THE DROWSY CHAPERONE in Concert
🚨 (TOLEDO) SURPRISE! 🚨
We are opening our fourth annual Breaking the Binary Theatre Festival at Carnegie Hall!
THE DROWSY CHAPERONE in Concert
Music & Lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison
Book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar
Monday, October 20, 2025 at 8pm
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall
A Benefit for Breaking the Binary Theatre, Trans Lifeline, and Black Trans Liberation
Directed by Tony Award Nominee L Morgan Lee
Featuring an all-TNB2S+ cast led by:
Laverne Cox as The Drowsy Chaperone
Joslyn DeFreece as Underling
Alex Newell as Janet Van de Graaf
Peppermint as Mrs. Tottendale
Jonathan Van Ness as Man in Chair
Betty Who as Robert Martin
General Manager: Evan Bernardin Productions
Press: DKC/O&M
Key Art Graphic Design: Marc Ella Roy
THE DROWSY CHAPERONE is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com. Original Broadway production of THE DROWSY CHAPERONE produced by Kevin McCollum, Roy Miller, Bob Boyett, Stephanie McClelland, Barbara Freitag and Jill Furman.
Laverne Cox
The Drowsy Chaperone
Laverne Cox is a four-time Emmy-nominated actress, Emmy winning producer and a prominent equal rights advocate and public speaker. Laverne's groundbreaking role of Sophia Burset in the critically acclaimed Netflix original series "Orange is The New Black" brought her to the attention of audiences all over the world. This role led to Laverne becoming the first openly transgender actress to be nominated for a Primetime acting Emmy.
Laverne continues to grace both the big and small screens with diverse and groundbreaking roles. She stars in the Amazon Prime Video comedy series “Clean Slate,” a Laverne Cox Production in collaboration with Norman Lear's Act III Productions and Sony Studios. Other credits include the Netflix film “Uglies,” the Emmy nominated Shonda Rhimes’ limited series 'Inventing Anna,” the critically acclaimed film “Promising Young Woman,” and Justin Simien’s film “Bad Hair.” Laverne served as host of “Live From E!” for three years and hosted “The Laverne Cox Show,” a podcast for Shondaland Audio and iHeart Radio. Laverne won an Emmy for her works as executive producer of the eye-opening documentary “Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word” and has also produced other documentaries including "Disclosure,” “Free CeCe" and "Heightened Scrutiny".
Joslyn DeFreece
Underling
Joslyn DeFreece is a NYC based writer, producer, actor, and activist. This year marks her third BTB Festival! She also traveled with the BTB family to the Williamstown Theatre Festival in 2023 to workshop a BTB original production, TWITCH, by Lilliana Padilla. Joslyn starred in a production of The Enclave at Rattlestick Theater and has appeared on The Daily Show, Comedy Central, CNN, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and Family Feud. Her work can currently be seen in the comedy series Marque and Hector on Amazon Prime/Dekkoo, and on the show Strange Angel, where she plays a German trans woman who escaped the Nazis, streaming on Paramount+. Joslyn is also the subject of a new documentary, Pieces of Me, she created in collaboration with PFLAG National, currently streaming on Youtube.
Alex Newell
Janet Van de Graaf
Alex Newell made history with their Tony Award win for the hit musical SHUCKED, which has received glowing reviews and praise with Alex's performance of the song "Independently Owned" being called a showstopper. Their performances have also granted them the Drama Desk Award and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Musical. Prior to this, Alex starred as the God 'Asaka' (female role) in the Broadway revival of ONCE ON THIS ISLAND. This show granted Alex a Grammy nomination for Best Musical Theater Album, and the show was nominated for nine Tony Awards in 2018, won Best Revival and featured Alex's song which they performed live at the Tonys.
Alex has been named in 2023’s Variety New Power of New York List and featured in the 2023 TIME 100 Next list. The TIME's annual list consists of 100 individuals who are shaping the future of their fields and defining the next generation of leadership. Alex's piece was written by Academy Award winning actress Mary Steenburgen, and they were honored at their gala in October as well. Alex was additionally named the 2023 Breakthrough of the Year by TIME Magazine, a brand-new exciting position which is part of the annual Person of the Year. Alex can now be seen in Amazon film SIMPLE FAVOR 2 for Paul Feig.
Peppermint
Mrs. Tottendale
Peppermint rose to fame as the first out trans contestant on RuPaul's Drag Race Season 9, finishing as runner-up. She then made history as the first trans woman to originate a principal role on Broadway in Head Over Heels.
Her recent projects include roles in Netflix's Survival of the Thickest, Hulu's Fire Island, and various TV series. She has hosted and presented at the GLAAD Media Awards and co-hosts the Black Queer Town Hall podcast.
Peppermint is also an activist, serving as the ACLU's first Artist Ambassador for Trans Justice and raising funds for LGBTQ+ organizations. She has been recognized for her work with award nominations and honors, including a GLAAD Media Award nomination, a "Queeroes" award, and a spot on Out magazine's "OUT100" list.
Jonathan Van Ness
Man in Chair
Jonathan Van Ness is an Emmy-winning television personality, 4x New York Times bestselling author, podcaster, comedian, celebrity hairstylist, and founder of JVN Hair. They star on Netflix’s Emmy Award–winning reboot series Queer Eye, where they shine as the hair guru and self-care advocate; and they host the popular podcast Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness.
Betty Who
Robert Martin
Betty Who is a classically trained singer, dancer, and multi-instrumentalist whose soaring pop anthems and vibrant energy have made her a global fan favorite. From her viral breakout Somebody Loves You to her hit album BIG and recent singles Run! and Sweat, Betty blends powerful vocals with euphoric, genre-bending sound. Fresh off her Out of the Darkness Tour, which lit up the 2025 Pride season with a World Pride stop covered by The Washington Post, Them, and Billboard, she continues to bring authenticity to everything she does—from hosting Amazon’s The One That Got Away to her Broadway debut as Persephone in Hadestown. With bold new music and creative chapters ahead, Betty Who is entering her most electric era yet.
L Morgan Lee
Director
L Morgan Lee is an award-winning actress and rising director and writer. She received Tony Award®, Drama League, and Lortel nominations, as well as an Obie Award for her performance in A Strange Loop (Broadway, Playwrights Horizons, DC). She continues to break new ground both on stage and behind the scenes.
As a dedicated theatre-maker and educator, L Morgan brings a distinct and rare perspective to storytelling, often centering identity and the complexities of human experiences through a lens not often seen. Her writing has been featured in Playwrights Horizons’ Almanac (Vol. 03), When the Lights Are Bright Again, and Musical Theatre Today (Vol. 2). Her short play The Learning Curve was featured in the BTB Theatre Festival at The Public Theater and is published by Broadway Licensing.
A Mark O’Donnell Prize and 2024 HRC Visibility Award recipient, L Morgan serves on the Advisory Board of the Breaking the Binary Theatre Company and is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Musical Theatre department at Pace University. She leads with vision, care, and a deep commitment to building bridges towards a more inclusive theatrical future. More at lmorganlee.com