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"The Producers" on Broadway


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Has anyone seen this, and, if so, what is your take on it?

I don't expect to be flooded with affirmative answers. Many people will be like me, out here in the boonies with no time ot money for a trip to New York. And, for those within earshot, I know tickets to a Broadway show, especially this one, are expensive, if you can get them anyway.

The reason I am asking is that I have been exchanging a few e-mails with someone connected with the show; he is a former classmate from my old high school. I have read everything there is about the show, I guess, but that's not the same as getting an unbiased view from someone who has seen it. If there is anyone, that is.

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I saw it in February (Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane were both performing in the leads). It was painfully funny. I mean, it was physically hurt, grab your sides and beg them to stop long enough for you to regain your composure funny.

It was so funny that Broderick and Lane made each other laugh: so hard that they had to stop the show for a minute. This happened in the second act, when Lane's character suggests they kill the actors and Broderick responds, "YOU CAN'T KILL THE ACTORS! THEY'RE NOT ANIMALS!" For some reason, the two found this riotous and lost their composure. The audience, by now exhausted with glee, simply applauded, giving them enough time to get back into character and get back on with the show.

The New York Times review of the show began (and I agree): "How do you point out the highlights in a forest fire?"

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Aw, shucks, Raf (remember you gave me permission to call you that)...you didn't mention my old classmate...he's up there with those guys, getting his own Tony for his role. But I'm glad to hear you liked it; I'll pass it on.

Believe it or not (and who cares anyway) the last time before this I communicated with someone from my old high school (besides my sister), was back at Emporia when I learned that an 8th corps brother/sister pair had gone to the same school. But they werent there at the same time I was, as this guy was. Old Groveton High School in Northern Virginia...which, sadly enough, ceased to exist several years ago.

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  • 10 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...

They are on schedule. Gary Beach had promised to answer some questions from my son to help out with a school report on musicals, but unfortunately my son waited too long to get his e-mail together. Gary is currently starring in "La Cage aux Folles" on Broadway while filming "The Producers", and has no time even to breathe between these projects.

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  • 7 months later...

The release dates for "The Producers" (movie) are December 16th and 25th (limited releases) and January 13th (nationwide).

P.S. How do you change the title of the thread? Without starting a seperate thread, it should be "The Producers", Broadway and movie, or something like that.

Edited by Lifted Up
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  • 2 months later...

I saw the movie today. Though I never saw the musical on Broadway, it was about what I expected from knowing plenty about it. It was good, and Gary Beach was no surprise.

As I watched it, I mentally tried to picture the show as a live production. Obviously, watching the live one would add an atmosphere that the movie can't. Thus I suspect there is a danger in doing what Mel Brooks did...even though the production was originally a film, it was the Broadway production which was pretty much transferred to film, right? But it seems it was a pretty good job.

More obviously, someone who has seen it on Broadway and this film would have a better perspective. Raf, you there, and have you seen the film yet?

Interestingly, this month's release is presumably limited, so I wonder how we rated it now in little (as far as numbers of people) old South Dakota? Ironically though, I saw it here in TX while we are visiting my wife's family.

Raf, Raf, Raf, you around? Or is there anyone else who has seen both?

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  • 2 weeks later...

I finally saw it!

And now, my review of the movie version of the stage musical "The Producers!"

Here it is: ready?

__________________________________________________________________________

Edited by Raf
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I suspect my initial review was not understood.

I was trying to say the movie was flat.

More detailed:

I like the fact that the musical was put on film, but I thought a lot of the jokes that made my ribs ache on stage were just not funny on screen. I didn't like the fact that they cut Nathan Lane's opening song, which established his character. Matthew Broderick was not very good at all. The chemistry between Lane and Broderick was just about gone.

Gary Beach, on the other hand, was very good.

Edited by Raf
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