Hensley And Oscar To Join Bart In 'YOUNG FRANK' Tour, Begins In Providence 9/29

Tony Award winners Roger Bart and Shuler Hensley will reprise the roles of Dr. Frederick Frankenstein and The Monster in the first national tour of The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein. The Young Frankenstein tour will launch September 29, 2009 at the Providence Performing Arts Center in Providence, Rhode Island.

Bart and Hensley who both starred in the original Broadway cast of Young Frankenstein will be joined on tour by Cory English (Igor), Tony Award nominee Brad Oscar (Inspector Kemp/Blind Hermit), Beth Curry (Elizabeth), Joanna Glushak (Frau Blucher) and Anne Horak (Inga).

The company will also include: Preston Truman Boyd, Stephen Carrasco, Jennifer Lee Crowl, James Gray, Shauna Hoskin, Matthew Brandon Hutchens, Kristin Marie Johnson, Sara Lin Johnson, Melina Kalomas, Amanda Kloots-Larsen, Brittany Marcin, Christopher Ryan, Lara Seibert, Geo Serry, Jennifer Smith, Matthew Vargo and Eric Walck.

Young Frankenstein features a book by three-time Tony Award winner Mel Brooks and three-time Tony Award winner Thomas Meehan and music and lyrics by Brooks. Young Frankenstein is directed and choreographed by five-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman. Musical supervision is by Glen Kelly.

Based on the Oscar-nominated smash hit 1974 film, Young Frankenstein is the wickedly inspired re-imagining of the Mary Shelley classic from the comic genius of Mel Brooks. When Frederick Frankenstein, an esteemed New York brain surgeon and professor, inherits a castle and laboratory in Transylvania from his grandfather, deranged genius Victor Von Frankenstein, he faces a dilemma. Does he continue to run from his family's tortured past or does he stay in Transylvania to carry on his grandfather's mad experiments reanimating the dead and, in the process, fall in love with his sexy lab assistant Inga?

Unfolding in the forbidding Castle Frankenstein and the foggy moors of Transylvania Heights, the show's raucous score includes "The Transylvania Mania," "He Vas My Boyfriend" and the unforgettable treatment of Irving Berlin's "Puttin' On the Ritz."

Released in 1974 to unanimous critical acclaim, the film received two Academy Award nominations, including one for Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder's script, also nominated for a Writer's Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Young Frankenstein was also the recipient of the two highest honors accorded films of science fiction: winning The Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation and The Nebula Award, given by The Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, for Best Dramatic Writing. Since its release, the film has become part of the national consciousness: in 2000, it was selected as #13 on AFI's 100 Funniest American Movies of All Time and in 2003, Young Frankenstein was chosen for preservation in the Library of Congress National Film Registry.

The production team includes three Tony Award winning designers of The Producers: three-time Tony Award winning set designer Robin Wagner, four-time Tony Award winning costume designer William Ivey Long and Tony Award winning lighting designer Peter Kaczorowski. Jonathan Deans is the sound designer.

Young Frankenstein is produced by The Frankel Baruch Viertel Routh Group and NETworks Presentations LLC.

For more information on Young Frankenstein, visit www.YoungFrankensteinTheMusical.com.

Roger Bart (Dr. Frederick Frankenstein) originated the role of Dr. Frederick Frankenstein in the Broadway production of Young Frankenstein (Outer Critics Circle and Drama League Award nominations). Other Broadway credits include The Producers, where he originated the role of Carmen Ghia (Tony and Drama Desk nominations) and went on to play Leo Bloom. He was Snoopy in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Tony and Drama Desk Awards); in The Frogs opposite Nathan Lane; Triumph of Love; and Big River. Film credits include American Gangster and Harold & Kumar 2, the big-screen adaptation of The Producers, The Stepford Wives, Hostel: Part II, The Insider and the Disney animated features Hercules (singing voice of Hercules) and Lady and the Tramp II (singing voice of Scamp). On television, Bart starred in "Desperate Housewives" as George, the scheming pharmacist (SAG Award). Additional credits include the sci-fi miniseries "The Lost Room," "Bram and Alice," "Law & Order," and "30 Rock."

Shuler Hensley (The Monster). Broadway: The Monster in Young Frankenstein (Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Award nominations), Kerchak in Tarzan, Jud Fry in Oklahoma! (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Olivier Awards) and Javert in Les Misérables. Off-Broadway: The Great American Trailer Park Musical. Other Credits: All About Us (Westport Playhouse), Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera (Hamburg, Germany), The Most Happy Fella (American Songbook/Lincoln Center). Opera: Regina (Kennedy Center). TV: "Ed," "Deadline," "Gary Powers," "Law & Order: SVU," "Criminal Intent," "The Jury." Film: The Legend of Zorro; Van Helsing; Monday Night Mayhem; Someone Like You; The Bread, My Sweet; Opa! Proud Equity member. www.shulerhensley.com.

