L Morgan Lee to direct THE DROWSY CHAPERONE concert for Carnegie Hall. Cox, Newell, Van Ness and more to star.

Monday 10/20 at 8pm.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Laverne-Cox-Jonathan-Van-Ness-and-More-to-Star-in-THE-DROWSY-CHAPERONE-Concert-20250714

This is so fun. About time this musical came back to New York too!

Amazing causes and all, but this lineup is comedy nightmare for this show and these parts. Drowsy deserves better. 

Not necessarily a good cast for a full production, but for a concert, I think this is a lot of fun. 

Yeah, I think I will opt to simply recall the joy of the original production.  Such perfect casting and such great comedic timing from all the major players.

A Stranger Here Myself said: "When I read that “Cox” was going to be in THE DROWSY CHAPERONR, I got excited thinking it would be Veanne Cox playing the titular character (ha). It wasn’t until later I realized it was an all trans production. I think the intention behind it is awesome and it’s for a good cause, but even for a concert, it feels ridiculously miscast."

Ehhh, careful with the sweeping generalizations. It's for a good cause, absolutely -- but don't assume it's "all trans". Alex Newell and Jonathan Van Ness might like a word. And Betty Who, too. 

Updated On: 7/16/25 at 04:32 AM

Updated On: 10/18/25 at 01:50 PM

Anyone else going tonight? I got the TDF ticket and they put me in the $270 parquet seat for $42. I feel like I hit the lottery

THDavis said: "quizking101 said: "Anyone else going tonight? I got the TDF ticket and they put me in the $270 parquet seat for $42. I feel like I hit the lottery"

Please report back!"

I know! I'm on pins and needles. I saw the bows on social media. I assume It's a matter of time before they start circulating.  

Looking forward to hearing Laverne's "As We Stumble Along." I know she can sing, but I'm interested to see what she did with it. 

Looks like they only had a 10-piece orchestra, which is a little surprising for a concert production in a massive venue like Carnegie Hall (the original had 15).

The sound mix is almost always bad for those one nighters at Carnegie Hall. I remember complaints galore out of Follies, Dolly, and Anyone Can Whistle from those sitting upstairs. The hall itself isn’t made for musical theatre or amplified sound, and sound mixers have to know a show about as well as a castmember.

Usually sounds good from the first half of the floor section because you can hear it live. 

Updated On: 10/21/25 at 08:47 AM

quizking101 said: "- CHRIS. RENFRO. Chris Renfro. Chris Renfro. By and large the breakout star of the evening as Aldopho. He came in guns blazing and ready to be both Latin lover and bumbling fool. Having only seen him in Oh, Mary, that man has a set of PIPES. Seriously, any production of this show needs to immediately start ringing his phone to get him on board. His chemistry with Laverne during his own song."

Chris Renfrow uses they/them pronouns.

But I had to jump to echo this sentiment. Whatever the ticket price, it was worth it for Renfro's performance. Truly stole the show out from under every single person onstage, Newell included. Sexy, hysterical, committed, with a gorgeous voice. They're an absolute star and the second they entered I was in stitches and it just kept building and building. Absolutely delightful.

The sound mix was pretty bad throughout in the second tier, but the cast was having a ball on that stage and while I don't think most of them would cut it in a full production, it worked exceptionally well for the purposes of the evening. Betty Who, Alex Newell, Dylan Mulvaney, and the 2 gangsters were really great fun. What Laverne Cox lacks in vocal prowess, she more than makes up for in presence and comedic timing.

Also have to say everyone looked gorgeous last night. Peppermint, Laverne, Dylan, Alex, etc. Beautiful group of people.

Overall, it was a really wonderful evening. Imperfectly performed, but wonderful to see a group of trans/nonbinary performers filling the stage of Carnegie Hall to deliver some queer joy at a time when the country and the world need it most.

Chiming in to add my praise to the event overall.  Yes, it was a little sloppy, and the sound mixing was terrible throughout, but everyone was having a great time, and I did, too.  And it is not lost on me how important it is to see a stage full of trans and nonbinary performers in a joyful piece of theatre right now.

My specific thoughts pretty much echo what's already been shared.  Chris Renfro was the superstar of the evening.  Alex Newell did what Alex Newell does to great effect.  Laverne Cox was a far better comedic performer than I expected.  Dylan Mulvaney was absolutely giving Ellen Greene.  Peppermint was a hoot.  I also want to shout out Gio Coppola and Futaba as the Gangsters, whose timing and chemistry was very impressive given how little time they had to rehearse.

If you want to support Breaking the Binary, check out their website (https://www.btb-nyc.com/)