Mel Brooks' 'Young Frankenstein' was released 40 years ago, and remains one of his most-loved films. Co-written by Gene Wilder, it's a loving parody of the classic Universal monster movies of the '30s (particularly, of course, the Frankenstein movies).
The musical version, officially titled The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein, opened on Broadway in 2007 and has quickly become a fan favorite. Like the original, it's a send up of old monster movies, but it takes the film's love of old-school vaudeville and burlesque up a few notches, coming complete with dancing girls and a fresh batch of vaudeville-style jokes.
It's a pretty ambition undertaking for the folks at Wimberley Playhouse, with its multiple sets and large cast. But those challengers are what attracted director/choreographer Melissa May-Moncus to the project -- she's got a background in dance and was excited to work on a show that features lots of varied dance numbers.