Cory English (Igor) most recently appeared on Broadway as Igor in Young Frankenstein. After 12 years of living in New York City and performing in Broadway shows including Forum, Barnaby in Hello Dolly with Carol Channing, Damn Yankees, Guys and Dolls and Gypsy with Tyne Daly, Cory moved to London to study acting at Drama Studio London where he met British actress Eva Alexander. Whilst in the UK, Cory performed in plays Corpus Christi at the Edinburgh festival, Our Father and Comedy of Errors as both Dromios. British television credits include work for the BBC and channel 4. In the West End, Cory took the role of Mary Sunshine in Chicago, Benny Southstreet in Guys and Dolls with Ewan McGregor and Jane Krakowski and starred as Max Bialystock in The Producers at Theatre Royal Drury Lane before touring the same production around the UK winning the Evening Standard's award in Manchester for Best Actor in a touring company.

Brad Oscar (Inspector Kemp/ Blind Hermit). Broadway: The Producers (2001 Tony Nomination), Spamalot, Jekyll & Hyde, Aspects of Love. West End: The Producers, Theater Royal Drury Lane. Off-Broadway: Forbidden Broadway, The Body Beautiful, Encores! Do Re Mi, directed and performed in Broadway by the Year 1931 and 1968 at Town Hall. Regional: The First Wives Club (Old Globe), The Mystery of Irma Vep, Cabaret and Damn Yankees (Arena Stage), Barnum (Asolo Rep/Maltz Jupiter), Moonlight and Magnolias (Cape Playhouse), Mrs. Miller Does Her Thing (Vineyard Playhouse), Santa in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in L.A. and Branson, Mo. Film: Ghost Town, The Producers, Old Days. TV: three "Law & Orders," "Reading Rainbow." Brad is a native of Washington, D.C., a graduate of Boston University's College of Fine Arts, and has taught musical theater technique at Marymount Manhattan College.

Beth Curry (Elizabeth). Broadway: Legally Blonde (Brooke, u/s Margot, Pilar, Steno), Good Vibrations (Rhonda). Tour: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (u/s Jolene), Grease (European/Rizzo). TV: "All my Children," "Hope and Faith," "A Christmas Carol." Backup singer for Brian Setzer. Received a Billboard award for her own music. www.bethcurry.com.

Anne Horak (Inga) was recently seen on Broadway as Rita in White Christmas. Other recent New York credits include Hulde in Music In The Air at City Center Encores! as well as Dolly in Babes In Arms (reading). Anne has also performed regionally at Paper Mill Playhouse, 5th Avenue Theatre, Pittsburgh CLO, and Music Theatre of Wichita in roles such as Natalie in All Shook Up and Judy in White Christmas. Anne received her BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan.

Joanna Glushak (Frau Blucher). Broadway: original cast of Les Misérables, Sunday in the Park with George, Hairspray, Urinetown, The Sweet Smell of Success, Rags and Conversations with My Father. National tours include Hairspray, Fiddler on the Roof and Evita. Off Broadway at such theatres as New York Shakespeare Festival, Playwrights Horizons and Manhattan Theatre Club.

