Sunday, April 30, 2017

review - THE PRODUCERS - Desert Stages Theatre

Rob Dominguez, Matthew R. Harris and Cast
Photo by Dana Butcher
highlights from local critics reviews - (click link at bottom of each review to read complete review)

Click here for more information on this production that runs through May 7th.

"Fifteen years before Hamilton took Broadway by storm, the Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan 2001 musical comedy The Producers was the hottest ticket in town...Desert Stages Theatre presents a scrappy and small, but smart, production that features talented leads and results in a virtual comic frenzy of fun.
... the story focuses on down-on-his-luck theatrical producer Max Bialystock who once was "The King of Broadway." Accountant Leo Bloom is sent to audit the books for Max's latest show, which closed on opening night, and notices that Max actually raised $2,000 more than the show cost, so he actually made money on the flop. Leo speculates that "a producer could actually make more money with a flop than a hit." Upon hearing those words, the wheels in Max's head start to turn and he concocts the ultimate scheme to make it rich on Broadway. If they can guarantee the show will flop—by finding the worst play ever written, hiring the worst director, and casting the worst actors—and raise $2 million dollars, twice as much money than they actually need, when the show quickly closes they will both be rich. Of course, in typical Brooks comedic fashion, things don't go at all as planned.
...DST's production, under the confident direction of Mitchell Glass, has a cast who throw themselves headfirst into the insanity. Matthew R. Harris and Rob Dominguez make a winning twosome as Max and Leo. They both have clear, rich singing voices and good comic timing that, when combined with expert facial expressions and humorous body movement, deliver heightened and hilarious performances. ...Tim Paul Fiscus is a hoot as the "worst director" that Max and Leo hire, Roger DeBris.....Danica Rocha is a knock out as Ulla, the sexy Swedish actress who gets pulled into the action....As Franz Liebkind, the author who has written the worst play Max and Leo find, which is a musical all about Hitler, Eric Bond makes every moment he's on stage pop with hilarity....The Producers ....is comedy satire at its best ..Desert Stages production has excellent leads and impressive direction and is a worthy production of this classic comedy hit." -Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway (click here to read the complete review)

No comments:

Post a Comment

In order to avoid spam, comments will be moderated. Anonymous comments no longer will be allowed. If your comment is from an actual person it will be approved and posted in a timely manner.