The Goucher College Music Department is presenting the hilarious Broadway musical The Producers – performed by a 22-member cast and an eight-piece orchestra – on Wednesday, May 7, and Thursday, May 8, at 8 p.m. in Merrick Lecture Hall.
Reservations should be made in advance at www.goucher.edu/tickets or by calling 410-337-6333. The cost is $4 for Goucher students, faculty and staff; $8 for general admission.
In 1968, the film writer and director Mel Brooks wrote, directed, and composed the music for the film The Producers. It was instantly regarded as a masterpiece of hysterical, over-the-top comedy.
The plot revolves around Broadway producer Max Bialystock, who convinces the mild-mannered, insecure accountant Leo Bloom to collaborate with him on a dishonest scheme to make them both rich. They engineer a disastrous production of a horrible show – with Adolph Hitler as the lead character – assuming it will be an instant flop and make them a ton of money because they have taken more money from investors than they can repay. The plan improbably goes awry when the show turns out to be a hit.
The film was later turned into a stage musical and made its Broadway début on April 19, 2001. The show ran for six years and more than 2,500 performances, and in its first year it won a record-breaking 12 Tony Awards. It is one of the most remarkably successful shows in the history of Broadway musicals, and it has enjoyed a worldwide following through numerous national and international tours.