Mel Brooks (Book, Composer & Lyricist). Director, producer, writer and actor, Mel Brooks is the recipient of three 2001 Tony Awards (Best Score, Best Book of a Musical, Best Musical) and two Grammy Awards (Best Musical Show Album and Best Long Form Music Video) for The Producers. Mr. Brooks began his distinguished career during television's Golden Age as a writer for Sid Caesar on "Your Show of Shows" in 1951. In 1955 and in 1957, Brooks received Emmy Award nominations (with others) for best comedy writing for "Caesar's Hour," and in 1956 he was nominated (with others) for best writing for a variety or situation comedy. In 1952, Brooks wrote sketches for Leonard Sillman's Broadway smash-hit revue, New Faces of 1952, and in 1957, together with Joe Darion, he wrote the book for the Broadway musical Shinbone Alley, which starred Eartha Kitt. In 1962, he wrote the book for the Broadway musical All-American, starring Ray Bolger. In the 60s, Brooks teamed up with Carl Reiner to write and perform "The 2000 Year Old Man" albums, which became immediate bestsellers. In 1960 and 1961, Brooks and Reiner received Grammy Award nominations for the best spoken word comedy for "2000 Years" and for best comedy performance for "2000 and One Years," respectively. In 1997, Brooks and Reiner teamed up again for "The 2000 Year Old Man in the Year 2000." Both a book and CD were released, the CD winning a Grammy Award in 1998 for the best spoken word album: comedy. Brooks wrote and narrated The Critic, a short satire on avant-garde art films, which received the Academy Award for best animated short subject in 1964. In 1965, he teamed up with Buck Henry and created "Get Smart," the long-running television show starring Don Adams as Agent 86. Brooks, along with others, received an Emmy Award for outstanding writing achievement in a comedy-variety in 1967 for "The Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris Special." In 1968, he wrote and directed his first feature film, The Producers, starring Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder, which earned him an Academy Award for the best original screenplay written directly for the screen. He then went on to create a remarkable string of hit comedies: 1970, wrote, directed and acted in The Twelve Chairs; 1974, co-wrote, directed and acted in Blazing Saddles, and was nominated, along with John Morris, for best title song, "Blazing Saddles;" 1974, co-wrote and directed Young Frankenstein; 1976, co-wrote, directed and starred in Silent Movie; 1977, co-wrote, directed, produced and starred in High Anxiety; 1981, wrote, directed, produced and starred in History of the World, Part I; 1983, produced and starred in To Be or Not to Be; 1987, cowrote, directed, produced and starred in the hit sci-fi spoof, Spaceballs; 1991, co-wrote, directed, produced and starred in Life Stinks; 1993, co-wrote, directed, produced and starred in Robin Hood: Men in Tights; 1995, co-wrote, directed, produced and starred in Dracula: Dead and Loving It; 2005, co-wrote and produced The Producers, the film version of his Tony award winning 2001 Broadway musical and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, "There's Nothing Like a Show on Broadway." For three successive seasons, Brooks won the Emmy Award for his role as Uncle Phil on the hit comedy show, "Mad About You." His visionary film company, Brooksfilms Limited, founded in 1980, has produced some of America's most distinguished films, among them: David Lynch's The Elephant Man, David Cronenberg's The Fly, Frances, Richard Benjamin's My Favorite Year and 84 Charing Cross Road, starring Anthony Hopkins and Anne Bancroft.

Susan Stroman (Director/Choreographer). Ms. Stroman directed and choreographed The Producers, winner of a record-making 12 Tony Awards including Best Direction and Best Choreography. She co-created, directed and choreographed the groundbreaking musical Contact for Lincoln Center Theater, winning the 2000 Tony Award for Best Choreography, as well as Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Lucille Lortel Awards and a 2003 Emmy Award for "Live at Lincoln Center." Other Broadway credits include The Frogs, Oklahoma! (Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Olivier Awards), Thou Shalt Not, The Music Man (Outer Critics Circle Award), Steel Pier, Big, Show Boat (Tony, Outer Critics Circle Awards), Picnic and Crazy for You (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Olivier Awards). Off-Broadway productions include Happiness for Lincoln Center Theater, And the World Goes 'Round (Outer Critics Circle Award) and Flora, the Red Menace. For ten years she choreographed Madison Square Garden's annual spectacular event A Christmas Carol (Outer Critics Circle Award), directed by Mike Ockrent. For New York City Opera: A Little Night Music, 110 in the Shade, and Don Giovanni. Ms. Stroman created Double Feature, a full-length ballet for New York City Ballet featuring the music of Irving Berlin and Walter Donaldson. She has created the ballets Blossom Got Kissed for New York City Ballet's 50th Anniversary season, But Not For Me for the Martha Graham Company, and Take Five...More or Less for Pacific Northwest Ballet. Her choreography received an Emmy nomination for the HBO presentation Liza - Stepping Out at Radio City Music Hall, starring Liza Minnelli. Other TV credits include co-conceiver/choreographer for PBS's Sondheim - a Celebration at Carnegie Hall and An Evening with the Boston Pops - a Tribute to Leonard Bernstein. She received the American Choreography Award for her work in Columbia Pictures feature film Center Stage. Ms. Stroman directed and choreographed The Producers: The Movie Musical, nominated for 4 Golden Globes. She is the recipient of the George Abbott Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Theatre and the winner of a record four Astaire Awards.

Thomas Meehan (Book) won the 2003 Tony Award for co-writing the book for Hairspray after having won the 2001 Tony Award for co-writing the book of The Producers. Earlier, in 1977, he received his first Tony Award for writing the book of Annie, which was his first Broadway show, and he has since written the books for the musicals I Remember Mama, Ain't Broadway Grand, Annie Warbucks, Bombay Dreams and Cry-Baby. In addition, he is a long-time contributor of humor pieces, including Yma Dream, to The New Yorker; an Emmy Award-winning writer of television comedy; and a collaborator on a number of screenplays, including Mel Brooks' Spaceballs, To Be or Not to Be, and the film version of The Producers. He is also the co-author of the libretto of "1984," an opera composed by Lorin Maazel and based on George Orwell's classic novel of the same name, which had its world premiere in the spring at London's Royal Opera House and will be performed next year at La Scala, in Milan. Mr. Meehan is a member of the Council of the Dramatists Guild.

Photo by Paul Kolnik