City Springs Theatre Company is opening its eighth season with Mel Brooks’ smash hit musical “The Producers,” which electrified Broadway in 2001, became an impossible ticket to score, and won a record 12 Tony Awards. This zany, outrageous, offensive (with good humor), hilarious show runs through Sept. 21.
I remember when New York Times’ theatre critic Ben Brantley – reviewing the original production starring Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick – wrote a review called “A Scam That’ll Knock ‘Em Dead.” Mr. Brantley was overwhelmed, and his review was almost as funny as the show. I’m grateful to tell you I saw that production; it was unforgettable.
But I have good news for you: Comparisons are odious and I’m not making any. However, City Springs is presenting a show with a cast, orchestra, and crew that is well-nigh flawless. You’ll see a production that Mel Brooks himself would applaud—vigorously.
Here’s a caveat from City Springs: “The Producers” contains adult language, adult situations, and includes mention and depictions of Adolf Hitler and Nazis. It is recommended for audiences 13+.
This show has music and lyrics by Mel Brooks, book by Brooks and Thomas Meehan, and is directed by James Gray, a Mel Brooks collaborator. The music director and conductor is Jesse Kissel, scenic design by Eric Luchen, associate choreographer, Naomi Kakuk, costume design, William Ivey Long.
You probably know that “The Producers” is a great screen comedy, but the indomitable Mr. Brooks (he’s a healthy 99) decided to make it a musical. “I grew up with all the great shows, and that’s what you’re going to get here—an old-fashioned, traditional musical comedy.”
The show begins with the opening (and closing) night performance of “Funny Boy,” producer Max Bialystock’s (Adam B. Shapiro) musical adaptation of “Hamlet.” It ends with a demoralized Bialystock standing in a trash barrel in Shubert Alley, lamenting the show business heights from which he has fallen “The King of Broadway.”
Max soon teams up with a mild-mannered accountant named Leo Bloom (Tyler Pirrung). Leo (“I Wanna Be a Producer”) casually mentions to Max that if they were to produce a play that is guaranteed to fail, selling more than 1,000 percent in investments, they could then abscond with the backers’ money.
Their choice of the worst possible play? A paean to the Third Reich by Franz Liebkind (Blake Fountain), a pigeon-keeping Nazi, called “Springtime for Hitler.” And the worst of all possible directors? A theatre queen par excellence named Roger De Bris (Jeff McKerley). But what would happen if this grotesque “work of art,” against all odds, were to succeed, aided by Max and Leo’s glamorous new Swedish assistant Ulla (Celine Sullivan).
Believe it or not, things are just starting to cook. That’s all the plot you get. As mentioned, “The Producers” has an outstanding cast, including Frankie Marasa, Leigh Ellen Jones, Tim Davis, Danny Iktomi Bevins, Sarah Gold, Grace Arnold Hogan, Katrina Loncaric, and more.
We should mention that Max and Leo, despite all their wackiness and hilarity, form a deep and true friendship, something neither of them has had before. Mr. Brooks has thought of everything.
As for you, dear audience, don’t deprive yourself of this landmark comedic musical colossus. City Springs seems unstoppable.
Get tickets here.