Young Frankenstein (musical)

Background

After the success of his 2001 musical, The Producers, based on Brooks' earlier film of the same name, Brooks decided to create a musical based on another of his successful films. Brooks and Meehan (the same team that crafted The Producers) began work on the project in April 2006. An October 2006 reading of the first draft of the script directed by Susan Stroman (who had directed the earlier musical) featured Brian d'Arcy James as Dr. Frankenstein, Kristin Chenoweth as Elizabeth, Sutton Foster as Inga, Roger Bart as Igor, Marc Kudisch as Inspector Kemp, and Shuler Hensley as the Monster (Hensley had previously played a different version of the character in the 2004 film Van Helsing).

Cloris Leachman, reprising her film role as Frau Blücher, also attended the table read, and at the time it was widely reported she would be offered the role of Blücher for the stage show. However, gossip maven Liz Smith reported in her January 12, 2007 New York Post column that Leachman was sent a letter informing her she would not be considered for the Broadway production because the producers wanted to keep the film and stage properties separate (and also because of Brooks' concerns over Leachman's ability to perform the character consistently at her age). Despite this, due to Leachman's success on Dancing with the Stars, Brooks reportedly asked her to reprise her role as Frau Blücher after Beth Leavel left the production. However, the production closed before Leachman could take over the role.

Seattle tryout (2007)

The pre-Broadway try-out played at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle, Washington from August 7, 2007 through September 1, 2007.

Broadway (2007-2009)

Young Frankenstein began previews on Broadway on October 11, 2007 and opened on November 8 at the Lyric Theatre (then the Hilton Theatre) and closed on January 4, 2009 after 485 performances. Directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman, it starred Roger Bart as Frankenstein, Megan Mullally as Elizabeth, Christopher Fitzgerald as Igor, Sutton Foster as Inga, Andrea Martin as Frau Blucher, Shuler Hensley as The Monster, and Fred Applegate as Inspector Kemp. Sets were designed by Robin Wagner and costumes by William Ivey Long; orchestrations were by Doug Besterman. The production had a reported $16 million-plus budget and a top ticket price of $450 in its “differential seating.” It also sold front row tickets for $25 each based on a lottery a few hours before each performance. The producers indicated that they planned to buck the usual Broadway practice by not reporting Box Office returns.

The musical's original cast album was released on December 26, 2007, by Decca Broadway and was third on the Billboard Top Cast Album chart in the beginning of January 2008.

Replacements for the Broadway company included Kelly Sullivan as Inga; Beth Leavel as Frau Blucher; Michele Ragusa as Elizabeth; and Cory English as Igor.

US tours

First National Tour A touring production of the show began in September 2009 at the Providence Performing Arts Center, Providence, Rhode Island. The cast for the tour included Roger Bart and Shuler Hensley, reprising their Broadway roles, along with Cory English (Igor), Brad Oscar (Inspector Kemp/Blind Hermit), Beth Curry (Elizabeth), Joanna Glushak (Frau Blucher) and Anne Horak (Inga).

The show went on temporary hiatus on August 8, 2010 and re-opened on September 12, 2010 with a new cast that includes Christopher Ryan as Frederick Frankenstein, Preston Truman Boyd as The Monster, David Benoit as Inspector Kemp, Janine DiVita as Elizabeth, and Synthia Link as Inga. English and Glushak continued to play the roles they created on tour.

Second National Tour The show re-opened for a second National Tour on September 30, 2011 after two previews in Utica, New York. The cast included A.J. Holmes (Frederick Frankenstein), Lexie Dorsett (Elizabeth), Elizabeth Pawlowski (Inga), Rory Donovan (The Monster), Pat Sibley (Frau Blucher), Christopher Timson (Igor), Britt Hancock (Inspector Kemp), and an ensemble composed of Edward Charles Carignan II, Gregory Dassonville, Michael Peter Deeb, Jerome Doerger, Brett Figel, Kinsland Howell, Lauren Kadel, Graham Keen, Stephanie Madden, Caitlin Maloney, Kevin Metzger, Ashley Gale Munzek, Sarah O'Connor, Kristen Schoen-Rene, Tug Watson, and Eric Weaver.

