Review: YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN Electrifies at Stagecrafters Thru Oct 4

If you are one of those people who like Halloween and all things spooky, you will love the campy musical about a mad scientist and his sex-driven monster. Now on stage at the beautiful historic Baldwin Theatre in Royal Oak is the Mel Brooks musical, YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN. This big-cast show will put you into the Halloween spirit!

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (played magnificently by Jason Bowen) is spritely and gleefully animated upon appearing before his students at the medical school in New York City, singing "The Brain." He holds a bright red cerebrum in his hands while extoling the greatness of this mysterious gray matter. Bowen has fantastic diction and timing presenting rather rapid lines and movements. His fiancée Elizabeth (played superbly by Kelly Janney) pays tribute to MC Hammer's "Can't Touch This," in her delightfully obnoxious "Please Don't Touch Me." She is radiant and absolutely gorgeous in her shiny red dress, red spike heels, and gleaming diamond necklace. They sing well and move well - a delight to see on stage. I think Janney would make a perfect Reno Sweeney.

Right hand man Igor (played exceptionally by Jeff Weiner) often steals the show with his madcap lines and supreme agility. At a railway station in Transylvania, Igor and Frederick give a spirited performance of "Together Again," a throwback to Mel Brooks' comedy classic "The Producers" starring Zero Mostel as failed Broadway producer Max Bialystock and Gene Wilder as fearful accountant Leo Bloom. Igor and Fred's coordinated choreography is outstanding and nostagically fetching.

The show is filled with clever double entendres, such as when Inga (played exceptionally by Erika Fell) invites Dr. Fred to the hay wagon for a "Roll in the Hay." It is a hilarious scene featuring Inga, Fred and Igor. Inga sings well, dances well, and has great stage charm. She is perfect for the roll.

The sets in this show are to die for. The impressive castle turns into a beautiful study where Inga and Fred take turns getting trapped behind a secretly rotating bookshelf. There is plenty of room for the large cast to work its magic. During "Join the Family Business" dancers performed Russian Cossack kicks and leapt into the air high enough to click their heels. That was a show in its own right. The operating table rose into the air on two occasion, bringing spectacle to the already spectacular production. Adding to the extravaganza is a lavish frolicking dance number "Transylvania Mania."

The grand cast displayed a myriad of colorful costumes that really livens the stage and keeps an otherwise sinister looking village cheerful and gay. Every time a character speaks the housekeeper's name Frau Blucher (played marvelously by Kathryn Stewart Hoffman), nearby horses whinny, neigh, and behave as if frightened. We have no idea what this panic is about, other than Blucher appears to be a bit over sexed; we pray the character "holds her horses" when it comes to her proclivities.

We loved the monster (played adorably by John Forlini) and his encounter with the forlorn hermit (played delightfully by Steve Worley). Oh, that mop of hair on the hermit! It made me think of my precious troll dolls. The hermit's cottage is cleverly designed and positively perfect for this scene. Forlini shines when he stars in the "Puttin' on the Ritz" number, surrounded by an assemblage of white-tie, tuxedo-clad tap-dancers.

Dr. Frederick and The Monster both have very attractive voices, which make this show a true pleasure to attend.

Show tickets are $22 on Thursdays, $24 on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Tickets may be purchased online at www.stagecrafters.org (online handling fees apply) or by phone at 248 541 6430 using Visa or MasterCard. All seats are reserved and there are no refunds or exchanges on individual tickets. If shows have not sold out, tickets can be purchased at the box office one hour prior to the performance. Student, military and senior discounts are available for specific performances. The Baldwin Theatre is located at 415 S. Lafayette in downtown Royal Oak. Young Frankenstein is rated PG-13 and some scenes may not be appropriate for young audiences. Strobe lighting and theatrical haze will be used in the special effects.

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