Review: THE PRODUCERS at Connecticut Theatre Company

Nothing brings people together like the relentless offending of any and all people. Now, obviously that isn't always true, but judging by the sold out audience of Connecticut Theatre Company’s production of The Producers, by Mel Brooks, it still rings true from time to time. For those unfamiliar with Brooks’ musical masterpiece, it's a story that promises to offend anyone and everyone, as it focuses on failing Broadway Producer, Max Bialystock, and accountant, Leo Bloom, as they attempt to produce the worst play ever written as a means to commit fraud and steal millions of dollars from investors. Whenever a theater decides to do The Producers, there is always a mix of joy, curiosity, and anticipation that wells up within me. As a show, it is brilliantly written, but this style of comedy is easy to get wrong. At the same time, there is a level of spectacle to any Mel Brooks story that can be a challenge to any theater who isn't prepared. The Connecticut Theatre Company was, in fact, prepared.

One of the joys about CTC’s space is exactly that: space. Their wide and deep stage allows them to build sprawling sets, which gave them a lot of flexibility with this show. Utilizing a Theatre façade as a backdrop and smartly using double-sided rolling platforms, they were able to have multiple fully designed rooms to play in, as well as the space downstage of the curtain when they had a small scene. Tullio Milani, the set designer, made excellent use of their space and crafted a stunning set that was both practical and spectacular. Speaking of the spectacle, the entire crew went above and beyond! With costumes designed by Johanna Milani and Kim Saltzman- the former of which also directed the production- and props managed by the two with Sara Courtemanche as well, then entire production felt over the top and grand: Exactly what The Producers requires.

When one says that this level of comedy is easy to get wrong, they often refer to the cast: With a script as good as this, less is actually more. Casts that struggle with Brooks are ones that try too hard; they don't trust the material and thus it comes off overdone and feels cheap. CTC’s cast did know such thing. They trusted the material and they had fun, and that's what really made this production brilliant. While the entire cast should be commended, the stars really made this next level. The delightful duo of Roger DeBris and Carmen Ghia- played by Tullio Malani and Liam Welsh, respectively- at times brought the audience to laughter just by walking on stage. Then, the passion of Franz Liebkind- played by Charles Forte- brought absurdity and commitment to the extreme. When she wasn't helping with props, Sara Courtemanche kept the audience enraptured as Ulla, the seductively Swedish actress. Finally, you can't have The Producers without, well, the producers: Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom, played by Chuck Stango and Cole Urso, respectively, brought everything together with not only their chemistry together, but also their superb characterization on their own. Not enough can be said by the amount of energy that this cast put in, and the results speak for themselves.

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