by Amy Dalness
Daily Lobo
Bright lights, bratwurst hats, dancing Nazis and two destined-for-disaster producers brought audiences to their feet Saturday.
Mel Brooks' "The Producers" came to Popejoy Hall Sept. 7-12 during its national tour as part of the Broadway in New Mexico program offered through the Ovation Series.
"The Producers" opened on Broadway on April 19, 2001, at the St. James Theatre. It won 12 Tony awards in 2001, including best musical and best original score. The original cast included Matthew Broderick as Leo Bloom and Nathan Lane as Max Bialystock.
The show is a re-creation of the Mel Brooks film "The Producers," which won an Academy Award for best original screenplay in 1968.
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The story is of failing Broadway producer Max Bialystock (Bob Amaral), whose latest attempt at a hit, a musical version of Hamlet called "Funny Boy" has failed. His career over, he goes to his office to wallow when insecure accountant Leo Bloom (Andy Taylor) shows up. He has a secret longing to be a Broadway producer. As Leo looks over Max's accounting books, he jokingly points out a producer could make more money with a flop then with a hit.
Max jumps on the idea. He decides to raise $2 million and find the worst play, director and actors, and then open and close on the first night and go to Rio with the money.
Leo, who finds no joy in his job, joins the scheme.
This is where the dancing Nazis come in. Leo and Max decide to produce "Springtime for Hitler," a play Max believes is sure to offend everyone.
If it weren't for the director they hired, it probably would have.
"The Producers" is another manifestation of Brooks' comic know-how. One could expect nothing less then hysterical gags from the creator of "Blazing Saddles" and "Robin Hood: Men in Tights."
Besides the praise of hilarity and greatness "The Producers" is used to receiving, Brooks' managed to bring to stage imagery that for many is still painful without being offensive - unless you're a neo-Nazi. The show seemed self-aware when Max, in astonishment that "Springtime" didn't flop, pointed out half the audience was Jewish.
The Producers
Grade A
