Review of The Producers   by Dennis Thompson

             Columbus Children’s Theatre is offering an excellent, rollicking version of “The Producers.”

            Yes, I know that sounds like an odd choice for a children’s theatre.  I explained this to you all a couple years ago with “Sweeney Todd”, seemingly an even more questionable choice.

            Each summer, since the beginning of time I believe now, CCT develops what they call “The Pre-Professional Company.”  This is a company of high school and college students aged 17-22, many of whom intend to pursue theatre as a career. They produce one summer full length musical.  Past efforts include “Todd,” “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Into the Woods,” and last summer’s “Rent.”

            However I’ve always believed their main reason for existing was to make me jealous that I didn’t spend my high school and college summers in Columbus so I could have tried to be a part of this.  This company is always full of talented young people and this summer is no exception.

            “The Producers” is the Mel Brooks musical based on his 1968 movie of the same name. It involves struggling Broadway Producer Max Bialistock and his unlikely partner, accountant Leopold Bloom.  Bloom’s comment that more money could be made from a flop than a hit gets the ball rolling.  The two seek out the worst play ever with the worst director and cast.  They think they have a winner (loser?) when they find a work titled “Springtime for Hitler.”

            The economics of the plot have always confused me.  Not sure why you couldn’t also make money on a hit.  Or why none of the other flops Max had without trying didn’t make him rich.  But I digress.

            “The Producers” premiered on Broadway in 2001 and won 12 Tony awards out of 15 nominations, incredibly winning an award in each category for which it was nominated.  This made it the most honored musical of all time.

 This seemed strange to me when I first saw it.  It was fun, but comparing it to every other Broadway musical ever it seemed odd to have it considered the most honored.  This is the third production I’ve seen, the others being the Broadway Series and  Las Vegas.

Those productions were fun, slick and polished.  CCT’s production is also polished, but there’s something about it that made me look at this show with more appreciation.

 There is an infectious joy to this production that made it funnier, lighter, more engrossing.  I don’t know if I can explain it but I found it more compelling and funnier than the professional productions. It’s broad humor, yes, but CCT gives a human quality to its characters that adds to the humor. It was almost as if those productions tried too hard to be funny.  CCT’s humor had a relaxed, natural quality that made it more engaging than the forced broad humor of the Broadway productions.

            This is noticed right away when in the opening chorus number Director Ryan Scarlata plants a blind character who can’t get the choreography quite right. There’s a wonderful moment when chorus girls appear in an office scene.  If you’ve seen the show before you know they are coming, but I’m not sure how they got there.

            But it is most evident from the excellent lead performances, particularly Sam Vestey as Bialistock. He is bombastic, a conniver, a flurry of motion and activity.  Vestey displays excellent comic timing. His exhaustive summary of the play near the end is just one example of hilarious moments. He is a delight throughout and likely could have carried even a mediocre production.

            Luckily one doesn’t have to worry about that here as the entire cast is excellent.

            Jonathan Collura is the perfect foil as the timid Bloom.  He is wide eyed and naïve with a look of constant befuddlement.  As he grows in confidence he never loses that innocent quality.

            Which is what makes him so appealing to the character of Ulla.  Rachel Deep’s Ulla is sweet and sexy, both in her strong musical numbers and in her presence that makes the guys fall all over themselves.

            As Franz Liebkind, the unrepentant Nazi and author of the Hitler ode, Eric Neuenschwander is a hoot.  One laughs out loud merely at the glowing look of unbridled glee he exhibits before even saying a word.

            Pedar Benson Bate as Roger DeBris and particularly Kevin Ferguson as Carmen Ghia have great fun and are broadly hilarious as the gay director and his choreographer.

            The entire cast shines, both in comic moments and in musical skill.  They fill the small space fluidly, expertly enacting Nicolette Montana’s choreography.

            Going in, you know this is a fun piece.  But CCT makes you like these people.  They are characters, not just caricatures, and that somehow makes it even funnier.

Columbus Children’s Theatre’s ‘The Producers’ continues Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 3 pm through July 25^th at 512 North Park Street.  Tickets are $15, students and seniors $10 For tickets call 224-6672 or online through Ticketmaster.