in a rather different way from Don Juan. While Don Juan employed a large orchestra, focusing on the strings for most of the dramatic effect, the Burleske had something else to offer: a prodigious Irishman (Barry Douglas) at the grand Steinway piano. His skills were top notch. I particularly enjoyed the instance when he rapidly played a sequence of chromatic scales…all the way down the piano!! It was definitely a treat to see him perform! The Dvorak was lovely but not quite as impressive as the other pieces on the program. I particularly enjoyed the dance-like third movement…in fact, I liked it even more than the fourth movement (even though the fourth movement is generally supposed to be the most impressive and dazzling of the four).
As always, I encourage more Rhodes students to take advantage of the student rates and the coda tickets offered by Rhodes, and see go to the Symphony!! Tickets start as low as $5 through coda, and $10 at the MSO box office (located in the Cannon Center). The next performance is Saturday February 7th at 8 pm at the Cannon Center, located down town. It features Scott Moore on the trumpet. I hope to see you there!-Brigid Hannon

History Boys Gets Top Marks

Be mindful not to compare The History Boys, winner of the 2006 Tony Award for Best Play, with other sentimental, treacly schoolboy fare like the 1967 film To Sir, With Love or the 1989 film Dead Poet’s Society. The History Boys seeks not to romanticize education, but humanize it, asking questions not only about the nature of education, but also the workings of the human heart, and the goals we choose to pursue.

Playwright Alan Bennett uses an English grammar school (the equivalent of an American high school) as the backdrop for his tale about differing views regarding education. While preparing for university entrance exams that will ideally gain them admission to prestigious Oxford or Cambridge University, eight foul-mouthed and sharp-tongued boys find themselves at the center of an ongoing educational debate. Their current teacher, Hector (Dave Landis), perceives education as something intended for the heart, his curriculum consisting of memorizing the poetry of W.H. Auden and Stevie Smith, the performing of classic film scenes, singing, and promoting fluency in French, which in one hilarious scene, he has them utilize by acting out a scene in a brothel. The headmaster (Stephen Huff) does not agree with this approach; instead he wants something quantifiable. He brings in Irwin (Eric Duhon) who, denouncing “sheer competence,” encourages the boys to differentiate themselves from other potential applicants by presenting alternative, controversial interpretations of historical events. “Truth,” he argues, “is no more an issue in an examination than thirst at a wine tasting or fashion at a strip tease”.

Hector complains that Irwin’s flashy approach to exam preparation is not history; it’s journalism. Hector and Irwin cannot see eye to eye regarding the purpose of education. Is education valued for its own sake or is it valued as an avenue to achieving success? Irwin says, “Education isn’t something for when they’re old and grey and sitting by the fire. It’s for now. The exam is next month.” Hector retorts, “What happens after the exam? Life goes on.” The play, however, wisely avoids casting either as the good guy/bad guy. Both teachers have their convictions, and more importantly, both have their imperfections.

The play also addresses homosexual relationships among students and between students and teachers. However, this is not a morality play, and the subject is treated less controversially than it might have been were this an American play.

The cast is anchored by strong performances by Landis and Duhon. Of the boys, standouts include DJ Hill, as Scripps, the moral compass of the group, Joe McDaniel as charismatic Dakin, the object of so many characters’ affections, and Ed Porter as the passionate Posner, whose emerging homosexuality and youth make him feel isolated from his peers and whose rendition of Lorenz Hart’s “Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered” and scene with Hector is heartbreakingly poignant.

Walking away from Boys, you may not have any answers, but it’s worth the price of admission to be asked the questions.

The History Boys, directed by Rhodes professor Cookie Ewing with assistance by junior Mallory Primm, features performances by sophomores Omair Khattak and Ed Porter and alumnus Michael Towle (2008). The show concludes its run at Circuit Playhouse February 15.

This article also appears on the Rhodes Codetta blog (rhodescodetta.blogspot.com). In addition to theatre coverage, Codetta features coverage on music and art both at Rhodes and in the Memphis community.
- Cristina Iskander

Orpheum’s Drowsy Chaperone “Shows Off”

The Drowsy Chaperone, winner of five Tony Awards in 2006, is both homage to and parody of the light, bubbly musical comedies characteristic of the Jazz Age, full of archetypal characters and frivolous, predictable plotlines. However, to fully accept and embrace this idea, you have to ignore some anachronisms. First, cast recordings did not even exist until sometime in the thirties, and secondly the musical score is not entirely in the style of the twenties. However, these are relatively easy things to disregard and do not interfere too much with enjoyment of the show.

The narrator for the evening, simply called Man In Chair (Tennessee native John West) shares his favorite indulgence with the audience—a cherished, old record of the (fictional) 1928 Broadway smash, The Drowsy Chaperone. He explains, as he puts it on, that when he listens to it, it transports him, and makes him feel as though he is seeing it live. The Man, who simply wants “a story and a few songs to take [him] away” from the reality that is his lonely, cluttered apartment, is delighted as his imagination takes over, the walls of his home give way and the characters of Chaperone stream in, miraculously entering from his refrigerator and dancing out of his closet.

The characters of 1928’s Drowsy—gangsters (Dennis Setteducati and Marc de la Concha), a producer Feldzieg and his ditzy, blonde girlfriend, Kitty (Britt Hancock and Lindsey Devino), Latin lothario Adolpho (Roberto Carrasco), and the drowsy (read: drunk) chaperone (Patti McClure) have gathered at dowager Mrs. Tottendale’s (Kristin Netzband) home for the marriage of retiring Broadway starlet Janet Van De Graaf (Elizabeth Pawlowski) to oil magnate heir Robert (Leigh Wakeford). As he watches the drama unfold, Man in Chair provides commentary—criticizing or praising certain lyrics and jokes in the show, drawing attention to some of the smaller, less flashy moments, and giving backstage information on the actors performing in the show within a show, gossiping about their careers, rivalries, and scandals.

All of the actors sing and dance ably and their devotion to the giddy, self-aware spirit of the show is admirable, but because of the nature of the piece, there are few opportunities to expand beyond a two-dimensional character portrayal. Pawlowski, McClure, and Carrasco have brief moments of triumph, where they are able to step out of the ensemble (Pawlowski in “Show Off,” McClure in “As We Stumble Along,” and and Carrasco in “I Am Aldopho), but it is only John West, as Man in Chair, who manages to escape this fate entirely, and his droll delivery is an ideal companion to the absurdities that characterize the show within a show.

The set design is inventive, the costume design is impressive, and some of the comedic gags like the repetition of the same lyric as the record “skips” are tremendously clever. However, at times, the script veers from self-conscious to self-congratulatory.

Despite its imperfections, The Drowsy Chaperone is something that people who love musical theatre will immediately understand. However, that said, it is not necessarily a show that anybody will enjoy because to truly appreciate Chaperone, you need to have experienced or felt what Man in Chair feels for this show, whether you have obsessed over a seemingly insignificant moment in a show, felt comforted and swept away by a cast recording, or acknowledged a show’s imperfections but adored it nonetheless.

Memphis was the second stop for the non-equity touring production of The Drowsy Chaperone. The show was performed at the Orpheum January 13-18.

This article also appears on the Rhodes Codetta blog (rhodescodetta.blogspot.com). In addition to theatre coverage, Codetta features coverage on music and art both at Rhodes and in the Memphis community.

- Cristina Iskander