THE PRODUCERS by Carol Kaufman Segal

            

The Producers was a film written by Mel Brooks in 1967.  The Broadway musical version of The Producers was adapted from the film by Brooks and Thomas Meehan with music and lyrics by Mel Brooks and arranged by Glen Kelly and Doug Besterman.

            

This exceptionally humorous production recently opened in the Celebration Theatre at the Lex Theatre in Hollywood and proved to be a tremendous hit.  Though I was dubious about such a small theatre putting on such an extravagant musical, I quickly discovered that the entire team, under the judicious direction, by Michael Matthews, was top-notch. I was in total awe throughout the entire presentation.

Max Bialystock (Richardson Jones) was once a successful Broadway Producer who has been down on his luck for quite some time.  His livelihood, these days, depends on little old ladies who he sweet-talks into investing in his losing productions.  One day Leo Bloom (Christopher Ewell Valentin), an accountant, surprises him by showing up at his office to check his books regarding his latest disaster.  When a problem of $2,000 missing in Bialystock’s books is discovered, these two characters devise a plan to not only get rid of the problem, but one that will put a fortune in their pockets.

           

Here’s the plan!  Easy enough for Bialystock, a shady, immoral character who feels no shame for reaping more money from unwary little old ladies, who he will, once again, ask to invest in his next production.  He will go for a big investment, look for a sure-to flop-play, and when it closes, he and his partner will run off with millions of dollars!  Jones and Valentin are hilarious as these two finaglers.

            

A beautiful, sexy young lady, unexpectedly, enters their lives when she walks into their office seeking an audition, but since they don’t even have a script yet, they hire Ulla (Mary Ann Welshans) as their secretary and receptionist.    Now it’s time to choose a script, and they could not have found anything more preposterous than Springtime for Hitler by Franz Libkind (John Colella), a man from Bavaria who is dedicated to the Fuehrer!’     

            

Their next project is to hire a director and choreographer and none could fit the role better for this production than Roger De Bris, (Michael A Shepperd), a real prima donna known to be the worst director in the industry.  His assistant, Carmen Gia (Andrew Diego), meets them at De Bris’ door.  Both men are attired in outrageous feminine gear and are hysterically funny.   Once De Bris accepts the offer to join the two men and also take on the starring role, they all celebrate and the real fun begins. The music, the singing, the choreography, the dancing, the humor, and the entire cast, throughout this production, are first-rate.

            

What a shock to Bialystock and Bloom when the audience loves the play, thinking it is a big farce, and they end up stuck with a huge hit!  Will they get away with their shenanigans once again?        

           

I can’t rave enough about what a terrific production this is in all aspects, the live band that includes Anthony Zediker, (Music Director, keyboard), Leigh Anne Gillespie (keyboard 2, Assistant Music Director),  Chris Payne (drums), and Phil Moore (reeds), the choreographer (Janet Rosten), costume designer (E.B. Brooks), and scenic designer (Stephen Gifford).

            

The Producers is playing Fridays, Saturdays, and Mondays at 8 PM, Sundays at 2 PM, through  August 12, at the Lex Theatre, 6760 Lexington Ave., Los Angeles.  Tickets are available on line at www.celebrationtheatre.com, or by phone at (323) 957-1884.

           

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