The Producers

Critiqued by Holly Bartges

Holy Moly! Boulder’s Dinner Theatre has flipped its lid. You might have thought you’d seen Mel Brooks’ The Producers, but BDT’s production knocks them all out of the ballpark. I have marveled at the quality of that theatre for years, the quality of the actors, the quality of the shows, but somehow this script allowed the cast to open the gates for unseen talent, and unseen rubberized expressions come to life like never before.

Wayne Kennedy and his 'investors' in Boulder's Dinner Theatre's The Producers. Courtesy Boulder's Dinner Theatre.

Director, Michael J. Duran summed it up better than anyone else possibly could when he smilingly mused, “The Producer’s feeds into the talents of the individual artists.” It not only feeds into the entire cast, it treats them in gourmet style. Because of the gourmet treatment, the cast returns the favor giving 500% of their heart and soul to every word, every song, and every second of the show. Breathtaking? Yes. Surprising? No. BDT consistently reaches for the musical stars, laying them along the apron of the stage.

Alicia Dunfee’s choreography works hand in hand with the dancers and Neal Dunfee’s musical thrust with the BDT orchestra featuring Nick Vocatura on the Reeds, James Priest and Derek McDonald on Trumpet, Michael Hilton and Keith Larson on Trombone, Carlton Bacon and Michael Yaussi on Bass, Nick Gnojek and Mike Asheim on Drums, and Conductor Dunfee on Piano. They are the unsung heroes, deserving of enormous recognition for their unifying musicality bringing The Producers to exciting life.

Wayne Kennedy and Scott Beyette grab center stage as Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom from Mel Brooks’ mind turning them into astonishing absurd creations.

At one time he was King of Broadway, producing one successful show after another. Perhaps taking his kingship for granted, as is all too often the case, Max runs smack up against a flop. His world unravels with “The good thing about critics leaving at Intermission, the reviews come out early.” In one night Funny Boy dies a quick, painful death as the “worst show in town”. During the show’s intermission, Max agonizingly muses, “Where did I go wrong?” Kennedy turns inside out as Max runs the gambit of emotion belting out The King of Broadway.

In his office appears a mild timid, unsteady, dreadful excuse for a human being, an auditor. Leopold Bloom to check Max’s books. Hating his job, hating his life, Beyette’s Leo slinks snake-like through timidity.

Pairing Kennedy and Beyette in these two particular roles is sheer genius. Their comedic timing works as though an invisible string connects the two at the hip. Actually, if the truth were known, the entire cast from first note to last works as though an invisible stream of energy connects them all.

Aha! A spark of light breaks through the timid shell when Leo confesses I Want To Be A Producer.

Wayne Kennedy in Boulder's Dinner Theatre's The Producers. Courtesy Boulder's Dinner Theatre.

Reaching for the absurd and ridiculous the two unlikely masterminds conceive a never before tried plan: to deliberately produce a flop making huge amounts of money from their investors. Who are the investors? Max tacks pictures inside a cabinet of the varied little old wealthy ladies who adore him, and will give him anything. Anything isn’t what he wants: he wants their money. Shelly Cox Robie disappears into several characters, and Hold Me, Touch Me does her share of grabbing attention.

After searching through hundreds of scripts, Springtime For Hitler answers the quest.

Zina Mercel triumphantly absorbs the character of Ulla Inga Hansen Benson Yonsen Tallen-Hallen with long legs, a body to die for, long blond tresses, hiding the fact she is smarter than she appears to be. Mercel is spectacular.

Getting the rights for the production proves no small trick. They find the playwright Franz Liebkind, on the rooftop of his Greenwich home with his birds: Otto, Bertha, Heinz, Heidi, Wolfgang, and Adolf. Brian Jackson turns Franz, an ex-Nazi, into a “jucified” character all too eager to reminisce about the grand old days "In Old Bavaria". Laughter spills freely with Max and Leo wanting to please, joining Franz and the birds in Der Guten Tag Hop Clop.

Made of rubber from head to toe, Brian Norber nearly collapses the theatre entering in a long pink dress as the hoped for Springtime director, Roger Debris. Encased in a persona of “egoed” self-love, Norber produces newly concocted expressions never before seen on stage. I honestly thought I had seen the extent to which his face can mesh. I was wrong.

Carmen Ghia, Roger’s personal assistant, can be and has in past productions been a character that is necessary, but just there. Not this time. Matthew D Peters treats Carmen as though Carmen thinks of himself as the most important flaunting character around. Carmen loves to flaunt, and Peters knows how to handle it. Brilliantly sharp, frequently attracting attention all on his own.

Even though Kennedy and Beyette are the stars with Norber, Mercel, Jackson, and Peters running a close second, the Ensemble swirls with a variety of characters taking stargazing to a new level, even though the character may appear on stage for only a few seconds, the character development is remarkable.

A.K. Klimpke’s sharp moves and chiseled twists slide from deadly serious, almost frightening, into astonishing comedy before eyes can blink along with Stephen Bertles, Joanie Brosseau-Beyette, Brandon Dill, Alicia Dunfee, Anna Hanson, and Cindy Lawrence.

Not one moment, not one nano second drags its heels in this stunningly produced production of The Producers.

Every song gets treated as though it’s the high-light of the show from Keep It Gay, to When You’ve Got It Flaunt It, to You Never Say Good Luck On Opening Night, to Leo and Max’s lament Where Did We Go Right?

The comedic vibrations, the cohesiveness of the cast, sound design by Kennedy, costume design by Linda Morken, scenic design by Amy Campion, snuggled arm in arm for a sold out night for a sheer, total, unadulterated performance of absolute perfection.

Under the strong trained comedic eye of Duran, this production of The Producers is so perfect in timing, comedic behavior, characterizations, and musical vocal density, it stretches far beyond the bounds of simple words like magnificent, thrilling, enchanting, and when it’s over every cell in your body is dancing, laughing, cheering, marveling. It’s a truth that cannot be denied.

Playing through March, this is one show you’ll want to see more than once. That’s a promise. Just don’t wait until the last minute to call for reservations. Tickets sell fast.

The Producers
By Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan
Directed by Michael Duran