Steve On Broadway (SOB)

It's Alive! Young Frankenstein Opens On Broadway

It's Alive! Young Frankenstein Opens On Broadway

It all comes down to this evening.

After months and months of negative publicity for charging $450 for the top seats, not publicly sharing the grosses, not paying dues for the Dramatists Guild, dumping the beloved Cloris Leachman, and star Roger Bart's bad back, Mel Brooks' second film adaptation to be turned into a big splashy Broadway musical finally opens this evening.

Brooks' beloved film Young Frankenstein gets fine tunered with the help of Thomas Meehan and director/choreographer Susan Stroman.

Bart takes on the title role, with Megan Mullally, ahem, assuming the position of Elizabeth, Andrea Martin instilling fear in horses as Frau Blucher, Christopher Fitzgerald humping along as Igor, Sutton Foster rolling in der hay as Inga and Shuler Hensley puttin' on the ritz as the Monster.

While I've been highly critical of the aforementioned offenses, I also have been able to separate those issues from my enjoyment of the show during its Seattle tryouts. As cathartic as dissing it with a stinging review might have been, I'm the first to admit that I rather liked Young Frankenstein.

The real test with tonight's opening and tomorrow's reviews is whether the critics can do the same, or if they'll use the "this was too much like the movie" line to pile on. Find out tomorrow in my critics' capsule.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Click here for tickets.
Related Stories:
Bart's Back: Bad Omen? (October 24, 2007)
The Broadway Theatres Not Impacted By Labor Dispute (October 17, 2007)
Shubert Alley Schadenfreude, Or Mel's Funk (October 11, 2007)
Once Again, I Have To Ask.... (September 20, 2007)
Young Frankenstein's Gross Out Factor (September 7, 2007)
Seattle Times: Young Frankenstein's Shtick Gets Old (August 24, 2007)
Riedel's Deep Abby Normal?(August 17, 2007)
Young Frankenstein (The SOB Preview) (August 13, 2007)
Will These Eyes Meet? Hoping For Better Than 75% (August 10, 2007)
Is Mel Worth It? (August 4, 2007)
Thanks, Mel! (July 6, 2007)
What Motivates You To See A Broadway Show? (July 5, 2007)
That's Franken$$$$$TEIN! (June 29, 2007)
Cloris To Mel: Put Up Your Dukes! (June 13, 2007)
Pirate Queen Set To Abdicate Hilton Throne (June 6, 2007)
Billion Dollar Broadway Baby? Almost. (May 30, 2007)
Mel Brooks: "It Looks Like The Hilton Theatre" (May 25, 2007)
End Of Plank For Pirate Queen? (May 18, 2007)
It's Official: Mullally Cast In Young Frankenstein (March 9, 2007)
The Hits From Coast To Coast (March 8, 2007)
Whither Goeth Chenoweth? (February 27, 2007)
Producers Out, Young Frankenstein In (February 22, 2007)
That's FrankenSTEEN: Just In Time For Halloween (January 24, 2007)
M-G-M: Movies-Going-Musical (January 3, 2007)
Young Frankenstein Workshop To Feature Monster Casting (October 11, 2006)

Labels: Andrea Martin, Broadway, Christopher Fitzgerald, Film, Megan Mullally, Mel Brooks, Musical, Opening Night, Roger Bart, Sutton Foster, Thomas Meehan, Young Frankenstein

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Thursday, November 08, 2007