Summary
Producer [Chris Lightcap] and director Dan Tursi made important decisions up front for this blowout show of the season. Following [Mel Brooks]' dictum, "If you've got it, flaunt it," when the Little Old Ladies' chorus comes out for their big number, 'Along Came Bialy," they're leaning on four-legged aluminum walkers. In the courtroom scene the stenographer types on a genuine recorder. And note Jeanette Reyner's costumes for the showstopping "Springtime for Hitler." The mannequin's heads sport those celebrations of Germanic culture: the beer stein, the pretzel and the sausage.
Director Tursi cast himself as the selfobsessed director Roger DeBris whom [Max] and Leo hire to destroy what they hope will be the flop musical Springtime for Hitler. With him is Tursi's longtime colleague from the Rarely Done company, Jimmy Wachter, as DeBris' servant and sidekick Carman Ghia. In the past 10 years the American theater has not come up with two more overthe-top roles, including the deranged family members of Tracey Letts' August Osage County. Wachter's Carman is more physical, with the exaggerated flourishes of a male Isadora Duncan. His hands get laughs. Darkbrowed and thundering, Tursi's DeBris has some of the most bizarre lines in the show. He says of Leo's personal fragrance, "I'd love to bottle you up and shove you into my armpits every morning."Choreographer Michael Groesbeck delivers managed chaos when DeBris takes over the lead in "Springtime" and surprises with numbers neglected in other productions, like "Prisoners of Love" in the second act. Nadine Cole's musical direction makes Brooks' score sound like music of a better composer. Cindy Shippers' lighting and Tony Vadala 's sound design enhance Stephen Beebe's light-footed set. And director Tursi plucks laughs from at least a dozen supporting players in multiple roles, starting with Dorothy Lennon as an obtrusive bag lady, Peter Irwin and Stephond Brunson.See the full content of this document
Extract
Mel Adroit
Mel Adroit
Nutty Nazis and vaudeville vamping highlight the Talent Company's take on Mel Brooks' The ProducersWhile authences were distracted by momentous events in the news, few seem to have noticed the shrinkage of one of our most venerable institutions. The community-based stage musical, which has always dominated contention at the Syracuse Ar...See the full content of this document
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