Moonlight Stage Productions Kicks off the Season with The Producers

It is another big season for Moonlight Stage Productions as they get ready to mount their 39th season at the Moonlight Stage Amphitheater in Vista, California. The high-caliber shows that Steve Glaudini, producing artistic director, puts on each year are consistent crowd pleasers delivering Broadway quality shows.

This year they will open the season with the Tony Award winning show “The Producers“. The Mel Brooks masterpiece ended up winning more Tony’s than another musical and now you have the chance to check out the show right here in Southern California on select dates from June 12 to June 29.

Jamie Torcellini (left), Katie
Barna, and Larry Raben. Photo by Ken Jacques

The Story

Washed-up Broadway producer Max Bialystock and his mild-mannered accountant, Leo Bloom, scheme to get rich quick by producing the most notorious flop in Broadway history, “Springtime for Hitler.” Their plot quickly goes awry when their show becomes the toast of Broadway which lands them in hot water. “The Producers” is a comedic tour-de-force spoofing the big, old-fashioned Broadway musicals while paying tribute to them. The musical went on to win a record-setting twelve Tony Awards in 2001, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Musical Score. The score includes such hits as “I Wanna Be a Producer,” “When You Got It, Flaunt It,” “Springtime for Hitler,” and “Prisoners of Love.”

Cast and Crew in Moonlight’s The Producers

Starring in the Moonlight production are two Broadway veterans who reunite on stage after their comedic romps in Moonlight’s 2013 “Young Frankenstein,” Mel Brooks’ other hit musical. As Max Bialystock, the Moonlight welcomes back Jamie Torcellini, whose Broadway credits include “Cats,” “Little Johnny Jones,” “Me and My Girl,” “Jerome Robbins’ Broadway,” “The Man of La Mancha,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and the original company of “Billy Elliot.” His Moonlight roles include Bill Snibson in “Me and My Girl,” Patsy in “Spamalot,” and Doolittle in “My Fair Lady.” Returning to the shoes of Leo Bloom will be Larry Raben, also the show’s director. Raben starred as Leo Bloom on Broadway and in the entire one-year-run in Las Vegas in 2007-2008. At The Moonlight, Raben helmed 2018’s hit Disney musical “Newsies,” and prior to that directed “Sunset Boulevard,” “Titanic,” and “Catch Me If You Can.” Raben and Torcellini chewed the scenery in Moonlight’s “Young Frankenstein” when Raben starred as Frederick with Torcellini as Igor. The pair received rave critical reviews.

Also featured in “The Producers” are Josh Adamson (Moonlight’s “Catch Me If You Can” and “Big Fish”) as flamboyant choreographer Roger DeBris. After appearing in Moonlight’s 2018 production of “Chicago” as Mary Sunshine, Luke Harvey Jacobs returns as Franz Liebkind, the playwright of “Springtime for Hitler.” As Carmen Ghia, Roger DeBris’ bizarre manservant, is Max Cadillac (Moonlight’s “Big Fish,” “The Music Man,” and “The Wizard of Oz”). Making her Moonlight debut as Ulla, the sexy, Swedish secretary of Max and Leo is Katie Barna. She comes to Moonlight after working with Music Theatre Wichita (“Big Fish” and “Hello, Dolly!”) and Music Theatre West (“Nice Work If You Can Get It” and “Catch Me If You Can”).

The Company of The Producers. Photo by Adriana Zuniga

Rounding out the cast are Ellie Barrett, Nichole Beeks, Lucas Blankenhorn, Jake Bradford, Gerilyn Brault, Morgan Carberry, Matt Carvin, Brianna Cook, Deborah Fauerbach, Johnny Fletcher, Karla J. Franko, Devon Hunt, Brandon Taylor Jones, Samantha Roper, Simoné Sassudelli, and Andrea Williams.

Joining Raben on the creative team are Choreographer Karl Warden, Music Director and Conductor Lyndon Pugeda, Lighting Designer Jennifer Edwards, Sound Designer Jim Zadai, Costumers Carlotta Malone, Roz Lehman, and Renetta Lloyd, and Stage Manager Stanley D. Cohen.

“The Producers” features a book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, music and lyrics by Mel Brooks. The Moonlight recommends “The Producers” for mature audiences only.

Ticket Information

Single tickets for Moonlight Stage production of The Producers range from $17 – $57. There are discounts for Seniors and Students and military. For tickets contact The Moonlight Amphitheatre at 760-724-2110 or visit the Moonlight Stage Productions Ticket Website.

Schedule
June 12- 29, 2019
Gates open at 6:30 p.m.
Curtain at 8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $17 – $57.

Moonlight Amphitheater Location

The Moonlight Amphitheatre is located at 1200 Vale Terrace Dr, Vista, CA 92084
Take the Civic Center Drive and exit off Highway 78, go north. Turn right on E Vista Way. Turn right on Vale Terrace. Continue on Vale Terrace about 1/2 mile and turn left into Brengle Terrace Park.

Parking at Moonlight Amphitheatre

There is free parking available at Brengle Terrace Park. Shuttle service is available for those who end up parking in the upper grass lot. The shuttle will begin running 2.5 hours before the show starts as well as after the show.

For more information and tickets call The Moonlight Amphitheatre at 760-724-2110 or visit The Moonlight Stage Production website.

Moonlight Stage Production Season 2019

MATILDA THE MUSICAL (July 17 – August 3, 2019), WEST SIDE STORY (August 14 – 31, 2019), and VICTOR/VICTORIA (September 11 – 28, 2019).