YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN at CURTAIN CALL

“What hump?”

No one other than Mel Brooks could take a horror classic and turn it into one of the funniest and bawdiest musical comedies to ever play in Stamford’s Kweskin Theatre. Area residents can see this comic masterpiece over four weekends beginning November 22.

From the creators of The Producers comes the celebrated West End Version of this monster musical comedy. “I’ve been waiting for quite a while to be able to work on this show and am happy to say it has been worth the wait,” said Lou Ursone, Curtain Call executive director. “Seeing the original film version with my dad and two older brothers is one of my favorite memories of growing up,” Ursone added.

The musical tells the story of the grandson of the infamous Victor Frankenstein, Frederick Frankenstein (pronounced "Fronk-en-steen") who inherits his family's estate in Transylvania. With the help of a hunchbacked sidekick, Igor (pronounced "Eye-gore"), and a leggy lab assistant, Inga (pronounced normally), Frederick finds himself in the mad scientist shoes of his ancestors. "It's alive!" he exclaims as he brings to life a creature to rival his grandfather's. Eventually, of course, the monster escapes and hilarity continuously abounds.

This new West End version of Young Frankenstein has all of the panache of the screen sensation with an extra theatrical flair. “Of course, we’ll be Puttin’ on the Ritz,” Ursone said.   "If you want a bawdy, uproarious belly laugh that’s done out of pure love for the genres that it parodies, this is a show that delivers in spades." - The Radio Times

Young Frankenstein is directed by long time Curtain Call director, Ben Frimmer who jumped at the chance to direct this production. Together with music director, Peter Randazzo and choreographer, Caitlin Roberts, Frimmer has a great team to bring this monster of a show to life. Set design is by Martin Scott Marchitto, costumes by Helen Adams and lighting design by Ellie Mallardi.

“Watching Ben, Peter and Caitlin work with this terrific cast has been a real joy,” Ursone said, noting that work isn’t supposed to be so much fun. The cast universally agrees that they’ll be having as much fun on stage as their audiences will by watching.

The cast features several performers making their Curtain Call debut, including Sarah Ford as Inga, Dr. Frankenstein’s assistant.  Playing the role made famous by former Stamford resident, Gene Wilder, is Paul Johnson; the monster is played by Kyle Runestad. Others in the cast include Ellen Krinick Porto as Frau Blucher, Stuart Adleberg as Igor, Emma Sawch as Elizabeth and Michael Wright as Inspector Kemp.
In several featured roles are David Chuba, Victoria Clougher, Eileen Dulmaine, Scott Ferrara, Bridget Hartshorne, Sydney Kishimoto, Kaitlyn Moccia, Renata Montalto, Amy Morris, James Ring-Howell, Olivia Rose Perrone and Jonathan Wu.

Performances are Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30pm, and Sunday matinees at 2:00pm beginning November 22. Two Thursday evenings at 7:30 are scheduled for December 5 and 12. Tickets are available through the box office at 203-461-6358 or online at www.curtaincallinc.com. Other shows in at Curtain Call this season The Three Scrooges, Steel Magnolias, Mystic Pizza, A Few Good Men, Anything Goes, A Jukebox for the Algonquin and The Spongebob Musical.

The Kweskin Theatre is located at The Sterling Farms Theatre Complex, 1349 Newfield Avenue, Stamford, CT. Doors open one half hour before show time. There is plentiful on-site parking and two restaurant partners: The Royal Green Restaurant and The Stillery. (Call for special restaurant offers at 203-998-7225.)

Curtain Call was voted Fairfield County's BEST LOCAL THEATRE GROUP ten years running in the Annual Readers' Poll of the Fairfield County Weekly and has received similar “BEST OF” awards from Stamford Magazine and StamfordPlus magazine for 2008 through 2018. Curtain Call received The Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts in 2011 and the ACE Award for Excellence in Arts & Culture from the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County in 2016.
 

Authors

• Mel Brooks
• Thomas Meehan