April 3: ‘The Producers’ in performance at TPAC
Based on Brooks’ Academy Award-winning 1968 film of the same name, “The Producers” is the story of down-on-his-luck theatrical producer Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom, a mousy accountant. Together they hatch the ultimate scam: raise more money than you need for a sure-fire Broadway flop and pocket the difference. Their “sure-fire” theatrical fiasco? None other than a terrible idea for a musical, “Springtime For Hitler.”
“The Producers” swept the 2001 Tony Awards, receiving the most Awards in Broadway history. Tony Awards included Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical (Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan), Best Original Score (Mel Brooks), Best Scenic Design (Robin Wagner), Best Costume Design (William Ivey Long), Best Lighting Design (Peter Kaczorowski), Best Orchestrations (Doug Besterman), Best Choreography and Best Direction of a Musical (Susan Stroman).
“The Producers” also received a record eleven 2001 Drama Desk Awards, eight 2001 Outer Critics Awards, two 2002 Grammy Awards for Best Musical Show Album and Best Long Form Musical Video, the 2001 New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Musical, and the 2001 Drama League Award for Best Musical.
While the show centers around a Broadway production, knowledge of musicals is no way needed to enjoy “The Producers,” said actor Fred Applegate in a telephone interview from New Orleans, where the show is currently running.
Applegate, who plays Fred Liebkind, the insane Nazi author of “Springtime for Hitler,” said anyone who enjoys humor, especially Mel Brooks’ form of humor, will enjoy “The Producers.”
“If you like Mel Brooks, this is one of his best. You don’t have to be very knowledgeable about Broadway to get it. The show is aimed at mature audiences, however, mostly because of bad language. I’d say it would be all right for mature 13-year-olds and up,” he said.
Said Brent Hyams, TPAC’s director of marketing, “‘The Producers’ is pure Mel Brooks — insane satire, absolutely hilarious. He brilliantly pokes fun at himself – namely a producer – along with all the other players in American musical theatre, from actors to audience members. A number of us on the TPAC staff have seen the musical. It is just so funny. The music, the choreography, the costumes, and the scenic design are all outstanding. Don’t miss this show in Nashville. You’ll see why it’s Broadway’s biggest new hit since ‘The Lion King.'”
Performance times for “The Producers” in Andrew Jackson Hall are: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 8 p.m. Friday; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday; and 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Ticket prices range from $17.75 – $73, depending upon performance times and seat locations.
For tickets, visit the TPAC Box Office (Downtown or at Davis-Kidd Booksellers in Green Hills), online at www.tpac.org or any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets may also be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 615-255-ARTS (2787). For information on offers for groups of 20 or more, call TPAC Group Sales at 615-782-4060.
The March 28 matinee of “The Producers” will be signed for the hearing impaired.