Brooks Confirms 'Frankenstein' for Hilton, Casting — Page 6

Mel will get whatever Mel wants.

With chives. Yes, Mel, there will be chives.

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As good as Bart, Fitzgerald, Martin and Foster are, none of them are stars of the Broderick/Lane sort.

And that's why THE PRODUCERS did as poorly as it did when Nathan and Matthew left. People wanted to see them and only them.

He's trying to make YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN popular for the show itself and not it's two leads so it can continue to do good business when replacements are brought in.

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Updated On: 5/25/07 at 11:26 PM

Lane was a huge Broadway star with several movie credits.

My point is, will people pay the premium tkt price to see these actors?

Mel is banking on his name to bring 'em in, so the show better be blockbusters.

Huge Broadway star. but not mainstream.

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I don't mean to insult anyone but all the posts in this and previous threads bemoaning the unfortunate demise of PQ (which has yet to close by the way) are a bit naive. First of all, this is a business! Shows open and close all the time and among those is likely to be a show that is SOMEONE'S favorite. To suggest that the cast, crew, production team and all others in the theatrical community must mourn, wring their hands and cry if they are not treated fairly is VERY naive.

I have been in the position of watching a show close around me and it is not fun. BUT, if you are in this community, you will not survive unless you get used to rejection and closings. EVERY person on this and any other Broadway show crew knows the risks and the rewards of being in a show. Stroman and Brooks did nothing wrong in looking at a theater for their incoming show. It goes on all the time.

I will say again, the fault (if there is any) is with the creative and production teams for not communicating closing dates (IF THERE IS YET A CLOSING DATE) to the cast and crew. That is not the responsibility of a third party.

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Just out of general interest.... did anyone get the "with chives" joke I was making?

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Mel Brooks used to tell the story about how when he was just breaking into films, Mike Nichols took him to a "pitch session" to show him the ropes. Now by this time, Nichols was a very big name in Hollywood. They got to the studio and found the head of production and half-a-dozen other suits waiting for them. The conversation was like this:
SUIT 1: So nice to see you, Michael. We all had to take this meeting just to tell you how much we enjoyed The Graduate.

SUIT 2: Would you like something to drink? Get Mike a drink. Perhaps something to eat? Get him some watrercress sandwiches. (leaning in with interest) So Mike, do you have something for us?

At this point, Nichols could suggest anything and they'd bite. He could say:

MIKE NICHOLS: "I have a title: "Sour Cream."

SUIT 1: Oh my god I can see it. What a title. Do you have a story to go with it?

Nichols: I see Los Angeles, covered with six feet of sour cream...

SUIT 2: A masterpiece. Pure genius. Oscar for sure. Now Mike, with all this sour cream... will there be chives? Will there be chives, Mike?

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