The Drowsy Chaperone is a Hit!
Roy Miller who got invited to see the show by Mirvish productions' Associate Producer, Linda Intaschi, saw that the production had great potential and acquired the rights for the show.
After 32 previews of The Drowsy Chaperone as a Broadway production, under the choreography and direction of Casey Nicholaw, opened at the Marquis Theater on May 1, 2006. The show closed after 674 performances on December 30, 2007.
The original Broadway cast of The Drowsey Chaperone comprised Bob Martin, Georgia Engel, Sutton Foster, Edward Hibbert, Jason Kravitz, Garth Kravitz, Beth Leavel, Danny Burstein, Jennifer Smith, Eddie Korbich, Lenny Wolpe, Troy Britton Johnson and Linda Griffin, as well as Kecia Lewis-Evans, Joey Sorge, Angela Pupello, and Patrick Wetzel.
There were also productions of The Drowsy Chaperon in West End, London that lasted for about two months. The production in London was handled by the same team in Broadway. The production closed after a hundred of shows, the previews in the West End started on May 14, 2007 and the first night was held on June 6, the show eventually closed on August 4, 2007.
On September 19, 2007, The Drowsy Chaperone began its national tour at the Elgin Theater in Toronto. The original cast members of Broadway are among the performers of the tour, Bob Martin with his original role as Man in Chair and Georgia Engel as Mrs. Tottendale. The role of The Drowsy Chaperone is played by Nancy Opel, it is said that the role of Bob Martin will stop in Toronto and will be taken from him by Jonathan Crombie; however, Georgia Engel's role has an extended engagement.
The musical garnered 13 nominations from Tony Awards and won five of them including Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, Best Featured Actress in a Musical, Best Scenic Design of a Musical and Best Costume Design of a Musical. The Drowsy Chaperon also won 7 Drama Desk Awards and 4 Outer Critics Circle Awards.