According to The New York Post’s Michael Riedel, more performers have been enlisted for the upcoming workshop of Young Frankenstein, Mel Brooks’ new musical version of his beloved horror spoof. Susan Stroman–who previously won a Tony for staging Brooks’ The Producers–will direct the workshop, which will be performed in October for prospective backers. Joining Tony Award-winner Kristin Chenoweth (Wicked, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown) as Inga, Tony Award-winner Shuler Hensley (Tarzan, Oklahoma!) as Frankenstein’s Monster and Tony Award-nominee Marc Kudisch (See What I Wanna See, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) as the Police Inspector, will be Tony Award-winner Sutton Foster (The Drowsy Chaperone) as Elizabeth (the Madeline Kahn role), Roger Bart (The Producers) as Igor, and Cloris Leachman (reprising her film role) as Frau Blucher. Riedel states that the stars are likely to move to Broadway with the show. Casting is currently underway for the title role, which was created by Gene Wilder in the film. Although first choice Hugh Jackman was too busy, "Saturday Night Live" star Jimmy Fallon and TV star Tom Cavenaugh are reportedly both under consideration. Riedel also writes that the musical "tracks the movie pretty closely. The Irving Berlin estate has given Brooks the rights to ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz,’ so that hilarious dance sequence from the movie has the potential to be a showstopper. Brooks and Meehan have beefed up the relationship between Dr. Frankenstein and the Monster, and they’ve written several parodies of scenes from the classic Boris Karloff film." Young Frankenstein, inspired by the famed Mary Shelley novel, concerns the skeptical neurosurgeon grandson of Dr. Victor Frankenstein, who returns to Frankenstein’s castle to find that the legendary monster was more than just a myth. The comedy, which was directed by Brooks with a screenplay by Brooks and Wilder, starred Wilder, Peter Boyle, Madeline Kahn, Marty Feldman, Leachman, Teri Garr, Kenneth Mars and more.
Broadway World
OMG! I so want to see this!
I guess that makes Roger Bart the only actor to open in both of Mel Brook’s Broadway shows! And how freaking cool that Chloris Leachmen will reprise her role!
PS The movie version of the Broadway musical based on the movie will be out in 2009…joking!
