Program

and McCOY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT

present

Book by MEL BROOKS and THOMAS MEEHAN

Music and Lyrics by MEL BROOKS

Original Direction and Choreography by SUSAN STROMAN

Orchestrations by DOUG BESTERMAN and MARK CUMBERLAND

Starring SALLY STRUTHERS

and LEXI CROSS CARL DRAPER MAGGIE EK CHEYENNE GREEN COLBY HAMANN JOE HART GRANT HODGES A.J. HOLMES MISSY MARION RYAN PERRY MARKS TRENT MILLS ISABELLA DE SOUZA MOORE ELLE MAY PATTERSON AUSTIN SCHULTE WESLEY SLADE RODRIGO VARANDAS SARAH WOLTER

Based on Original Scenic Design by Costume Design Lighting Design Sound Design Wig/Hair/Makeup Designer ROBIN WAGNER ERIKA SENASE and JARED A. SAYEG PHILIP G. ALLEN KAITLIN YAGEN MAGGIE HOFMANN Pyrotechnic Design Prosthetic Design Casting Director Technical Director General Manager ERIC S. ELIAS RALIS KAHN LINDSAY BROOKS KEVIN CLOWES PATTI McCOY JACOB

Production Management Production Stage Manager Assistant Stage Manager Publicist

Marketing ANA LARA, LINDSAY BROOKS, JOHN W. CALDER, III LISA PALMIRE DAVID ELZER/ SWEIBEL ARTS DAVID NESTOR DEMAND PR INNOVATION & LEADERSHIP

Musical Direction by BENET BRAUN

Choreographed by JAMES GRAY

Directed by JEFF WHITING

“Puttin’ on the Ritz” by Irving Berlin YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (WEST END VERSION) is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS www.LaMiradaTheatre.com

Lexi Cross

Carl Draper Maggie Ek Cheyenne Green

Colby Hamann

Joe Hart

Ryan Perry Marks

Grant Hodges

Trent Mills

A.J. Holmes

Isabella De Souza Moore Missy Marion

Elle May Patterson

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein................................................................................................A.J. HOLMES* The Monster.......................................................................................................................TRENT MILLS* Igor..................................................................................................................................WESLEY SLADE* Inga ....................................................................................................................................... MAGGIE EK* Elizabeth Benning ........................................................................................................SARAH WOLTER* Frau Blücher..............................................................................................................SALLY STRUTHERS* Inspector Kemp/The Hermit .................................................................................................JOE HART* Felix........................................................................................................................ RYAN PERRY MARKS* Medical Students..............................GRANT HODGES*, RYAN PERRY MARKS*, AUSTIN SCHULTE* Equines...........................................................................................CARL DRAPER*, AUSTIN SCHULTE* Transylvania Quartet........GRANT HODGES*, CARL DRAPER*, AUSTIN SCHULTE* , RODRIGO VARANDAS* Ritz Specialty.............................................................................................................. AUSTIN SCHULTE* Sasha........................................................................................................................CHEYENNE GREEN* Masha...................................................................................................................ELLE MAY PATTERSON Basha....................................................................................................... ISABELLA DE SOUZA MOORE Tasha ...............................................................................................................................MISSY MARION* Bob.............................................................................................................................. AUSTIN SCHULTE*

ENSEMBLE LEXI CROSS, CARL DRAPER*, CHEYENNE GREEN*, COLBY HAMANN, GRANT HODGES*, RYAN PERRY MARKS*, MISSY MARION*, ISABELLA DE SOUZA MOORE, ELLE MAY PATTERSON, AUSTIN SCHULTE*, RODRIGO VARANDAS*

UNDERSTUDIES Understudies never substitute for listed players unless a specific announcement for the appearance is made at the time of the performance. For Inspector Kemp/The Hermit and The Monster: CARL DRAPER*; for Frau Blücher: ELLE MAY PATTERSON; for Elizabeth Benning: MISSY MARION*, for Igor: RYAN PERRY MARKS*, for Inga: ISABELLA DE SOUZA MOORE; for Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: AUSTIN SCHULTE*

Production Stage Manager...........................................................................JOHN W. CALDER, III* Assistant Stage Manager .......................................................................................... LISA PALMIRE* Dance Captain......................................................................................................... MISSY MARION*

PLACE & TIME Transylvania, 1934 There will be one 15-minute intermission during this performance.

*Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

“The Brain” ...................................................................................................Frederick, Students “Please Don’t Touch Me”..........................................................Frederick, Elizabeth, Students “Together Again for the First Time” ..................................................................Frederick, Igor “Roll in the Hay”......................................................................................... Frederick, Inga, Igor “He Vas My Boyfriend”........................................................................................... Frau Blücher “It Could Work”...................................................................Frederick, Inga, Igor, Frau Blücher “Hang Him ‘Til He’s Dead”................................................................................Kemp, Villagers “Welcome to Transylvania”...............................................................................Kemp, Villagers “Transylvania Mania” ........................................................................... Igor, Inga, Frederick

“He’s Loose”.......................................................................................................Kemp, Villagers “Listen to Your Heart”........................................................................................................... Inga “Surprise” .................................................................. Elizabeth, Igor, Frau Blücher, Ensemble “Please Send Me Someone”........................................................................................... Hermit “Puttin’ on the Ritz”.................................................................... Frederick, Monster, Igor, Inga “He’s Loose” (Reprise)........................................................................................................Kemp “Deep Love” ......................................................................................................... Elizabeth “Hang the Doctor” ................................................................................... Frederick, Villagers “Deep Love” (Reprise) and Finale .............................................................................Company

“Puttin’ on the Ritz” Words and music by Irving Berlin© 1928,1929 by Irving Berlin (ASCAP)© Renewed

ORCHESTRA Music Director/Keyboard - Benet Braun; Violin - Elizabeth Johnson; Alto Sax/Clarinet/Flute - Frank Fontaine; Clarinet/Bass Clarinet/Alto Sax - Sean Franz; Trumpet/Flugelhorn - Aaron Smith; Trumpet - David Pittel; Trombone - Charlie Morillas; Bass - Jonathan Richards; Drums/Percussion - Nick Stone; Orchestra Contractor - Eric Heinly

“I don’t know what’s happening to me. I’m turning into Rudolf Friml!” he shouted, referring to the composer of early 20th century Broadway operettas (Rose Marie and The Vagabond King). Mel Brooks was in Madrid, at a small, private dinner – an after-party celebrating the European premiere of his 2001 Broadway smash The Producers. It was now 2006, though, and he was onto his next musical for which he was in the midst of writing the score: Young Frankenstein. The songs came pouring out of him in their overthe-top, fruity-melodic fashion as he grandly performed them for everyone at the table. “Please – don’t touch me!” he sang, grabbing me by the lapels. No matter that it was a female character’s song; nobody performed a Mel Brooks song better than Mel Brooks. He could make you believe – and laugh at – anything.

I had directed the European premiere of The Producers and, like everyone else at the table, was enthralled to be getting a sneak preview of the next Mel Brooks musical. The ribald lyrics, when paired with the expansive, florid tunes, were hysterical, even out of context. It was hard to believe the show wouldn’t be a hit when it opened on Broadway the following year. Except it wasn’t. The New York critics were decidedly mixed, with the overall sentiment being that the show was lavish to a fault, scenically overblown and somewhat tedious.

What had gone wrong in the year between dinner in Madrid and opening night in New York? I went to see for myself. While there was much to enjoy, I could see how the large-scale production weighed down the material that Mel had so deftly tossed off earlier. Though it had a respectable run of just over a year, Young Frankenstein was considered a show that hadn’t quite lived up to its (perhaps unreasonable) expectations.

But then came London. 10 years later (2017), Mel and his original Broadway director/choreographer Susan Stroman revised the show for a London production that was considerably leaner. Painted backdrops and smaller, swifter set pieces – along with the excision of some large production numbers – delivered a fleet, zippy evening that didn’t seem to be trying so hard to be funny (and, therefore, it was). By eliminating what was extraneous and focusing more directly on the story, this more intimate version harnessed what made the 1975 film so successful: the up-close view of the characters and their relationships. I happened to be doing a show in London, so I popped ‘round to see this new production. I wasn’t disappointed: Mel’s souffle of witty low-comedy had finally found its after-party sense of fun again.

We’re overjoyed to be presenting the Southern California premiere of this hit London version, delightfully staged by Stroman’s trusted associates Jeff Whiting and James Gray. They’re joined by an inspired roster of comedic talent, onstage and off. Mel’s late-night one-man show is now a thrilling ensemble romp, and every bit as funny. Enjoy!

Producing Artistic Director