Few audiences would expect to cheer as lines of “brown shirts” stepped before a massive Third Reich flag. This past Friday night, however, that is exactly what happened as the cast of First Year Players took the makeshift stage set up in the Student Activities Building to put on "The Producers."
FYP — which casts exclusively first years and transfer students but welcomes students of all years to participate in the orchestra and technical positions — produces two musicals each year. Their fall show came together this past weekend, transforming the SAB for their performance from Thursday until Sunday.
The FYP technical teams created a purple-hued Manhattan skyline and the outside of an old theatre. As the play went on, more of their handiwork went on display, including a city apartment, an accounting firm, a jail, a courthouse and even a giant glittering swastika.
“The Producers,” directed by third-year College student Rishi Malhotra, kept the audience laughing and cheering from start to finish. The performance passed by quickly, and it was hard to determine which character was the favorite as each one seemed better and more entertaining than the last.
The play tells the story of Max Bialystock and Leopold Bloom, an unlikely team of a failed producer and an unhappy accountant. The two discover a plan in which a producer could make more from a production that flops than one that succeeds by overselling interests to financial backers, with plans to keep the money after the show is promptly taken off Broadway. The only problem: if the show does well, they may go to jail.
To guarantee their show closes immediately after it opens, Max and Leo select “Springtime for Hitler,” the work of a former Nazi living in Greenwich Village. The aim may be to put on the worst show ever made, but unexpectedly, the audience is so pleased with the performance they give it a standing ovation.
One of the best features of an FYP production is the chance for first-year students shine in all types of roles. Max and Leo, played by first-year College students Grayson Harlow and Stephen Diggs, respectively. Both Harlow and Diggs shone in these comic roles and displayed incredible musical talent.
Each cast member showcased an impressive array of singing, dancing and acting talents — and first-year College students Daniel Kingsley as Roger and Jack Nugent as Carmen were standout supporting characters. The pair's flamboyant rendition of “Keep It Gay!” had the audience rolling with laughter.
Another star of the show was first-year College student Anna Barr as Franziska, writer of Max and Leo’s intended flop. Donning a German accent and lederhosen, Barr showcased considerable comedic and dramatic talents.
The show’s pit orchestra, under the direction of third-year College student Alexis Cooper, showed how invaluable a strong musical accompaniment can be to a performance. Months of rehearsals clearly paid off, as the play’s score was as strong as the rest of the production.
As the cast took its final bows, and the audience stood to its feet, the culmination of talents created an infectious energy. Everyone in FYP should take pride in a job well done.
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