A Mel Brooks Rehearsal Anecdote

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 6/25/08 at 3:48pm

From Seth Rudetsky's Playbill.com Column, Talking About His Interview With One Of The CRY-BABY Ladies:

"Then I chatted with Tory Ross who plays Hatchet Face. Her first big gig out of high school was doing the national tour of The Producers playing the roles Kathy Fitzgerald originated (homeless woman, ugly showgirl, Lesbian techie). On her first day of rehearsal, she remembered her training at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and made a "bold choice" which they're always telling you to do. They didn't tell her that it could lead to being supremely yelled at. She was learning "The King of Broadway" where Max Bialystock is talking to street people about how he's gonna make a comeback. She played a homeless woman that he makes out with and at one point, her head was in his crotch while he sang a rhythmic phrase. Every time he hit an accent, she bobbed her head in his crotch. Mel Brooks got up and started yelling at her, "Who do you think you are? This isn't your show! You're in the ensemble! No one knows who you are!" That's four ouches! She thought she was gonna get fired and didn't know anybody in the cast who could comfort her so she spent the break crying hysterically on the phone with her mother saying, "It's over before it began!" But, the powers that be got her a ticket for the Broadway show so she could watch Kathy do it and, essentially, copy her."

http://www.playbill.com/celebritybuzz/article/118950.html

[SirNotAppearing]

Posted: 6/25/08 at 3:50pm

Ouch.

[theminutepast]

Posted: 6/25/08 at 3:50pm

The story was funny and Mel Brooks was a little over the top in his reaction, but what the heck was she doing in the first place? If I were the actor, I would be disturbed by a stranger doing that.

[Pippin]

Posted: 6/25/08 at 3:59pm

I heard a story about the rehearsals during the original Broadway run, and Brooks yelled out at Matthew Broderick "YOU'RE RUINING MY SHOW!!!"

he sounds like such a nice man to work with.

[scaryclowns223]

Posted: 6/25/08 at 4:50pm

This guy gets more and more popular every single day...

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 6/25/08 at 5:21pm

I understand why producers want replacement cast members to basically copy the original performance, but, the bit she came up with here would have made the moment even more hysterical. I think when you make a strict rule to not let your show change from cast to cast, that's why I enjoy Chicago casting, I've never seen the same type of Roxie twice, it doesn't allow things to evolve.

And I enjoy Brooks' talent, but man, you're right scary, he's losing favor each hour it seems. Even with those who have tried to see through his crap during YF. He killed that show before it even had a chance. The ego needs to be toned down. But since he's the producer too, he gets away with it.

[scaryclowns223]

Posted: 6/25/08 at 5:36pm

You know, its funny, because I read the coffee table book he wrote about "The Producers" and he comes off as a very fun, humble, congenial, hard-working guy. You should hear him talking about how badly he wants to earn Brantley's approval. Every time he gets a comment, he dismisses it quickly, saying the show still isn't perfect and it wasn't that great. And I actually believe he was that kind of guy, at least with respect to Broadway. He had barely ventured into Broadway, and wanted to make an impression on the community and earn its respect.

Unfortunately, I think the respect he got being humble turned him into a grade-A jerk. If he does decide to make another musical, he is going to have to kiss a lot of ass and bow at the feet of a lot of theatre professionals to earn respect and, consequently, ticket sales.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/25/08 at 6:40pm

So no one is familiar with the concept of Stealing Focus? NO? Well Max Bialystock getting blown by a homeless woman during the first scene of the show wouldn't steal any focus anyway I'm sure.

[KQuill]

Posted: 6/25/08 at 6:42pm

I didn't think I could dislike Mel Brooks more. Apperently I can.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 6/25/08 at 6:54pm

I don't think that's stealing focus. If she doing it to another ensemble member behind Max, then that would be stealing focus. It's a funny bit. The rehearsal process is suppose to be the time when you try things out. If it didn't work so be it, but at least let her have the chance to make the mistake.

[mc1227]

Posted: 6/25/08 at 8:02pm

Yeah, Matthew ruined his show all the way to the bank. He could have used Matthew in YF...

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 6/26/08 at 1:24pm

It should be interesting to see if YF makes it past Labor Day.

[SpellingBeeFan4Ever]

Posted: 6/26/08 at 1:52pm

I loved the producers, but yf is the biggest piece of **** I have ever seen.

[Henry Savage]

Posted: 7/7/08 at 2:43am

"So no one is familiar with the concept of Stealing Focus? NO? Well Max Bialystock getting blown by a homeless woman during the first scene of the show wouldn't steal any focus anyway I'm sure."

So no one is familiar with the concept of being polite and tactful?

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 7/7/08 at 2:47am

Although the choice may be innappropriate and tactless, it doesn't excuse Brooks' behavior.

[Henry Savage]

Posted: 7/7/08 at 10:12pm

I was actually referring to Brook's outburst as tactless and impolite.

[Weez]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 2:48am

I thought you were referring to some of the more vehemently expressed opinions in this thread. XD