'Frankenstein' to Lurch Past the St. James to the Hilton?

Variety reports that the upcoming Mel Brooks musical Young Frankenstein may have its eyes on the Hilton Theatre - despite earlier reports that the St. James Theatre was the show's Broadway destination.

The producing team of Young Frankenstein finds the Hilton Theatre - at which The Pirate Queen is currently playing - the more desirable of the two theatres due to its larger stage and its 1800 seats (the St. James has 1,623).  With The Producers having recently closed, the St. James was at first the natural candidate to house Young Frankenstein. 

Now plans are reportedly being reconsidered.  "Broadway etiquette frowns on showpeople talking on the record about the next tenant of a theater housing a production that has not yet announced a closing date...Still, Rialto denizens quietly confirmed that 'Frankenstein,' which aims to open on Halloween, is indeed the backup candidate at the Hilton...If Pirate Queen -- whose sales are not dire, especially given the reviews -- plays beyond Labor Day, it could delay the timeline of Frankenstein," states the article.  Theater owners LiveNation have the option of closing The Pirate Queen if its sales continue to fall (it dropped by about $64,000 last week) and if it plays below the minimum sales figure arranged with LiveNation for more than two consecutive weeks.

After playing an out-of-town tryout at Seattle's Paramount Theatre, Young Frankenstein - based on the Brooks film comedy classic - will likely open on October 31st (although that date has not been officially announced).  Young Frankenstein will star Tony Award-winner Sutton Foster (The Drowsy Chaperone, Thoroughly Modern Millie) as Inga, Megan Mullally ("Will & Grace," How to Succeed...) as Elizabeth, and Tony Award-winner Shuler Hensley (Oklahoma!) as the Monster.  More casting will be announced.  Susan Stroman, who previously collaborated with Brooks on The Producers, will direct and choreograph.

The musical will be produced by Brooks and Robert Sillerman, with musical direction by Patrick Brady and musical supervision by Glen Kelly.

Young Frankenstein, inspired by the famed Mary Shelley novel, concerns the skeptical neurosurgeon grandson of Dr. Victor Frankenstein, who returns to Frankenstein's castle to find that the legendary monster was more than just a myth.  The comedy, which was directed by Brooks with a screenplay by Brooks and Gene Wilder, starred Wilder, Peter Boyle, Madeline Kahn, Marty Feldman, Leachman, Teri Garr, Kenneth Mars and more.

Photo of Sutton Foster by Ben Strothmann