Back To School Night.........At Bay Ridge Prep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             When David told me he wanted to see "The Drowsy Chaperone," at Bay Ridge Prep, I heaved a sigh.  Don't get me wrong, darlings; I saw the original production, back in 2006--oh, my God, has it really been twelve years?--and while the show is cute as all get out, I did not relish seeing it done by a high school cast!!!!!!  And, after my horrors during those years, sitting within the confines of a high school auditorium--which turned out also to be a gym!!!!!!!!--made my skin crawl.

                              But, like the song says, "the things we do for love."  I am so glad I did.

                              I don't know where David stuffed the program, so I cannot single out many people, as I don't know the names, but I will do what I can.

                              This school mounted an excellent production of the show.  It speaks well of the Music and Theater departments, because the entire cast was so versed in the history, culture, and aesthetic tastes of musical theater, I am convinced some serious studying must be done.

                               The credit here must go to the director, Cait Hynes, Musical Director Dr. Aaron Patterson, and the choreography by Mrs. Margaret Capotoro, and Dr. Noreen Stewart.  These two were especially adept at staging period dances, and adjusting them to the various levels of the students.  By the way, the students are superb.  Two of them, particularly, the young man who played George, and the actress who played the Sutton Foster originated role of Janet Van De Graaff, should head for theater programs.  Their singing and dancing skills were standouts, and they made "Show-Off" and "Cold Feet" true show stoppers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               Credit must go to the full orchestra, who played the score to perfection, and and the production design team, who not only honored the period of both the show and the Man In The Chair's apartment, but incorporated a wonderful walk around the stage, and out into the audience, recalling the one now on display on Broadway at the Shubert, in "Hello, Dolly!!!!!!!!!"  And it was used well!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               Seeing Bay Ridge Prep's "The Drowsy Chaperone" made me not only remember how good a show it actually is, but gave me some new insights into the Man In The Chair, superbly played by Griffin Wolf.

                            Here he is.  Now, the way I recalled this role is that this character was representative of all Theater Queens, like us, out in the audience.  At first, with his unusual look, I thought Mr. Wolf was an adult.  But no, he is a student, but quite touching, on an adult level.  The loneliness he projects and his love of theater goes beyond Queenship, and into darker channels, like Lucretia Collins in Tennessee Williams' "Portrait Of A Madonna."  It had always been my understanding that this character was meant to be gay.  But, no; at  one point, the character mentions having been married, and when some of us expressed surprised, queried, "You just assumed.....?"

                            Of course I did.  I mean, I am a gay Theater Queen, and so are my contemporaries.  So, now I had something to wrap my head around--is the guy a big closet case?  No, because if he were, he would ashamed of his unabashed love for musical theater.  Hell, my father liked musicals, and he was not gay; he was A-1 Catholic!!!!!!!!!!!!!   I was no Bernadette, that is for sure.  More like Bernadette Peters!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                              I had completely forgotten the character was straight, believing what I wanted to believe.  But, hey, straight people can act, and can do musical theater!  I have worked with many!

                              So many people have told me, Mr. Wolf's role would be perfect for me.  Now, I concede that, especially as the character gets to live out his fantasy, and sing with the cast, near the end!!!!!!!!

                             Who would have expected dramatic insight from what is, essentially, a fun musical????????  A lot of work went into this, and I salute those involved!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                              And, yes, I wanted to get right up there, and join them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!