Town & Gown Theatre in Stillwater is proud to present for its first show of the 2022-2023 season Mel Brook’s legendary musical, “The Producers.” Based on Brooks’ 1967 film of the same name, the Broadway production received a record 12 Tony Awards – the most of any musical in history.
As is to be expected of a Mel Brooks comedy, the humor in “The Producers” is fast-paced, farcical, and gut-busting. The musical is set in 1959 and tells the story of producer Max Bialystock, whose latest musical has closed after a single performance clouded by universally terrible reviews. When accountant Leo Bloom discovers a discrepancy in the theater’s books the next day, he realizes that, under the right conditions, a producer could make a fortune with a flop. Armed with this insight, Max hatches a plot to romance some of his most loyal investors into writing him big checks to finance his next show. They are unaware, of course, that he deliberately plans to make it as awful as possible in hopes it will die a quick and well-deserved death while he absconds with the funding.
Max soon locates a script he is certain must be the worst he’s ever read – one that will undoubtedly offend patrons from every possible background. He promptly hires the most incompetent director and actors he can find and sets out to produce a bomb sure to take the whole crew down with it. But in a ridiculous plot twist, he can’t even get that right. The show is a critical darling, and Max and Leo realize they are in way over their heads. Thereafter, things only get stranger, more dangerous, and more hilarious for all involved.
Sydney Weiser makes her directorial debut at Town & Gown after appearing in numerous previous shows. Her background on stage and behind the scenes in choreography, costuming, and many other areas all contribute to her success in the new role. When asked about her desire to bring “The Producers” to life on the Town & Gown stage, Weiser replied, “The Producers is an amazing show; anyone who has seen it can attest to that. With the most Tony awards in history (yes, even more than Hamilton!), this is a real show-stopper that is bound to have audiences in stitches. I have always loved The Producers and wanted to bring it to patrons in a theater I love as well. Mel Brooks is a genius and everyone should get to experience his work. Bringing this show to life has been a blast, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with such an incredible cast and crew.”
“The Producers” will run from September 22nd to 25th and September 29th to October 2nd. Tickets will go on sale Monday, September 19th and can be obtained by calling the Town & gown box office at (405) 372-9122 or visiting the theatre’s Web site at www.townandgown.org. Tickets prices are $16 for adults, $14 for students, and $14 for seniors attending either Sunday matinee performance. This show contains explicit language and adult content and is not recommended for younger children.
For more information on this show and other fantastic events happening around the Stillwater community, check out our marketing partner, Visit Stillwater, at https://www.visitstillwater.org/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VisitStillwater.