West End (2017)

The show will make its UK premiere at the Newcastle Theatre Royal from 26 August to 9 September 2017 before transferring to London's West End at the Garrick Theatre opening on 10 October, with previews beginning 28 September. The production will once again be directed by Susan Stroman and will have changes made by Brooks and Thomas Meehan. The production will feature set design by Beouwulf Borrit, costume design by William Ivey Long, lighting design by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Gareth Owen and Andrew Hilton as musical director with Glen Kelly as musical supervisor. It will be produced by Brooks, Michael Harrison, Fiery Angel and Hani Farsi. Casting is to be announced.

Act I

In 1934, the villagers of Transylvania Heights celebrate the funeral procession of the mad scientist, Dr. Victor von Frankenstein. However, Inspector Kemp, who has a wooden right arm and wooden left leg, tells the town of the existence of Victor's grandson: Frederick, the Dean of Anatomy at New York's Johns, Miriam and Anthony Hopkins School of Medicine. The village idiot, Ziggy, convinces the other villagers that there is no way a New York doctor would come to Transylvania, thus continuing the celebration ("The Happiest Town").

In New York, Frederick Frankenstein is ashamed to be a Frankenstein, insisting his name be pronounced "Fronkensteen" and that he is not a madman but a scientist. He lectures his students about the greatest mind of science ("The Brain"). After learning that he has inherited his grandfather's castle in Transylvania, he is forced to resolve the issue of the property. As Elizabeth Benning, Frederick’s fiancée, sees him off, it is clear that their relationship is far from physical as Elizabeth enumerates all the lustful situations from which she is abstaining, capped off by a much-lauded ode to her breasts (“Please Don’t Touch Me”).

Arriving at Transylvania Heights, Frederick meets the hunchback Igor (pronounced "Eye-gore"), the grandson of Victor's henchman, who is extremely excited to meet Frederick. Igor tries to convince him to continue in his grandfather's footsteps ("Together Again"); he has already hired the services of Inga, a yodeling lab assistant with a degree in Laboratory Science from the local community college. During a wagon ride to Castle Frankenstein, a yodeling Inga and the doctor indulge in a "Roll in the Hay". When they reach the castle, they meet the mysterious Frau Blücher, whose spoken name frightens the horses.

Once inside the castle's main living room, Frederick falls asleep reading Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm and dreams that his grandfather and ancestors encourage him to build a monster ("Join the Family Business"). He is awakened by Inga, and they find the secret entrance to his grandfather's laboratory behind a book case by following eerie violin music. They discover the mysterious violin player to be Frau Blücher, who tells of her past of festival games with the late Victor for whom she was more than just a housekeeper ("He Vas My Boyfriend"). After reviewing his grandfather's notes, Frederick decides to carry on the experiments in the reanimation of the dead and requests Igor to find a large corpse as well as the brain of a scholar. The villagers gather at the local town hall for a meeting and are instructed to be on the lookout for grave robbers, as Frederick and Igor go through the town with their corpse ("The Law"). Igor returns with the brain, but drops it, surreptitiously replacing it with another. Frederick creates the creature ("Life, Life"), who goes on a rampage shortly after waking. The doctor is distressed to find that Igor had provided a different brain whose name he recalls as "Abby Normal".

Inspector Kemp and the townspeople come to the castle to investigate, pretending to welcome Frederick ("Welcome to Transylvania"). Frederick and his employees try to stall the villagers ("Transylvania Mania") while Frau Blücher frees the Monster without letting Frederick know. Panic ensues as the monster breaks free from the stage and tramples through the audience.

Act II

The town begins to search for the Monster, with Frau Blücher trying to bringing him back with the music from the violin, but to no avail ("He's Loose"). Inga talks to the frustrated doctor ("Listen to Your Heart"). Frau Blücher and Igor find the two suspended on the platform, completing what Igor refers to as "an experiment in female anatomy."

