Canadian export The Drowsy Chaperone makes its move to London's West End this spring with a premiere set for June 6.

The musical comedy developed in Toronto has already won five Tony Awards on Broadway and opens at the Novello Theatre in London with a run expected to last at least until February 2008.

Bob Martin in The Drowsy Chaperone on Broadway last May. The show opens in London's West End on June 6.
(Tina Fineberg/Associated Press)

Bob Martin is to reprise his role as Man in Chair, the character who introduces us to his favourite musical, The Drowsy Chaperone, while scenes from the show take place in the background.

The parody of 1920s romantic musicals has music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison and a book by Don McKellar and Bob Martin.

The U.K. show will also star West End diva Elaine Paige, who returns to the musical stage after an absence of six years.

Paige is known for her roles in musicals such as Evita, Cats and Chess, and has recorded 16 solo albums.

"I saw The Drowsy Chaperone on Broadway and loved it, and now I'm very excited about returning to the West End in this wonderfully funny, original new musical," Paige said.

Casey Nicholaw, who did choreography for Spamalot, will direct and choreograph The Drowsy Chaperone, and the lead producer is Kevin McCollum, whose London theatre credits include Avenue Q and Rent.

A limited edition vinyl record of music from The Drowsy Chaperone will be issued Feb. 14 by Ghostlight Records, the company that produced the original Broadway cast recording.

The album has been recorded as if it were the album Man in Chair loves so well.

"It's not the original Broadway cast album," said Kurt Deutsch, president of Sh-K-Boom/Ghostlight Records. "This is a version that the Man in Chair listens to — what he fell in love with, featuring the characters in the musical."

The Drowsy Chaperone started life in 1998 as a sketch for a stag in Toronto, became a hit at Toronto's Fringe Festival, had success in Los Angeles and then went on to Broadway.