Must-See! The Producers at Mercury Theatre (April 21, 2016)

Before there was the Book of Mormon, there was The Producers. It won a record twelve Tony Awards including “Best Musical”. It was also made into a movie starring Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, Will Ferrell, and Uma Thurman.  This Mel Brooks comedy has a fantastic history!

Mercury Theatre’s production is worthy of this remarkable play. The sets are incredibly well done considering the medium size of the theatre. The set manages to feel like a huge Broadway show while also maintaining the intimacy of a smaller stage.

The cast is is all around fantastic!  Especially Allison Sill, who steals every scene she appears in as Ulla.  Her portrayal of a Swedish actress/secretary is delightful and her accent is spot on.  Harter Clingman as Franz Liebkind was also a complete joy to watch. Again, he nailed the accent. Sawyer Smith was fantastic as Carmen Ghia. With the simplest of gestures, Sawyer had the crowd laughing with delight. Leah Morrow cracked everyone up as Hold-me, Touch-me, each and every time she came on stage.

This show is what musical comedies are all about. Even after two and half hours, the audience was left wanting more. This is a must see show in Chicago this spring. Catch The Producers now before it closes on June 26^th!

Quinn Delaney