Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein

October 27, 29, November 2, 4, 5, 2023

Jefferson Performing Arts Center | 6400 Airline Drive, Metairie, LA

Put on your top hat and get ready to sing and dance along with Mel Brooks’ dapper Frankenstein!  

This zany musical “brings to life” the story of mad scientist Frederick Frankenstein, who repeats his grandfather’s monster mistakes–while creating a lot of insane fun along the way. Victor Frankenstein has died and Frederick travels to his grandfather’s castle in Transylvania where he ends up conducting his grandfather’s experiments to create human life. But by the time he realizes that the monster’s been accidentally given an abnormal brain, he has escaped, and everyone fears he will terrorize the countryside. Will Frederick repeat the mistakes of his grandfather, or will he turn the Frankenstein legacy around and turn his monster into a sophisticated man about town?  

Here's the link for more details!

https://www.jpas.org/season46/

Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein

comes to Jefferson Performing Arts Center just in time for Halloween!

The musical comedy is directed by Big Easy Award Winning Director Leslie Castay

(October 17, 2023—Metairie, Louisiana)—Jefferson Performing Arts Society presents a five-show run of the award-winning Broadway musical Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, opening Friday, October 27^th at Jefferson Performing Arts Center and closing Sunday, November 5^th.  The show is directed by Leslie Castay, who won Best Director of a Musical for the JPAS 2022 production of the multiple Big Easy Award-winning Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn.

The original Broadway production of Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein (2008)  was nominated for 3 Tonys, 4 Drama Desk Awards, 2 Drama League Awards, and 5 Outer Critics Circle Awards—for which it won Best Musical. In 2009, it was nominated for a Grammy for “Best Musical Theater Album”. 

Based on the 1974 Mel Brooks (Spaceballs, Blazing Saddles) movie starring and co-written by Gene Wilder, Young Frankenstein follows the story of Frederick Frankenstein, the grandson of the infamous Dr. Victor Frankenstein. When Frederick inherits the family castle in Transylvania, he becomes obsessed with his grandfather’s reanimation experiments.  Assisted by a bizarre cast of characters that include Igor, Inga, and Frau Blücher, Frederick attempts to bring a creature to life, just like his granddad—only to realize he’s created a monster problem.

Featuring music and lyrics written by Brooks, the musical offers even more hilarity and wordplay than the original movie with songs such as The Brain, Transylvania Mania, He Vas My Boyfriend, and Roll in the Hay. The goofiness and gags of the 1974 movie are enhanced by the song and dance numbers presented by a 22-person all-local cast with a dynamic ensemble of 15, led by these principal cast members:

Michael Paternostro*-DR. FREDERICK FRANKENSTEIN

Adriel Aviles-MONSTER

Scott Sauber-IGOR

Charlie Carr-INGA

Jennifer DeLatte-ELIZABETH BENNING

Meredith Long - Dieth*-FRAU BLUCHER

Adam Seagrave--THE HERMIT / INSPECTOR HANS KEMP

The production features a live orchestra conducted by Maestro Dennis Assaf with Ken Leach as Music Director, Jaune Buisson as Choreographer, Emery Foster as Scenic Designer, Olivia Winter as Props Designer, Stephen Thurber as Lighting Designer, and Eric Porter as Technical Director and Sound Designer.  

For a full cast and crew list and ticket information visit https://www.jpas.org/performance/young-frankenstein/ or call 504-885-2000 to purchase tickets by phone. 

For media requests, email amy@jpas.org.  For the full JPAS 46^th season lineup, visit www.jpas.org.