Theatre Three presents Young Frankenstein
Young Frankenstein
Directed by Joel Ferrell
Music Directed by Cody Dry
Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan
Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks
Scenic Design by Bob Lavallee
Costumes Design by Natalie Rose Mabry
Lighting Design by Tristan Decker
Sound Design by Brian McDonald
Prop Design by Kaitlin Hatton and Lauren Garza
Intimacy and Fight Choreography by Ashley H. White
My thoughts on Young Frankenstein or…putting on a hit
I seriously doubt if you’re going to have more bawdy, raucous, politically incorrect fun than Theatre Three’s Young Frankenstein for a long, long time. This kind of over-the-top hilarity is somewhat of a relic of the past with all its sexual innuendo and crude jokes. But if Young Frankenstein is an antique, Director Joel Ferrell and Music Director Cody Dry have dusted and shined it into a remarkably entertaining evening of pure pleasure.
The biggest weapon in Director Ferrell’s overflowing laugh arsenal is Parker Gray (a weapon of laugh construction?) in the title role. Gray is a fearless actor/comedian. There is no gesture or line reading he can’t exaggerate or twist and milk for every last drop of comedy and he is totally in his element with Ferrell’s frenetic staging. If you take the best of Groucho Marx, Martin Short, and Will Ferrell, you may come close to someone with the comic genius of Parker Gray.
Gray has some excellent support on his visit to Transylvania. Indeed, Theatre Three should be considered “Comedy Central” for the run of Young Frankenstein. Alejandro Saucedo is the devoted to Victor Frankenstein Igor with a wandering hump. He’s a non-subservient servant with a winning grin and a quick answer and always amusing. I most definitely wanted to “walk his way.” Annie Olive Cahill is Victor’s assistant (“Is that what they’re calling them these days?”) Inga. Cahill’s Inga is blonde, vivacious, and unaware of her own sex appeal. Her “Roll in the Hay” number is Mel Brooks at his “naughty boy” best and Cahill captures every bit of the suggestive humor. Sarah Gay is the neigh inducing Frau Blucher, the housekeeper and former lover of Victor’s grandfather. Gay gives Blucher a sly, knowing smile, superb comic timing, and belts a rousing “He Vas My Boyfriend.” Leslie Marie Collins as Victor’s fiancé Elizabeth Benning, the vain yet appealing Manhattan socialite, has two terrific numbers, “Please Don’t Touch Me” and the innuendo filled “Deep Love” and just about brings the house down with the latter. Collins is at her comic best in her scenes with The Monster and is unforgettable emerging after her first tryst with him. Collins also gets to wear some of designer Natalie Rose Mabry’s most glamorous costumes. Aaron Mateo Arroyo is equally hilarious as both the blind hermit and Inspector Hans Kemp. Arroyo is adept at both physical and verbal comedy and knows his way around both a cane and a wooden arm. The physically imposing Luke Longacre is a marvel as The Monster. Loud and scary at first, then a song and dance man, and ultimately a kind, soft spoken scientist himself. Longacre makes these transitions flawlessly bringing both humor and a touch of pathos. Samantha Padilla is the tireless one-woman ensemble, playing role after role and getting laughs in each one.
Tireless is a word that describes all the actors in this production as Director Ferrell uses almost every square foot of the Theatre Three arena and Bob Lavallee’s set (make sure you look way above the door with big knockers to see the castle on the hill). Actors pop up all over the place interacting with audience members or singing to Music Director Cody Dry’s perfect scoring.
Young Frankenstein may not be politically correct, but it is classic Mel Brooks. This almost breathlessly paced production is a delight and it just may be the most “horror”ible musical comedies ever. And, by the way, it’s pronounced “Fronkensteen.”
