Young Frankenstein Brings Monstrous Laughs to The Muny

The storms this week brought out emergency candles in the wake of power outages, new lawn decorations in the form of trampled trees, and many anxious Muny fans checking social media for updates hours before the opening night of Young Frankenstein. What we really needed after all this was a good laugh, and The Muny definitely delivered. 

Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein is, well, certainly a Mel Brooks production. Based on his 1974 movie of the same name, the production features quintessential Brooks silliness and delightfully cringe-worthy crude moments. (You might consider saving a family trip to The Muny for next week’s Mamma Mia.) The Muny’s “premier funny lady,” director Marcia Milgrom Dodge, takes Brooks’ bawdy, sexually charged humor and runs with it—and it pays off.

Robert Petkoff plays a brilliant Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, a doctor who returns to Transylvania to inherit his estate from his grandfather (the doctor Frankenstein, of monster-creating notoriety). Accompanied by humpback assistant Igor (Steve Rosen) and busty blonde bombshell “assistant” Inga (Stephanie Gibson), Dr. Frankenstein eventually throws out his New York rationality and decides to create a monster of his own, much to housekeeper Frau Blucher’s (Vicki Lewis) delight.

The relatively small cast is packed with talent. Petkoff has a vocal clarity and robustness that gives the musical its solid foundation. He keeps the classic “New York intellectual” role from falling flat with his comedic timing (and constant reminders that it’s “FronkenSTEEN,” not Frankenstein). Not to mention the bubbling chemistry he shares with Rosen. In “Together Again,” the two create the perfect balance of boisterous assistant and steadfast professor. Although there are only two actors on set, the stage feels full with their presence and witty banter.

Rosen deserves his own mention as well, injecting laughter throughout to keep the show moving. He is oafishly delightful as he roams through the crowd chirping, “Let’s go look for the body!” picking on various audience members and celebrating—quite modernly—reaching his step goal for the day.

Truly, however, the ladies of Young Frankenstein deserve the spotlight. Jennifer Cody stuns as Dr. Frankenstein’s wife Elizabeth in her first appearance in a red gown and plush fur shawl. During “Please Don’t Touch Me,” her mousy squeak of a voice commands the stage without coming off as obnoxious. And later, during the goofy-sensual “Deep Love,” Cody proves her voice is almost too big for her short stature.

Gibson portrays a sultry Inga whose constant aroused “Woof!” barks in her thick German accent alone are enough to make her stand out. But when the accent fades away in songs like “Roll in the Hay” and “Listen to Your Heart,” what is revealed are an impressive set of lungs. Stage and screen veteran Vicki Lewis (known for NBC’s “News Radio,” but you can also catch her doing some voice work in Finding Dory), is a real female comic standout as the big, bold Frau Blucher.

Music Director Charlie Alterman’s and choreographer Josh Rhodes’s work blends effortlessly together to create spectacular numbers like “Join the Family Business.” The performance is so compelling—complete with brains bouncing like basketballs—you almost forget about the whole “let’s-create-a-monster” motive behind the song. The moves in the infectious “Transylvania Mania” make the chorus look like graceful zombies with a little more range of motion. It’s a song that’s sure to be stuck in your head by the end of the show.

The really stunning number is “Putting on the Ritz.” Rhodes has outdone himself, staging 30-40 tap dancers behind Timothy Hughes (who is surprisingly nimble for a reanimated monster). The Muny’s rotating platform transforms into a kaleidoscopic stage full of clicking and clacking energy—and how cute are those tapping little boys in front?

All the laughs, frenzied limbs, and unlikely love stories are backed by Paul Tate dePoo III’s captivating scenic design. From the hand-painted backdrop that resembles a midnight Northern Lights to the secret laboratory that will make you feel like you’re alone in your creepy childhood basement, dePoo certainly sets the right scene for this horror-parody.

The Muny shows its teeth with this one. What starts the show as uncomfortable titters of laughter soon erupts to straight cackling as the audience adjusts to Brooks’s humor, and the way the cast nails the part-sexy, part-silly production. Don’t miss this Muny debut—though judging by this performance, we think Young Frankenstein will be back in St. Louis very soon.

 See Young Frankenstein at The Muny (#1 Theatre in Forest Park) from July 13-20. Tickets are free-$90, and can be purchased at The Muny box office or online.