A star-studded cast filled the Hollywood Bowl stage this weekend, and I was lucky enough to nab a seat to the show.
Friday night, I got to see a smarmy Broadway producer, his mousey accountant, a gay Hitler, and a Swedish bombshell sing songs and dance dances. Mel Brooks’ The Producers was on a limited three-day run here in LA, and wow’d with a great cast:
Richard Kind as Max Bialystock
Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Leo Bloom
Gary Beach as Roger de Bris
Roger Bart as Carmen Ghia
Rebecca Romijn as Ulla
Dane Cook as Franz Liebkind
Yes, you read that correctly. Dane Cook in a musical. More on that later.
I brought my buddy Danny who’s the gayest straight guy I know and my favorite guy to see musicals with. It was his first time seeing the show, my second (I’d seen the show about 10 years ago in Seattle). Despite all the Tony Awards its won, The Producers has never ranked high on my list of Broadway favorites. It’s a bit too corny and slapsticky for my taste. I recall saying to my boyfriend at the time that it was a comedy for “old people.” Heh.
The verdict this time around? Still corny. Still slapsticky. But highly enjoyable! I was entertained beyond my expectations.
Perhaps this means I’m “old” now?
Nah, let’s not get carried away. I enjoyed the show for two reasons:
Reason #1: I love the venue.
I think it’s impossible to NOT enjoy a show at the Hollywood Bowl. A gorgeous open-air venue tucked into the Hollywood Hills, the Bowl is the perfect spot for an outdoor show. The summery weather here is always ideal, and the shows generally start just as the sun is setting. There’s really not a bad seat in the house and the acoustics are awesome.
Best part for me is being able to bring my own picnic. Danny and I came fully stocked with a bottle of French Carignan, Parrano cheese, flatbread crisps and other snacks. Naturally, we had classy plastic red cups in tow too.
My only complaint is parking. It’s terrible. Whose idea was it to create a lot that is almost entirely stacked parking?! Anyway, we decided to park at the Hollywood & Highland shopping center down the street. They offer a convenient $5 shuttle that takes you directly to and from the Bowl – super cheap and super easy (you do have to pay the regular parking fees in the structure). I highly recommend it.
This was my first time seeing a major musical in an outdoor setting, and I really, really enjoyed it.
Reason #2: It was fun and most of the performances were solid.
Photos below courtesy of broadwayworld.com
Half of the lead actors had played the role in the past, and it showed. Richard Kind, Gary Beach and Roger Bart were brilliant. (I totally have a crush on Roger Bart’s flaming gay Carmen!)
Jesse Tyler Ferguson was adorable but his performance was a bit off. I love Modern Family, so was thrilled when he took the stage – it’s just that something about his casting as Leo Bloom didn’t quite do it for me. The guy can definitely act and he can definitely sing. I guess the part didn’t really suit him (he also seemed a little nervous and even flubbed a couple lines), but his performance definitely made me smile.
Rebecca Romijn (hot!) played who else but the Swedish bombshell. And bombshell, she is. Just stunning. But her singing was sub-par and she couldn’t seem to commit to the Swedish accent – which was pretty bad to begin with. Good news is she wasn’t nearly as bad of an Ulla as Christie Brinkley was of a Roxie Hart, and her presence on stage was magnetic and entertaining.
And as much as I hate to say this – don’t judge me! – Dane Cook was one of my favorite performances of the night. He played the eccentric, birdkeeping, Hitler-loving playwright. Absolutely hilarious. He nailed the German accent and his brand of physical comedy was perfect for the role. In no other context would I ever say this about Dane Cook – but he was delightfully hilarious. And he can actually sing. In German, no less.
And one of the highlights of the night: award-winning writer of The Producers, Mel Brooks, showed up! Very cool.
It was an all-around good time. Not a perfect show by any means – there were technical audio difficulties, a minor prop issue – but given the little time they had to prepare, even Mel Brooks himself took the stage, tongue-in-cheek, and said, “They’re almost good!”
Would I see The Producers again? Probably not. But I’m pleased I got to see it while it was here, and in fine company and a perfect venue. Can’t really go wrong on a night of laughter under the stars.
And a press day video for your viewing pleasure:
“Keep it gay, keep it gay, keep it gaaay!”