Tyler Pirrung (left) and Adam B. Shapiro (right) as Bloom and Bialystock in “The Producers” (All photos by Ben Rose Photography)
City Springs Theatre Company’s eighth season is officially underway with the recent opening of The Producers: A Mel Brooks Musical, on stage through September 21. With music and lyrics by Mel Brooks and book by Brooks and Thomas Meehan, the flashy musical is as absurd as it is irreverent.
Based on the 1967 movie of the same name, The Producers tells the satirical story of Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom, who concoct a scheme to swindle their way into $2 million by producing a Broadway musical flop. How can they guarantee its demise? By choosing the most offensive script they can find and hiring the worst director and actors.
Along the way, the pair does whatever it takes to bring their show to Broadway — no matter how immoral or dishonest. And just when you think there might be comeuppance for bad behavior, the anti-heroes quite literally walk into the sunset. If you’re looking for a redemptive character arc or warm and fuzzy conclusion, come back in December for The Wizard of Oz. There is nothing sentimental here.
Perhaps best known for its outrageous show-within-a-show lampooning a certain German dictator, The Producers hinges on the assumption that one of the greatest weapons against an enemy is mockery. Without spoiling anything, the mockery here makes a political cartoon look like a love letter.
The music, all vaguely Jerry Herman-esque, plays second fiddle to the intricate comedy bits and brilliant lyrics, with songs often bringing the plot to a screeching halt. Still, the words are so ingenious that the show hardly suffers from less-than-memorable melodies. Fans of both Mel Brooks and Broadway will find plenty of inside jokes aimed right at them, alongside cultural references that pop up in the most unexpected places (cameo by The Village People, anyone?).
Visiting director/choreographer James Gray has The Producers in his veins, having worked on it from Broadway to Japan over the last 20+ years. For this production, his replication of Susan Stroman’s original Tony-winning direction/choreography yields mixed results. When it works, it is musical comedy gold. When it doesn’t work, it leaves actors struggling to fit into a mold that fails to play to their strengths.
Tyler Pirrung is hilarious as Leo Bloom, balancing straight-laced moments with fits of hysteria to tremendous effect. His full-body performance features some surprisingly lovely dancing, and his exaggerated pronunciation of “Broad-WAY” speaks volumes about his character from the start.
As Max Bialystock, Adam B. Shapiro’s performance feels disconnected from the rest of the show, lacking chemistry with other characters. The iconic duo of Bialystock and Bloom particularly feels stilted, as Shapiro and Pirrung never find a coherent dynamic.
Jeff McKerley’s spot-on comedic timing as Roger De Bris is unmatched. The ease with which he masterfully sings, dances and has the audience eating out of the palm of his hand is astounding. Little moments of ad-lib suggest he has more up his sleeve that warrants a repeat viewing.
As De Bris’ “common-law assistant” Carmen Ghia, a priceless Frankie Marasa 5th milks his over-the-top character for all its worth. Together, Marasa and McKerley feed off each other as a match made in comedy heaven.
Blake Fountain is a surprising standout as Franz Liebkind, executing every bit of absurdity in appropriate doses of deadpan and passion.
And making her City Springs Theatre debut, Celine Sullivan’s Ulla is naive to comedic effect, graceful in her dancing, and, despite an unassuming demeanor, offers some of the most impressive singing in the show.
The large ensemble features recognizable City Springs Theatre regulars alongside many new faces, each working overtime as a slew of colorful characters. Singing, dancing and acting with top-notch skill, especially in an unbelievable tap number, they are the heart and soul of the show.
As can be expected of every City Springs Theatre performance, each cast member has practically perfect vocals, accompanied by the exceptional full orchestra, conducted by Music Director Jesse Kissel.
The exquisite costumes for The Producers — original Tony-winning designs by Broadway luminary William Ivey Long — are still praiseworthy, and the larger-than-life set is a masterpiece. Eric Luchen’s design, created specifically for City Springs, sets the scene for parody from the beginning, at times with cartoonish proportions.
As quoted in the playbill, Mel Brooks himself — still producing now at age 99 – said, “If I can make [Hitler] ludicrous, if I can make you laugh at him, then it’s a victory of sorts … If you ridicule [a dictator], bring them down with laughter, they CAN’T win.”
The City Springs Theatre Company has pulled it all off in a hilarious romp, creating an almost exhausting two straight hours of laughs.
Where & When:
The Producers is at the Byers Theatre at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center through September 21. Tickets start at $70.
1 Galambos Way.
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Sally Fuller is a theater nerd and journalist with a passion for telling people’s stories. Her work has appeared in Encore Atlanta, City Lifestyle Magazine and the AJC, among others. When not writing, she works at her dream job as a mother alongside the best husband and father in the world.
