Review: THE PRODUCERS at Pollard Theatre Company is Not to be Missed

It's never a good idea to say that anything is a sure thing. On the other hand, when the creative team behind the Broadway smash THE PRODUCERS put the show together, it must have seemed just a little bit like it could be a sure thing. You had the comic genius of Mel Brooks creating a musical based on his own hysterical movie, with the help of other Broadway heavy hitters like Susan Stroman, who directed and choreographed the original production, as well as major stars like Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. The show went on to become one of the biggest hits in modern Broadway memory and the current production at the Pollard Theatre Company loses none of what made the original such an enormous success.

Brooks' movie and subsequent musical version tell the story of a failed Broadway producer, Max Bialystock and his new producing partner, Leo Bloom. They begin working together when Bloom, an accountant, reveals to Bialystock that he could make far more money with a failed Broadway show that flops than with a show that's a hit. Once the scheme is hatched, the two of them conspire to find the worst musical ever written, the worst director in New York City to direct it and the worst actors to play all of the parts. Hilariously, their seemingly foolproof scheme proves to be much less of a sure thing than they hoped.

Thomas Meehan worked along with Brooks on the book, which is often side-splittingly funny. There is bawdy, vulgar humor that completely works as well as wittier, more intellectual humor that also hits the mark. There's a little something for everyone, regardless of your taste in comedy. The music and lyrics are by Brooks alone and he demonstrates an undeniable brilliance in this area as well. Every song is witty and fun, all of them teeming with one-liners, puns and laugh-out-loud moments.

At Pollard, director and choreographer Matthew Sipress ensures that all of the laugh-out-loud moments get their due. Even though there are moments when the action seems fast and furious, things slow down and pauses are taken when needed, especially when it helps to make a moment even funnier. As a whole, the pace of the entire show is lively and it never drags, maintaining the tone of fun and playfulness all along the way. Sipress also keeps the choreography perfectly on point through the entire production, maintaining the classic dance moments, such as the big dancing-with-walkers number that ends Act I and the great dance number that accompanies "I Want to Be a Producer."

Sipress has also assembled a nearly perfect cast who work together as an ensemble like a well-oiled machine. The show really relies on the two leads and in this regard, Pollard's production hits it out of the park. W. Jerome Stevenson is perfect as Max Bialystock, with a fabulously devious twinkle in his eye and an enormous amount of energy that never wavers for a moment, he must be exhausted at the end of each performance. Although he seemed to struggle a bit vocally in his very first singing moments, that disappeared quickly and he was blowing everyone away by the time he got to "Betrayed" towards the end.

Stevenson's partner-in-crime is played here by the pitch-perfect Jared Blount, who makes it hard to imagine anyone else playing this role. Blount creates an exceptional mix of anxiety and awkwardness for Bloom, a lovable character who the audience will no doubt root for. His high pitched voice, hilarious facial expressions and impressive physical comedy abilities make him endlessly fun to watch. He's also a highly talented dancer and singer as well, attributes on full display in this production.

All three of the other male lead roles are played to perfection by a trio of equally talented actors. Clayton Blair is wonderful as Franz, the author of the worst musical ever written. He manages to be riotously funny whether Franz is being a lovably goofy doofus or a homicidal Nazi maniac. Also laugh-out-loud funny is Stephen Hilton as Roger De Bris, the director who agrees to direct the worst show ever. Hilton brings an enormous amount of energy, enthusiasm and fun to the role in every moment he's on stage. He would steal more scenes if it were not for the even more scene-stealing Joshua McGowen as Roger's assistant, Carmen Ghia. McGowen's performance alone could be worth the price of admission, if it weren't combined with so many other performers who are just as hilarious and entertaining as he is.

If there's a weak link in the main cast, it's Emily Pace as Ulla, Max and Leo's secretary who also becomes Leo's love interest. While Ulla's accent is supposed to be comical, Pace's line deliveries are mostly an incomprehensible mess, the character more annoying than endearing or funny. Pace does have an outstanding singing voice, though, and is clearly a talented dancer. Her number in Act II with Blount is excellent. The rest of the ensemble members are fantastic, especially Phoebe Butts, who pops up a few times in different roles and takes full advantage of every opportunity to be hilarious.

The production's technical elements are also uniformly excellent, although James A. Hughes' set design's upstage stencil cut-out of a city skyline with light coming through it from behind is an odd and mostly distracting choice. On the other hand, Michael James' costume design is flawless, from old-lady dresses and perfectly tailored suits to lederhosen and all kinds of German-themed apparel. W. Jerome Stevenson's lighting design is also excellent, perfectly adding to the show's sense of play and fun.

That sense of fun is just one of the many reasons why this show is so good and why you should not miss this wonderfully executed production.

THE PRODUCERS will run April 14th through May 6th at the Pollard Theatre. Tickets are $30 with senior, military, student and teacher discounts available. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm, Thursdays April 27th and May 4th at 8:00 pm and Sundays April 23rd and 30th at 2:00 pm. Tickets are available online at www.thepollard.org, by phone, 405-282-2800 or at the Pollard Box Office at 120 W. Harrison Ave., Guthrie, Oklahoma.

Pictured (L to R): Jared Blount and W. Jerome Stevenson

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