Sunset's 'Drowsy Chaperone' Presides Over Musical Fun

The Drowsy Chaperone sounds like a Broadway musical from the '20s. But it's not quite that simple. Instead, it's a musical from the '90s about a fictional musical from the '20s called The Drowsy Chaperone. This musical love letter to an earlier era of Broadway debuted in Canada, and it was only a matter of time before it became an actual hit on Broadway. Five years after its Broadway debut, The Drowsy Chaperone makes it to Elm Grove in a production by Sunset Playhouse.

The story concerns an agoraphobic Broadway fan known only as “The Man in the Chair.” As the musical opens, the man puts on a phonograph recording of a 1928 musical and quickly becomes lost in it. It sounds like a fun, challenging premise. Tackling the challenge is director Tommy Lueck. Known as 25% of the retro vocal quartet Four Guyz in Dinner Jackets, Lueck is also the frontman for the group Swing Nouveau. It should be interesting to see this kind of nostalgic show through his perspective as a director.

Lueck will be working with a varied cast. Anchoring the center of the ensemble is Ben George, who has made memorable appearances with Off the Wall Theatre and Windfall Theatre.

The Sunset Playhouse's production of The Drowsy Chaperone runs July 14-Aug. 7. For ticket reservations, call 262-782-4430.

Theater Happenings

• Dead Man's Carnival,  a neo-vaudevillian mix of jugglers, acrobats, magicians and other sorts of stage expression, makes an appearance 9 p.m. July 16 at the Miramar Theatre. Sir Pinkerton and the Magnificents will provide musical backup.

• This week Off the Wall Theatre presents the Milwaukee premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber's romantic chamber musical Aspects of Love. An intimate exploration into the many shades of amorous emotion inhabits Off the Wall's studio theater space July 14-24. For ticket reservations, call 414-327-3552.