Jon Chattman's thecheappop.com

As good if not better…
By Gary Chattman

Dare I say it—The Producers at WBT is as good—or even better—than the original on Broadway. Can I get away with saying it? Sure! The Westchester Broadway Theatre is renowned for presenting live musical theatre (like the superior Beauty and the Beast – most recently) without Broadway prices or Broadway commuting headaches.

This show will forever be melded to the personalities of Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. They opened it on Broadway. Lane received a Tony (one of a record number 12 for the show). They recreated it for the movie, but on stage for WBT you have actor Bob Amaral playing plotting agent Max Bialystock , and Joel Newsome, as Leo Bloom, playing his accomplice. These two actors, believe me, with their clowning, with their singing, their collaboration, their enthusiasm, are every bit as good—or even better—than Lane and Broderick. I kid you not.

The plot of the show I’m sure you know: these men hatchet a scheme to produce a Broadway flop so that they can reap millions from investors. I’m sure you know that they lust after a Svedish voluptuous voman named Ulla (played with pizazz by Karyn McNay); they find a trashy play about a gay Adolf Hitler from a Nazi, Franz Liebkind (played with laughs by Eric Anderson); that they conspire to produce this play to fail—and thus reap them millions. And of course you know how this plot goes awry.

The director here is David Edwards, who was actually in the First National Tour of “The Producers” as both Max Bialystock and Roger DeBris, who has directed on Broadway. Here, he mines the script for all its nuances—and all its humor. What about the choreography? Take a look at the ensemble dances, led by Matthew Vargo, assisted by Sean McKnight. Look at the costumes designed by Matthew Hemesath, and the sets designed by Peter Barbieri. All equal to that of Broadway—but in this intimate setting much more…much more. And did I say “better”?

You have a theatre that has three viewing sides in Elmsford, so the actors can play to the whole audience. The seats swivel; are padded and oh-so-comfortable. The food is exceptional.

I should mention Craig Fols, who portrays Roger De Bris and John West, who plays Carmen Ghia. Both are professionals and both are excellent. The only problem I found was with the idea of humanizing and making the Nazis sympathetic. But I should take that up with Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan (who wrote the book based on the movie). I know this has played to acclaim in Israel, but…

Anyways, as Max and Leo state, “We Can Do It”, and do it, it does. And when Ulla croons, “When You Got It, Flaunt It”, we know that WBT does exactly that. It’s got it—and it flaunts it. Go to “The Producers”—as soon as you can. You will be rewarded.

Don’t forget “It’s a Wonderful Life” for Christmas, and next year’s offerings: “Mushuggah-Nuns!”…”Titanic”…”I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change”…”Beehive”: the Sixties “Grease” and “42nd Street”.

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