Tony award-winning The Producers doesn't disappoint CCT audience Reviewed by Joe Blenkle/Sacramento Stage & Theatre
Bob Amaral as Max Bialystock and the cast of THE PRODUCERS in an opening number from the Mel Brooks musical that plays at Sacramento's Community Center Theater through July 4, 2004. Photo by Paul Kolnik
Spawned from a 1968 movie of the same name, the Tony award-winning musical THE PRODUCERS opened June 9 for an extended run at Sacramento's Community Center Theater.
Based on the Mel Brooks comedy that starred Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder, THE PRODUCERS brings Brooks' special brand of zaniness to the stage - and once you see it, you'll have to agree that this is one of the funniest shows ever to grace Sacramento musical theatre.
On Broadway, THE PRODUCERS won 12 Tony awards including Best Musical, Best Score (Mel Brooks), Best Actor (Nathan Lane) and Best Featured Actor (Sacramento Music Circus favorite Gary Beach), to name only a few.
Bob Amaral takes over Nathan Lane's role for the national tour, playing down-in-the-luck Broadway producer Max Bialystock. The once high-flying producer can now only produce flops - with his Broadway productions opening and closing on the same night.
When Leo Bloom (Andy Taylor), an accountant, stops by Max's office to do his books he discovers a mistake and is asked to "hide" it by Max. Leo then comments to Max how easy it would be to make a bundle of money if you produced a quickly closing flop - collecting money from investors and then never actually spending it on the show.
Max takes this idea to heart and enlists Leo's help in finding the worst musical ever to produce. What they come up with is a disaster called "Springtime For Hitler." But to Max and Leo's horror, the musical turns into a runaway hit and the duo's get-rich-quick scheme takes a fall.
THE PRODUCERS is hilarious throughout, but some people may be offended at its content with some foul language, gay gags, Nazi symbolism and other off color humor. In fact, Brooks was quoted in one interview as saying he loves the guy (Hitler) - loves zinging him every chance he gets - but it's all done in fun - and works - the show will have you laughing at every turn.
The songs in the show are equally humorous - you'll never be able to get "Sprintime For Hitler" out of your mind, as well as the memorable "Keep It Gay," and "I Wanna Be A Producer." For samples of some of the songs and more information on the show you can visit the tour's official web site at www.producersontour.com.
Other notables in the cast are Ida Leigh Curtis as Ulla, Stuart Marland as Roger De Bris and Bill Nolte as Franz Liebkind.
There's still lots of time to catch this outstanding musical as it runs through July 4 - but don't wait too long as you may find yourself wanting to see it again (yes, it's that good!).
Brooks is also reportedly working on turning one of his other films - YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN - into a musical, but only if it turns out equal in quality or better than THE PRODUCERS. A new movie version is also due out in 2005 starring Nathan Lane reprising his Broadway role, along with Broadway co-star Matthew Broderick as Leo and Gary Beach as Roger De Bris. Nicole Kidman takes on the Swedish sex-bomb role of Ulla.
THE PRODUCERS plays at the Sacramento Community Center Theater through July 4, 2004. Tickets are priced at $15-$69. For ticket information, call the Sacramento Community Center Theater box office (916) 264-5181; Wells Fargo Pavilion box office (916) 557-1999; Tickets.com (916) 766-2277; or sacBroadwaySeries.com.
For more information on THE PRODUCERS and other California Musical Theater productions, visit the California Musical Theatre web site at: CaliforniaMusicalTheatre.com.
