The comedy musical, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” will be performed next month at Center on the Square. The director of the production, Carla Fuller, has been involved with Center on the Square since 2007, and believes their cast is one of the most talented they have had due to how each cast member compliments the others on stage.
Fuller described “The Drowsy Chaperone” as a show within a show about a sad, lonely and agoraphobic man, “the man in the chair,” who listens to a soundtrack of his favorite musical and creates imaginary characters in his own apartment.
“The set of the show is in the man’s head, so the setting is his apartment, where we act out the entire show,” senior Ronnie Clements said.
Clements plays one of the lead characters, Robert. Searcy local, Ellen Jones, plays another lead character, the drowsy chaperone. Jones graduated from Harding in 1997 with a Bachelor of Arts in theater. She has performed in several productions with Center on the Square, having played the lead role of Nancy in “Oliver” and Mary in “The Women.” Jones described the show as a fun time and a great chance to support the local arts.
“I think anyone who comes will have a great night because of how funny and sweet (the story) is,” Clements said. “It will tug on your heart strings, but it’ll also make you laugh.”
Fuller said the soundtrack is more than just music, as it represents a role in the play as well.
“(The soundtrack’s) whole purpose is to lift (the man in the chair’s) mood, and in showing that (the audience’s) mood is lifted too,” Fuller said.
The show was selected in June and rehearsals have been underway for several weeks. The cast is currently working on the second act of the play, and in the upcoming weeks, they will begin rehearsals of the entire show until opening weekend.
“When people come to see the show, I don’t want them to see the work that was put into it,” Fuller said. “I want them to feel like it’s all happening naturally.”
Opening weekend for the show is Friday, Feb. 2, with continued performances every weekend until Sunday, Feb. 18. The Friday and Saturday shows will begin at 7:30 p.m., and the Sunday show will begin at 1:30 p.m. Ticket prices are $18 for general admission, $16.50 for students, and can be purchased on Center on the Square’s website, www.centeronthesquare.org.
