Lightning Bolt Productions Presents YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN

Lightning Bolt Productions' Young Frankenstein - The Mel Brooks Musical will open at the West Boca Performing Arts Center at West Boca High School* on April 13th, and run through April 22nd.

A wickedly inspired re-imagining of the Frankenstein legend, Mel Brooks' comedy masterpiece follows bright young Dr. Frankenstein (that's Fronkensteen!) as he attempts to complete his grandfather's masterwork and bring a corpse to life. Together with his oddly shaped and endearing helper Igor (that's Eye-gor), his curvaceous lab assistant Inga, and in spite of his incredibly self-involved madcap fiancé Elizabeth, Frankenstein succeeds in creating a monster - but not without scary and quite often hilarious complications.

Young Frankenstein was Mel Brooks' follow-up to his hit musical The Producers, and audience reaction to the production was consistently positive, much to his delight: "I love what they do," Brooks said in an interview shortly after the show opened. "The audience knows Young Frankenstein the movie; they didn't know The Producers. They all neigh when anyone on stage says "Frau Blucher". And they can't wait for the Blind Hermit to spill the hot soup on the monster's lap. It's great to see the audience play ping-pong with the actors."

Lightning Bolt founder, and the show's director Jessie Hoffman has drawn upon a special piece of the film's history to inspire and inform her directorial choices: "I think it's safe to say that everyone has a special place in their heart for Gene Wilder," she explains. "Throughout the filming process of Young Frankenstein he and Mel Brooks only had one disagreement, which would probably shock most fans of the movie. Mel Brooks strongly disliked Wilder's idea to include a scene where Fredrick Frankenstein performed "Puttin' On The Ritz" with the monster. Of course, once the scene was done, Brooks admitted that he'd been wrong and stated that it was the best thing in the movie.

"As a director, it's my job to find the difficult balance of staying true to what the piece is meant to be, while making it my own," she continues. "Because of this, Young Frankenstein might very well be the most difficult show I've ever directed, but also, the most rewarding. If I can learn anything from this production, it's to trust my instincts, my ideas, and myself no matter what others say. To trust my humor and my creativity, because if Gene hadn't trusted his, one of the most beloved, hilarious, and iconic moments of this film wouldn't exist. It's truly amazing how something that can bring such laughter, joy, and amusement to so many people can also teach such an important life lesson, and I'm truly grateful to Gene Wilder for helping me learn that."

Lightning Bolt has enlisted Nicole Stav to help shepherd the fledgling theatre company's show onto the stage - she will serve as the production's Stage Manager, and has designed many aspects of the show including the Set, Lighting, Costume, and Props: "I'm truly excited to be able to blend my passion for theatre with my skills in business management," she says. "It's not very often that we get to do what we love, but when you do, it never really feels like work. Spearheading this new Production Company has been rewarding in so many ways, and the relationships we're forming within the South Florida Theatre Industry are invaluable, to say the very least. Managing such a large cast while simultaneously taking care of props, costumes, lighting design, and set design has been challenging; however, I feel that the hard work we've put in will be so obvious once everyone sees the show!"

Young Frankenstein cast members include Max Miller (Frederick Frankenstein), Jonathan Cabrera (Igor), Jessie Hoffman (Inga), Josh Nelson (The Creature), Eileen Flanagan Parente (Frau Blucher), Taryn Bagdasarian (Elizabeth), Larry Bresslerr (Inspector Kemp), and Murphy Hayes (The Hermit, etc.). Also cast are Michael Reizburg, Ravelle Miller, Victoria Kuhns, Angela Moormann-Davis, Valerie Bressler, Aaron Bravo, and Christian Matthiesen.

The show's Musical Director is Angela Moormann-Davis; Choreography is by Taryn Bagdasarian.

Tickets for Young Frankenstein - The Mel Brooks Musical are on sale now and can be purchased on line at www.lbptheatre.com or by phone at 561-886-8286. Tickets are $35. Group rates (6 or more tickets purchased in one transaction) are $28, and student tickets ($20 with valid ID) are also available.

Photo: Jessie Hoffman, Jonathan Cabrera, Max Miller, and Eileen Flanagan Parente.

Photo Credit: Carol Kassie