Jokes tend to lose their humor after being heard multiple times, but weeks of rehearsals haven’t dulled the one-liners for the cast of “Young Frankenstein.”
“We laugh every time,” said Nichole Kuehl, who plays Elizabeth Benning in the Augusta Players upcoming production of the show.
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Anyone who loves the 1974 Mel Brooks’ movie starring Gene Wilder and Marty Feldman is in for a treat with this stage production, according to Sol Baird who plays Dr. Frederick Frankenstein — it’s pronounced “fronkensteen,” according to a repeated line from the play.
Baird saw the movie as a kid, but he didn’t get reacquainted with it until he was cast for the role of the mad scientist’s grandson.
“I’ve always been a fan of Mel Brooks and ‘Blazing Saddles,’” he said.
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The stage version is much like the film, he said. It has the same jokes, the same Mel Brooks’ spin, but it’s now a musical with an epic tap dance number to “Puttin’ on the Ritz.”
“Young Frankenstein” opens the Augusta Players’ 77th season. It’s being called the “laugh out loud” season and is filled with lighthearted, fun musicals, according to executive and artistic director Scott Seidl.
After what everyone has been through in the past 20 months, people need to laugh, he said.
“There are a lot of people creating and producing dramas and commentary that delve into the current situation. It’s just too early for that,” he said.
Seidl and members of the cast are just glad for the opportunity to get back on stage and perform for a live audience.
The last time the group took the stage at the Imperial Theater was with its production of “Mamma Mia!” in February 2020.
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The remainder of the 2019-2020 season was postponed with “Cinderella,” the final show of the 2019-2020 season pushed to May 2022. The 2020-2021 season was a mix of recorded and streamed productions. Most of the shows had small casts and for some shows such as “Tea For Three,” the cast members never met one another. Their vignettes were all recorded separately.
Baird said taking the stage after the hiatus is both “thrilling and frightening at the same time because of the size of the role.”
“Young Frankenstein” is rated PG-13.
“It’s two hours of sex jokes,” said Baird.
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It will be presented at 8 p.m. Sept. 24-25 and at 3 p.m. Sept. 26 at the Imperial Theatre. Tickets are $25-$49 and are available through augustaplayers.org or by calling the theater box office at (706) 722-8341.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com.
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