Rehearsals for The Producers, the hilarious Mel Brooks musical comedy, are underway at Artscape, ahead of the productions’s first season at Theatre On The Bay. Brought to local audiences by Pieter Toerien Productions, the musical is directed by Joseph Pitcher, with musical direction by Garth Tavares and choreography by Duane Alexander. Mila De Biaggi serves as assistant choreographer.
In The Producers, Max Bialystock (a role which will be played by Alan Committie), the onetime king of Broadway producers who is hungry to strike it rich, and Leo Bloom (Richard White), an accountant with dreams of someday becoming a theatre producer, discover that they could get richer by producing a flop than a hit and start by finding the worst show, worst director, and worst actors. When their new production, Springtime for Hitler, turns out to be a smash success, the plan is thrown off and the partners lives are thrown into chaos.
Below, Dean Roberts provides a glimpse into the rehearsal room, where the production team is putting together what promises to be a hilarious reading of this international smash hit musical theatre hit.
The company of The Producers is rounded out by Raquel Munn, Terence Bridgett, Schoeman Smit, Earl Gregory, Devin Butterworth, Nathan Muller, Philip Schnetler, Joshua van Niekerk, Nicolette Fernandes, Michele La Trobe, Chloe Perling, Nadine Suliaman and Claire Glover. The creative team includes costume designer Penny Simpson and set designer Michael Mitchell, with Alyssa Harrison, assisted by Shakir Bester, handling the stage management.
The South African tour of The Producers kicks off at Theatre on the Bay in Cape Town on 4 February, with a season to follow at Pieter Toerien’s Montecasino Theatre and Studio from 3 April. Bookings are through Computicket.
South African Musical Theatre Archive 