The Drowsy Chaperone

Should a CD be faulted for not being as great as the show as a whole? Occasionally, a show's score as presented on CD is much more interesting than said show on stage ("Company" immediately comes to my mind), but it is pretty self-evident that usually much of the theatrical magic is missing when a show is reduced to just the music of it. "Cats" is a fun listen but it is only when the felines are dancing that it becomes more. And when I listen to "The Drowsy Chaperone", I can't help but lament that I have never seen it on stage. So basically this CD makes me crave catching a production of the show - no mean feat, eh? The concept of "The Drowsy Chaperone" is wonderful - a depressed man listens to his favorite 1920s musical, and it comes to life in his living room. This is meta-love for musical theater equalled only by "[title of show]". Bob Martin, who also co-wrote the book, is marvelous as "Man in Chair", the sort-of narrator. Of course, Sutton Foster shines whenever she gets a number - both "Show off" and "Bride's Lament" are gems (even the latter is too post-Rodgers & Hammerstein to be believable for a 1920s musical), Danny Burstein is immensely funny as Aldolpho, and Beth Leavel rouses with all her might as the title character when she sings "As we Stumble along". The concept never gets tired (except for Man in Chair's repetitive "Remember" to make the audience think that the fictional actors are part of actual cultural history) - at some point, the narrator puts on the wrong record leading to an excerpt from an operetta with an Asian setting - and there are many more highlights here. So this is not the stage experience - but the CD is highly recommended anyway!