Empty chairs at empty tables...not for long! Turns out, another Canadian will be sitting pretty as Man in Chair in THE DROWSY CHAPERONE on Broadway. Bob Martin stars in the West End production of THE DROWSY CHAPERONE in May, so Crombie will help fill the gap until John Glover (loved him in Scrooged!) takes over April 17.

Apparently, Jonathan's been part of THE DROWSY CHAPERONE from the get-go and I saw him in the Theatre Passe Muraille production as Gangster #2. And I am proud to say I am among the few who saw him in OUCH MY TOE at the Toronto Fringe Festival Kids Venue! And did you know he is the son of David "Tiny Perfect Mayor" Crombie? And I danced in David Crombie's tent during the 1983 Conservative Leadership Convention in Ottawa. (I was there working for George Perlin, my Poli-Sci prof.) I'm dizzy from all the connections...

From this article in Playbill.com:

Canadian actor Jonathan Crombie, who has history with the development of The Drowsy Chaperone, will take over the cushion of Man in Chair in the Broadway production March 20.

Crombie fills the choice seat as the Tony Award-winning musical's narrator/guide through April 15, in anticipation of John Glover taking over the role April 17.

Between March 13-18, understudies Jay Douglas and Patrick Wetzel will alternate as the salty charmer at the Marquis.

Original Man in Chair Bob Martin, who was Tony-nommed for his performance and who won the Best Book of a Musical Tony (with Don McKellar), left the show March 11 and will originate the role in the London production in May.

This will mark the Broadway debut of Crombie. His Canadian credits include Oxford Roof Climber's Rebellion, Dishwashers (Tarragon); This Could Be Love (Artword); Ouch My Toe (Fringe); Toronto's The Drowsy Chaperone (as Gangster #2 at the Toronto Fringe, Theatre Passe Muraille, Winter Garden, prior to the American producers coming aboard); Romeo & Juliet, Oedipus Rex, Hamlet, Comedy of Errors (Stratford Festival); Arcadia, Last Romantics, What the Butler Saw (CanStage); Godspell (New Vic); Wimsey Madders (Flatzbo), and TV's "Slings & Arrows" and the popular "Anne of Green Gables."

I've included the listing from the Fringe Review in 1999 in which the book is listed as being by "The Company". Perhaps this casting is a bit of a nod of thanks to contributions made by Crombie? Ah the intrigue...

THE DROWSY CHAPERONE
Featuring Janet Van De Graaff, Jonathan Crombie, Bob Martin, John Mitchell, Jack Mosshammer. Music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison. Book by the Company. Directed by Steven Morel. Costumes by Christopher Richards. July 9, 1:30pm; July 10, noon; July 11, 7:30pm. *****

A mess of the city's best theatrical performers sing, dance and yuk it up in this ridiculously funny homage to, and parody of, the musicals of the '20s. Constructed as visuals accompanying the playing of an old musical soundtrack, The Drowsy Chaperone makes reference to a wealth of material -- from the Ziegfeld Follies to the unfortuate fate of silent-screen star Marie Prevost. This near-flawless, ambitious production ups the ante for Fringe shows. -- JH

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