The classic Mel Brooks/Gene Wilder monster movie comes to life on the Garvin stage this July with the SBCC Theatre Group’s summer production of Young Frankenstein: The Musical. Written by Brooks and Thomas Meehan, Young Frankenstein follows the comic journey of Frederick Frankenstein, grandson of the inventor who created Frankenstein’s monster, coming to terms with his family history of “mad science.”
The titular scientist is played by Dillon Yuhasz, who describes his treatment of the character as “the smartest person in the room, surrounded by lunatics.”
“I feel like that’s a huge part of the character,” he says. “He’s in a monster movie and everyone around him is not in a monster movie as much as he is. He’s living this emotional journey of accepting his crazy family legacy.”
Director Rick Mokler describes Yuhasz as a bold comic actor, noting that brashness to be the perfect pitch for the show. “The tone is very Mel Brooks,” he says. “The movie is from 1974, and it was sourced from movies in the 1930s, so there’s a lot of spoofing going on.” Mokler harkens the style of the show back to the American Vaudeville tradition, creating that “classic” musical feeling.
As with all SBCC shows, expect an incredible set, including multiple locations (classroom, pier, train station, and laboratory, to name a few). “It’s got everything you’d want in the Broadway show,” says Yuhasz. “It’s got big group numbers. It’s got ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’ with the tails and canes. It’s bucket-list item after bucket-list item of things you want to do and see in a show.”
Young Frankenstein promises full-tilt hilarity. “A little escapism never hurt anyone,” says Mokler, “and this is a little escapism here.”
Young Frankenstein: The Musical runs July 9–26 at the Garvin Theatre on the SBCC campus. theatregroupsbcc.com
Dillon Yuhasz, Kate Brody-Adams and Ryan Beaghler in The Theatre Group at SBCC’s production of MEL BROOKS’ YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN | Photo: Ben Crop 
Kate Brody-Adams, Ryan Beaghler, Dillon Yuhasz and Tiffany Story in The Theatre Group at SBCC’s production of MEL BROOKS’ YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN | Photo: Ben Crop 
Dillon Yuhasz and Kate Brody-Adams in The Theatre Group at SBCC’s production of MEL BROOKS’ YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN | Photo: Ben Crop
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