CAST LIST FOR The Drowsy Chaperone, Spring 2018
When wealthy widow Mrs. Tottenham hosts the wedding of the year, she gets a lot more than a write-up in the society pages: Janet Van de Graaff, glittering starlet of Feldzieg's Follies, is leaving the stage for love, a turn of events which horrifies the angry and anxious Mr. Feldzieg, whose chief investor has sent two gangsters disguised as pastry chefs to make sure he stops the wedding. Hiring Aldolpho, a Latin lover more vain than virile, to seduce the bride, is unsuccessful, as Janet's chaperone, a drunken diva, gets herself mistaken for the bride and seduced in Janet's place. It is left to the eager best man, George, to quite by accident break up the happy pair, when he sends groom Robert Martin out to the garden, blindfolded, and in roller skates. Such are the antics of The Drowsy Chaperone, a fictitious 1928 musical comedy. This magical piece of meta-theatre and playful, heartfelt parody of the 1920s musical comedy features a chirpy jazz age score by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, and a lively, clever book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar, both of which were Tony winners in 2006. The score boasts such tunes as the scenery-chomping "Show Off", the sizzling and silly "I Am Aldolpho", the double-entendre laden "Toledo Surprise", and "As We Stumble Along", that rousing anthem to optimistic alcoholism.

Actors
- Man in Chair - Kevin Walters
- Mrs. Tottendale - Sheila Gaarder
- Underling - Alan Mennig
- Robert Martin - Ross Druker
- George - Michael Stadnicki
- Feldzieg - Robert Moore
- Kitty - Kat Carr
- Aldolpho - Jay Anstee
- Janet Van De Graff - Andrea Kalan
- The Drowsy Chaperone - Trudy Graboyes
- Trix - Tess Cherlin
- Gangster #1 - Dave Zaffarano
- Gangster #2 - Julie Zaffarano
- Superintendent - Bruce Conley
- Staff
Production Staff
- Stage Director - Larry Jansen
- Music Director - Justin Adams
- Choreographer - Kimberly Brennan
- Producer - Bill Michael
- Assistant Producer - Mary Beth Dostillio
- Stage Managers - Jocelyn Kurtz, Meghan Geary
- Set Design - Ken Clark
- Lighting Design - Kathy Michael
- Sound Design - Joe Ward, Richie Michael
- Sound Assistant - Bill Michael
- Costumes - Judy McDermott
- Props - Cathy Wakefield
Bios
Justin Adams (Music Director) is thrilled to conduct The Drowsy Chaperone with Rose Valley Chorus and Orchestra. Justin resides in Philadelphia but hails from the great state of Maine where he studied music at the University of Southern Maine. Most of Justin’s work has been focused on musical theatre, but was extremely pleased to conduct his first Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, The Mikado in our fall production. Some of his favorite credits include The Little Mermaid, Mary Poppins, The Drowsy Chaperone, etc. A huge thank you to the entire production team, actors, and orchestra! He would also like to give a big thank you to Joshua and his extremely supportive roommates Caleb and Shannon. He hopes you enjoy the show! Back to top
Jay Anstee (Aldolpho) has previously sung lead roles in Thespis, Kiss Me Kate, Kismet, Orpheus in the Underworld, The Mikado, The Gondoliers and The Merry Widow for RVCO. His studies at the Academy of Vocal Arts of Philadelphia and SUNY at Buffalo are where he received his operatic training. He has performed in opera with the Delaware Valley Opera Company, Opera Delaware, Opera Philadelphia, the Mississippi Opera and the Santa Fe Opera Company. He has great love for Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. He has performed these with Savoy, Arden Singers, the Gilbert and Sullivan society of Chester County in addition to his performances with RVCO. Jay lives in Havertown with his wife Rita and works as a home care physical therapist for Mercy Home Health. Back to top
Kat Carr (Kitty) Prior to Kat's first appearance with RVCO in The Mikado last fall, she most recently performed with the Williamsburg Players in Virginia as Brooke in Noises Off!, Katharina in The Taming of the Shrew, and Lillian in I Hate Hamlet on Christopher Newport University's mainstage. Outside of the theater, Kat can be found poking holes in fabric and occasionally her fingers, performing miracles of kitchen chemistry that sometimes turn into cake, or inventing new colorful metaphors while renovating her house. Kat would like to thank her incredible husband Pete for encouraging her to return to her first love: performing on stage. Back to top
Tess Cherlin (Trix) is very happy to be returning to RVCO for The Drowsy Chaperone! She played Winnie in Annie Get Your Gun and Fleta in Iolanthe. Tess is a Genetics, Genomics, and Cancer Biology graduate student at Thomas Jefferson University. Aside from theater and science, Tess loves taking long walks, watching detective shows, and going to the movies. Enjoy the show! Back to top
