A chaperone for the prom
A nostalgia-driven revival became unexpectedly of-the-moment. Goodspeed Musicals’ decision to revive “The Drowsy Chaperone” as the final show of its 2019 mainstage season at the Goodspeed Opera House (where it closed Nov. 25) turned out to have been a timely one. It gave audiences a chance to revisit book writer Bob Martin’s first big hit just as he was experiencing his latest Broadway success, with “The Prom.” Martin’s other work includes “Elf The Musical” (with “Prom” collaborators Chad Beguelin and Matthew Sklar) and the recent musical adaptation of “The Sting,” which premiered at Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey. A sequel to “The Drowsy Chaperone” has reportedly been in the works for years.
“The Drowsy Chaperone” was a latecomer to the Goodspeed schedule. It had been originally announced that the season would end with “Bullets Over Broadway,” but when there was a backlash due to scandals associated with the show’s creator Woody Allen, that revival was shelved and “Drowsy Chaperone” got the nod.