Music Theatre Fargo Moorhead is presenting the new Mel Brooks musical, “Young Frankenstein,” directed by Craig Ellingson at The Stage at Island Park Thursday through Saturday and Oct. 31 through Nov. 2 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday and Nov. 3 at 2 p.m.
The comedy musical is based of off the book written by Brooks and Thomas Meehan and an Oscar-nominated smash-hit comedy film written by Brooks, Madeline Kahn and Gene Wilder in 1974. Broadway production of “Young Frankenstein” played for 485 performances in 2009.
The main characters include: Frederick Frankenstein (Fronkensteen), nephew of a newly deceased mad scientist and dean of anatomy at the Johns, Miriam and Anthony Hopkins School of Medicine, played by Taylor Schatz; Kathryn Hanson playing his fiancé, a hunchback named Igor; Samuel L. Krauth playing a yodeling lab assistant named Inga, and Angela Schulz playing the mysterious Frau Blucher.
The setting of the musical is 1934 in Transylvania Heights with the townsfolk celebrating the death of the senior, Dr. Victor Von Frankenstein, played by Daniel Damico. The party falls short when there is word of an heir to his madness living in New York. Young Dr. Frankenstein is notified of his inheritance and invited to the family mansion in Transylvania where he meets hunchbacked Igor. It follows the young Dr. Frankenstein as he attempts to take over the “family business” and complete his grandfather’s masterwork of bringing a corpse to life.
Following the performance is a costume contest, sponsored by Applause, on the Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 performances. Both contests will be hosted by internationally known dancer, singer, choreographer and performer Patrick Kasper, creator of “Positive Motion,” a dance exercise program that inspires and motivates people of all ages to make fitness a part of their daily lives in a fun and creative way.
The contest will be judged by local celebrities, such as AM 970 WDAY host Christopher Gabriel, and Steve Poitras, another local talk show host. Attend the performance in a costume and you will be automatically entered in the costume contest. Winners will be announced and presented with their prizes on stage after curtain call.
For more information and to reserve tickets visit musictheatrefm.com or call the box office at 701-235-6778.
BY SAMANTHA STARK
Email