Ken Clark (Set Designer, Construction Chair, RVCO Board) started with RVCO in 1998 with the costume committee by "helping out" (grunt work). Advanced to stage crew and set building, which he has chaired for several shows. More recently he has done the set design for a number of shows while still working on the set building. Back to top
Ross Druker (Robert Martin) is very happy to return to RVCO for his first spring production with them. He last performed with RVCO in three Gilbert and Sullivan shows as Captain Corcoran in H.M.S. Pinafore, Richard in Ruddigore, and Nanki-Poo in The Mikado. He has also performed numerous Gilbert and Sullivan lead roles with the Savoy Company at the Academy of Music, the Suzanne Roberts Theater, and Longwood Gardens; and with the Bucks County Gilbert and Sullivan Society. In August 2016 he went with Savoy to the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival in Harrogate, England, playing Major-General Stanley in The Pirates of Penzance, where he won Best Male Character Actor. Recent dramatic performances include Charles in Incorruptible and the tenor in Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill A Musical Voyage at Playcrafters of Skippack, and Reginald Paget in Quartet at ActorsNet of Bucks County. Ross sings professionally with the West Jersey Chamber Music Society. He studies voice with Diana Borgia-Petro. Back to top
Mary Beth Dostillio (Staff - Millie, Assistant Producer, Assistant Set Designer) This marks 25 years that I have been singing and dancing with RVCO. In that time I have served on the board as president, treasurer and business manager. You'll also find me working on stage crew and painting sets. When not on stage, I'm a home stager. This is one of the best casts I've ever worked with. Thank you all for such a great time. And special thanks to Larry and Justin ... as we stumbled along. Back to top
Sheila Gaarder (Mrs. Tottendale) is delighted to be making her RVCO debut in The Drowsy Chaperone. Recent shows include Beehive the 60s Musical (SALT theater, Chester Springs) and Jesus Christ Superstar (BarleySheaf Players, Exton). Sheila works as a HR training specialist for a global Consulting company and loves spending time with her husband Jon and sons Ryan and Colin. Back to top
Trudy Graboyes (The Drowsy Chaperone) is excited to return to RVCO after playing Dolly in Annie Get Your Gun last season. Recent roles: Mrs. Rose Brice in Funny Girl at BTOP and Mrs. S. Strakosh in Funny Girl at Candlelight Dinner Theater. Nominated for both Broadway.com and Perry awards for Fraulein Schneider in Cabaret, the musical. Received Subscribers Choice award for Yente in Fiddler on the Roof at The Ritz Theater. Have performed in the tri- state area at various theaters including Walnut St. Arden, Hedgerow, Kelsey, and Media Theaters. At Media Theater was cast as Mrs. Greer and understudied comedienne, Wanda Sykes' Ms. Hannigan. Also performed in Tony and Tina's Wedding (6 years) as Mrs. Vitale, in NY Dinner Theaters, The Sopranos as Janless, and at Don't Tell Mommas Cabaret, NYC in an original cabaret. Some favorite roles: Aldonza (Man of La Mancha), Rose (Gypsy), Vera (Mame), Golde (Fiddler on the Roof). Equity Membership Candidate. (zgray92.wixsite.com/TrudyGraboyes) Back to top
Meghan Geary (Stage Manager) has returned for their second production with RVCO as stage manager for The Drowsy Chaperone. They stage managed with Rose Valley Chorus and Orchestra in the fall 2017 production of The Mikado and Steel River Playhouse's Spring 2018 production of Boy. When not in the theater they write and illustrate comics, enjoy video games and work as a computer helpdesk technician. Back to top
Meg Hazel (Staff) is a transplant from the south and is thrilled to be in her first performance with RVCO. Most recently, she was “Angry Vagina” in The Vagina Monologues in Columbia, SC. Thanks to Drowsy, she has now been hooked on musicals and hopes to keep active in RVCO. She would like to thank her wife, Jenn, for encouraging and supporting her! “You're my favorite!” Back to top
Andrea Kalan (Janet Van De Graff) is thrilled to be back at Rose Valley, last seen as Lois Lane in Kiss Me Kate. She is no newcomer to the stage, having started performing at the age of nine as a munchkin in the The Wizard of Oz. Her repertoire has grown since then even though she has not! She has appeared all over the Delaware Valley, including the Spirit of Philadelphia, New Voices Cabaret, Valley Forge Children's Theatre, Players Club of Swarthmore, SALT Performing Arts Center, The Barnstormers, Footlighters Theater, The Stagecrafters, & the Dramateurs. Some favorite roles include Rosie (Bye, Bye, Birdie), Diana Morales (A Chorus Line), Ado Annie (Oklahoma!), Illona (She Loves Me), & Maria (Lend Me A Tenor). When not on stage, she can be found in her personal training studio, trying to share her love of fitness and health with others. She would like to send a special thank you to her husband, Andrew, for his undying support. "Thank you for always helping me make the right decisions! I love you!" Back to top
