The Producers a Smash Hit at Pittsfield's Colonial Theatre
First Rate Production from Cohoes Delivers the Goods
By: Larry Murray - Jun 05, 2009
C-R Productions On Tour Presents The Producers a Mel Brooks Musical, Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks, Original Direction and Choreography by Susan Stroman, Directed and Choreographed by Tralen Doler.
Cast: Max Balystock - David Beditz, Leo Bloom - Matthew Wade, Frankz Liebkind - Andrew Hartley, Roger DeBris - Jerry Christakos, Carmen Ghia - Matthew Naclerio, Ulla - Alise Davis.
Ensemble: Meg Benfield, Samantha Berman, Meghan Eaton, Johnathon Michael Hanson, Kyle Erickson Hewitt, Erinjean Jewell, Ryan Lammer, Ryan Patrick Lingle, Tim Pare, Maiza Ornelaz, Allie Schauer, Sarah Diane Smith, Janie Wallace, Jason Weitkamp.
Band: Musical DIrector/Piano - Joshua Zecher-Ross, Synthesizer - Graham Doig, Trumpet - Cathy Sheridan, Reeds - Tom Gerbino, Rick Hambright; Violin - Holly Larson, Trombone - Dan Cordell, Drums/Percussion - Mary E. Rodriguez. At the Colonial Theatre, 111 South Street, Pittsfield. Two hours with one intermission. http://www.thecolonialtheatre.org/
The Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield finally showed the community what its $22 million dollar restoration paid for. All it took was convincing a talented theatre company from Cohoes, New York, to bring its ambitious production of The Producers to Pittsfield. The Berkshires have now discovered a wonderful company that can present top notch entertainment at an affordable ticket price. This show is so superb, so over the top that it will likely be talked about for years. And it closes after just three more performances, tonight, tomorrow afternoon and evening. But don't take my word for it, go see it. It is breathtaking, entertaining, and marvelous. Everything a Broadway musical should be.
It is simply the most delightful evening of live theatre that has been offered in these parts in years. All the more impressive considering that this newcomer to the Berkshires has some pretty stiff competition nearby. There are two reasons for their great success - the marriage of the producing company, C-R Productions, and the Colonial itself. Last night that historic and glorious theatre was finally used to its full potential.
Opened in 1903, the theatre was designed by James McArthur Vance, the same person who designed the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington and many other wonderful buildings in Pittsfield. The theatre was built by the Sullivan Brothers Company of North Adams at a cost of $70,000 at the time. Its recent renovation and upgrading cost $22 million dollars, which should see it through the next hundred years and thousands of shows.
The Producers utilized every square inch of the stage, the rigging, the lighting, even the orchestra pit in this blow-out production, the most ambitious in the history of the Cohoes Music Hall where it began in May with a three week run. Jim Charles and Tony Rivera, the C and R in C-R Productions, pulled out all the stops. It is their most lavish in the six years they have been the resident company at the 135 year old Cohoes Music Hall.
The production features 500 Costumes, 70 wigs, 30 volunteers, 28 actors, 4 fly (scenery) operators, a squadron of technical geeks, 2 spot lights and 8 musicians in the pit orchestra. The weeks of rehearsal and performances in Cohoes enabled the company to polish and refine the show until it gleamed. That's why this production delights all the senses. In fact it tends to overwhelm them. The pace is nothing short of frantic. Set changes, music, comedy, dancing, drama all pile one on top of the other in a nonstop roller coaster ride from beginning to end. The Colonial needs to consider opening a first aid concession to treat all the tearing eyes (from laughing so hard) and sore hands (from enthusiastic clapping).
The story of The Producers is pretty well known. First it was a famous Mel Brooks movie with Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel. Then Brooks made it into a legendary Broadway production with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. In the Cohoes version, the conniving Max Bialystock is played by the outrageous David Beditz, and his timid partner Leo Bloom by the hilarious Matthew Wade. They come up with a scheme to make millions by putting on the worst show in Broadway history, "Springtime for Hitler".
In the process of readying the show, they hire the beautiful Swedish bombshell Ulla as their receptionist, tidy oop girl and leggy leading lady. She is played to perfection by the gorgeous Jennifer Alise Davis. The writer of the show-that-must-fail is Frankz Liebkind, a pigeon fancier neo-Nazi whose role is filled to overflowing by the gut busting Andrew Hartley. Jerry Christakos and Matthew Naclerio don the roles of the director Roger De Bris and assistant Carmen Ghia with some of the campiest, gayest tomfoolery ever seen on stage.
This totally deranged cast didn't take long to reach the manic pace The Producers calls for. As Max and Leo assemble the show, they seek backers to con, mostly elderly ladies who are rich and willing to be fleeced for a little roll in the hay and role playing with Max. In "Along Came Bialy" this chorus of dotty dames partners with their walkers for some of the funniest choreography ever invented.
One of the greatest reasons for seeing a musical on Broadway is the quality of the live orchestra that accompanies the actors on stage. But musicians need to be paid too, and are often considered an expendable expense. What the audience often gets are shabby synthesizers that can never, ever replace the real thing. Two seasons ago Barrington Stage did a fabulous West Side Story with a pit band that sounded pretty darned good. This year, economics seem to dictate a Carousel with minimal music support. We are hoping for the best. Good theatre costs money, and in an uncertain economy there is a question as to what the market can bear.
This production has found the happy medium between a 21 piece orchestra and the wheezing of artificial music. The 8-piece pit band at the Colonial did the company proud, filling the theatre with full throated sound while providing the sort of excitement that only live trumpets, trombones and woodwinds can provide. Even the solo violin added the important poignant notes that dot the proceedings. Music director Joshua Zecher-Ross and his ensemble were pretty much the same as worked with the company in Cohoes, and the tightness of their accompaniment was the icing on the cake.
For a first performance in a new venue, this company's rapid fire scene changes and zillion technical details went off pretty much without a hitch. Both the production and technical crews rightfully deserve to share in the kudos for this effort.
And what a standing ovation this group received last night. Not only applause, but there was an overflowing sense of gratitude coming from the audience in the form of continuous cheering, followed by smiles on the faces of the audience - and friendly volunteers - as the show broke and people left. There was also something else, something wonderful. Last night was sponsored by the Berkshire Business Roundtable. And out in the parking lot, heading for their cars, they were humming tunes from the show. Happy husbands pulled their wives a little closer. For all of us in the audience, this was a special night to remember.
So, we wonder, where does it go from here? This partnership between the Colonial and C-R Productions is a promising first date in what could lead to a real marriage. The Colonial has already announced a second show in this arrangement, Gilbert & Sullivan's The Mikado for two performances March 6, 2010. But between now and then the people of Cohoes will also see Dreamgirls, Sweeney Todd (a sure bet!), Beauty and the Beast, with Gypsy and Singing in the Rain also on the 2009-10 docket. This is a company that's worth making the trek to see in their resident Cohoes Music Hall. But let's hope they find an angel to help bring at least one of these other shows to Pittsfield. The moral to the story of The Producers is to "never put your own money in a Broadway show," But maybe it would be a wise investment to put it into a local nonprofit theatre partnership like this one instead.