Elizabeth arrives unexpectedly in Transylvania with a large entourage ("Surprise") and finds Frederick and Inga, both in a state of undress, who tell her that no funny business was taking place. Meanwhile, the Monster finds a blind hermit named Harold after breaking through his house wall ("Please Send Me Someone"). Eventually, after Harold accidentally pours hot soup into the Monster's lap and lights his thumb (mistaking it as a cigar), the Monster is startled into another yelling rampage and leaves. Frederick locks himself into a room with the Monster, and after overcoming his fears he tells the Monster that he is a good looking fellow who is loved and will be hailed by all ("Man About Town").

The Monster is presented at the Loews Transylvania Theatre, now dressed as a gentleman, first walking on command, and then dancing to Irving Berlin's "Puttin' On the Ritz". While taking his bow, the Monster becomes terrified when some stage lights explode. Elizabeth is kidnapped by the creature and is taken to a cave, where he forces himself on her. However, she is now seeing a different side of the Monster and discovers what she has been yearning for in her life ("Deep Love"). Luring the Monster back to the castle by the music of a French horn, Frederick attempts an intelligence transfer, but the Monster does not wake, and to make things worse, Inspector Kemp and the angry villagers (believing that Elizabeth has been killed by the Monster) break into the castle and bring Frederick to the gallows. The doctor is hanged after finally accepting his family name ("Frederick's Soliloquy").

The Monster returns, not only able to speak articulately but also using his newly transferred medical skills to discover that Frederick is not dead, but merely unconscious and is able to bring him back to life. Just as the crowd is about to re-hang Frederick and the Monster, Elizabeth arrives. The Monster proposes to Elizabeth (“Deep Love” (Reprise)) and a happy ending is ahead for all as the moon shines high on the newly-engaged Doctor and Inga (“Finale Ultimo”).

Differences from the original film

Although the plot remains mostly the same, there are several changes from the original film. "The Happiest Town in Town" is not based on any scene from the film. Elizabeth arrives in Transylvania earlier than in the film, where she arrives after "Puttin' on The Ritz," a song performed in the film by only Frederick and the Monster; in the musical, it is sung by all the characters, except Elizabeth and the villagers. The scene from the film with the little girl is not in the musical. In the film, the Monster is lured not by a French horn but a violin, and awakens in the laboratory directly after the brain transfer; in the musical, the Villagers hang Frederick before the Monster wakes and saves him, with the ensuing finale much expanded.

Musical numbers

Broadway Replacement Cast

Tour Replacement Cast

Instrumentation

The Broadway Orchestrations By: Doug Besterman calls for a large 24 piece orchestra.

Including:

3 Violins 2 Violas 2 Celli 3 Trumpets 2 Trombones 2 French Horns 4 Woodwinds 3 Keyboards-Including Conductor/MD 1 Drums 1 Percussion 1 Bass

Reception

Young Frankenstein generally received mixed critical reviews, and was often compared to The Producers. The New York Times called it "an overblown burlesque revue, right down to its giggly smuttiness ... Mr. Brooks’s songs have a throwaway quality, as if they were dashed off on the day of the performance."

The New York Post gave a more positive review, saying that the show "is nearly very good indeed" and that "Brooks and Stroman pull out every stop. Despite music that's more ho-hum than hummable, Brooks' lyrics are bright and witty. Better yet, the book ... does a great job, with the assistance of co-writer Thomas Meehan, in transferring the original script to the stage."

The Daily Telegraph said that "Susan Stroman directs and choreographs with her usual wit and invention," but also mentioned that "you cannot escape the impression that everyone is working desperately hard to animate essentially weak material, and the show fatally lacks that touch of the sublime that made The Producers so special."

Despite mixed reviews from New York critics, Young Frankenstein was generally popular with audiences, with one attendee saying that although it didn't outdo the film, it's a "fantastic [show] for those new to Broadway". The production won a Broadway.com Audience Award for Favorite New Broadway Musical.

When describing the audience's reaction, Brooks said, "I love what they do. The audience knows 'Young Frankenstein' the movie; they didn't know 'The Producers.' They all neigh when anyone on stage says 'Frau Blucher.' And they can't wait for the Blind Hermit to spill the hot soup on the monster's lap. It's great to see the audience play ping-pong with the actors."