Jocelyn Kurtze (Stage Manager) is excited to be managing her second RVCO show. She has worked on the stage crew at RVCO extensively in the past, and was delighted to kick off her career of stage managing with The Mikado this past fall. In the downtime between shows at RVCO, she worked as the stage manager on two shows at Spotlight Theater, Inspecting Carol and Promises, Promises. She would like to thank the entire cast and crew of The Drowsy Chaperone for making this experience fun and rewarding. Back to top
Alan Mennig (Underling). This is Alan's first appearance with RVCO but not his first in community theater. Favorite roles have been J C Squires (tenor in the barbershop quartet) in The Music Man, Benjamin Cohen in The Underpants and Dr. Einstein in Arsenic and Old Lace. Some may recognize him from his many roles from his 20+ years of barbershop chorus and quartet singing and acting. Back to top
Bill Michael (Producer, Web Master) is enjoying producing yet another fabulous show with RVCO. Recently he played some bit parts in Spotlight Theatre's production of Promises, Promises. He has been involved with musical theater for 25 years with RVCO, he has done many additional offstage roles like vice president, producer, set designer, construction chair, and stage manager as well as being on stage. RVCO is a family affair for me. I met my wife, the lighting designer, through RVCO and my children have been onstage, in the pit as well as backstage. Back to top
Kathy Michael (Lighting Designer) After briefing traipsing in the boards for Inspecting Carol with Spotlight Theatre, Kathy is returning to the tech booth as Lighting Designer for RVCO's The Drowsy Chaperone. She has worked lighting for more years than she cares to admit, but is enjoying working with her husband the producer and her son the Sound guy. Back to top
Robert Moore (Feldzieg, Make-Up and Hair Design, Exec. Board) is a proud RVCO life member, Board Member, Chair of the Show Selection Committee, and Stage Director for many years. He holds an MA in Theatre from Villanova University and has credits in both acting and directing in professional theatre and film. He directed last Fall's The Mikado and has a long list of other shows he has directed. He has also created many principal roles for RVCO shows since 1974 and among his favorites are Mordred (Camelot), Jigger (Carousel), Will Parker (Oklahoma!), Shadbolt (The Yeomen of the Guard), and Sergeant of Police (The Pirates of Penzance). He dedicates this performance to the memory of his parents Alan and Dorothy. Enjoy the show!! Back to top
Diane Runkel (Staff) is excited to be part of the cast for this musical. She loves the challenge of learning new music and dance steps and treasures the friends she has made over the past eleven years. She is a semi-retired nurse and became a recent grandmother. Thanks to her husband, Bill, who supports her in this hobby. Back to top
Sally Sapega (Staff) loves being part of RVCO. The fun of being onstage, the amazing costumes, and the wonderful friendships keep her coming back year after year. When not in performance mode, Sally is director of Internal Publications for Penn Medicine and an avid supporter of animal rescue. Back to top
Kevin Walters (Man in Chair) is very excited to make his debut with RVCO as Man-in-Chair, his favorite role in theater. In fact, this is the only role Kevin has ever known ... though, perhaps, in another universe, he may have played Charlie Baker in The Foreigner, Father Flynn in Doubt, Otto Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank, Vanya in Vanya, Sonia, Masha, Spike, and a few other roles. Kevin thanks Larry profusely for casting him and his family for putting up with all his nonsense! Back to top
Dave Zaffarano (Gangster #1) has performed with RVCO since 2006. Some favorites are Ewert Dunlop in The Music Man, Andrew Carnes in Oklahoma! and Ezra in Plain and Fancy. Having a blast teaming up with his wife Julie. He sings in church as a cantor and also with the St. James Alumni Choir. Thanks to Larry, Kim and Justin for their hard work, patience and dedication. Back to top
Julie Zaffarano (Gangster#2, Fundraising, Road Shows) has enjoyed performing with the devastatingly handsome Gangster Dave and the RVCO family since 2006. Her true love of theatre includes playwriting. Most recent productions: The Play Makers in South Carolina (Best New Work); Destiny is a Careless Waiter in Pittsburgh (Best Production); and Outside In and Turkey Baby in Philly. Kentucky Lemonade was named semifinalist in the Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference. (www.juliezaffarano.com) Back to top