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FEBRUARY 11-17, 2016 FACEBOOK.COM/WHATZUPFORTWAYNE | WWW.WHATZUP.COM ----------------------------Feature • Young Frankenstein --------------------------- Mel Brooks’ Monster Mash By Mark Hunter as they transform the theater’s bare boards For Gavin Drew, playing Igor is a dream into the sleepy fictional village of Transyl- come true. Drew grew up knowing he want- Lock your doors! Crate your kids! Hug vania Heights, where the townspeople are ed to act and that musical theater was his your pets! There’s a monster with neck bolts celebrating the death of local mad scientist preferred vehicle. As a young boy in Wis- UPCOMING EVENTS loose on the town! (every village has one) and monster builder consin, he played the Mayor of Munchkin- Someone get a French horn. Or a mob Dr. Victor von Frankenstein. But not so fast, land in the Wizard of Oz. He has been in a February 12 bearing torches. At the very least, go find the warns Inspector Kemp (Aaron Mann), he of couple of Civic productions since moving uptight fiancee of the grandson of a famous the wooden appendages, who reminds the with his family to Fort Wayne, A Christmas 7:30pm mad scientist and bring her to the Civic The- giddy villagers that another Dr. Frankenstein Story being the most recent. ater in Fort Wayne. And do it quick! I feel a lives on. Last summer Drew went to New York song coming on. where he had the chance MU si Q When the tow- to perform in a private ering Civic Theater production of Annie production of the Mel Baker’s Pulitzer Prize- SOULCH I LD Brooks musical Young winning play The Flick. Frankenstein opens He also took part in February 16 & 17 | 7:30pm February 13, things are workshops teaching the going to get spooky in Meisner technique. a fun and re-animated “It’s a method of act- Cir QU E D’OR sort of way. ing where you make Re-animating to everything that you do a the stage the sparkling very natural easy thing,” life of a movie as be- Drew said. “The idea loved and timeless as is to work your own Young Frankenstein personality into your was no easy task, as character so that your Brooks found out character doesn’t come when reviews came off as a caricature but back mixed. Fresh (in as a real person. I bring musical theater terms) that to a lot of roles. But off the blazing success the role of Igor is not re- February 24 | 7:30pm of The Producers, the ally one you can do that first musical adapta- with. tion of a Brooks film, YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN “Igor doesn’t have to 42N D ST ree T it’s understandable that 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13 F r e d e r i c k explain anything that he does,” Drew contin- February 26 & 27 | 7pm critics had high anxiety 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14 & Feb. 28 F r a n k e n s t e i n ued. “A lot of characters have a motivation about what to think. 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, (AJ Lorenzini), and it’s very clear in the script. This is why Audiences weren’t who pronounces your character does what he does. What are so flummoxed. They Feb. 19-20 & Feb. 26-27 his last name your character’s wants, what are their needs DOWN THE LINE loved it. So when the Arts United Center Fronkensteen in and what are their motivations? Igor does TH production finally 303 E. Main St., Fort Wayne a vain attempt not necessarily have any. He’s kind of free 10 ANNIVERSARY opened to performances Tix: $17-$26 thru box office, to avoid associa- form. You don’t really know his origin. He’s at regional theaters, the 260-424-5220 tion with his in- kind of just his own person.” March 3 | 7:30pm Civic’s Phillip Colgla- famous ancestor, Another the thing about Igor, Drew said, zier jumped on it. learns that he has is that Marty Feldman, who played Igor in “It just became available, so we wanted inherited his grandfather’s castle and sets off the film, did such singular job with the char- Jay Len O to to do it right away,” Colglazier said. “It’s from his lab at New York’s Johns, Miriam acter that any attempt to forge a different ap- Mel Brooks. Who doesn’t love Mel Brooks? and Anthony Hopkins School of Medicine proach would not only fall flat, it would do a March 17 | 7:30pm It’s just great fun.” to settle the estate. At the train station, he disservice to fans of the movie. Colglazier, who has been executive di- bids farewell to his untouchable bride to be, “Audience members are coming in with rector of the Civic Theater since 2000, said Elizabeth Benning (Eileen Claypool) and that in mind,” he said. “It’s such an iconic Jenni F er NE TTL es the musical version of Young Frankenstein is rolls away toward destiny. character. You want to do it justice. a perfect fit for Fort Wayne audiences. Arriving at the Transylvania Heights For Colglazier, meeting expectations Celtic Woman ................................Mar. 18 “This town is all about musical theater,” train station, young Dr. Frankenstein is poses a bit of a challenge as well. The movie tru TV’s Impractical Jokers .........Mar. 19 he said. met by Igor (Gavin Drew), a carefree imp is so well-known and well-loved that many Peppa Pig’s Big Splash ................Mar. 24 That says a lot not only about the local with a movable hump who is to be the good people have it memorized, with favorite lines NABBA Championship ............... Apr. 1-2 populace, but about the talent therein. You doctor’s gofer. Igor introduces Frederick to never far from consciousness. That’s saying Jethro Tull .........................................Apr. 7 can’t find success in musical theater unless the gifted lab assistant Inga (Jana Henly), something considering the movie came out Annie .................................................Apr. 8 you have the raw materials to begin with. and together they roll through the dark and more than 40 years ago. All Star Comedy Jam ......................Apr. 9 And as recent Civic offerings such as Shrek, stormy night toward the castle, where (cue “There are some differences between Bullets Over Broadway ................... May 6 Cabaret and Spamalot demonstrated, there’s the horses) Frau Blücher (Maggie Kole the movie and the stage production,” Col- Rodney Carrington ........................ May 7 no shortage of talent around here. Hunter) waits and plots. Her scheme entails glazier said. “The movie is very slow-paced. “It’s a strong cast,” said Colglazier, who luring Dr. Frankenstein to her late boyfriend They allow time to let the humor sink in. is directing. “What was nice about the audi- Victor’s lab in the rotten bowels of the castle The musical is more fast-paced. The scenes Embassy Theatre tion process is we had twice as many people where he will discover his grandfather’s li- are out of order to help the flow of the stage audition, so we had to turn people away. Ev- brary and carry on the grisly work of reani- production. You’ll notice a difference in that. 125 W. Jefferson Blvd. eryone we offered a part to accepted. It was mating dead tissue. Which he does. His cre- Most of it is still there. Lines will pop up in Fort Wayne, Indiana like yes!” ation, The Monster (Billy Dawson) escapes, another scene, but it’s all still there. If any- Many of the actors are veterans of the falls in love and has a brief career as a song thing, we’re trying to stay true to the movie ticketmaster.com Civic stage, some are newcomers, but all and dance man and everyone lives happily rather than the Broadway musical because of them are having a ball, Colglazier said, ever after. that’s what’s in the minds of the audience.” 2 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- www.whatzup.com ----------------------------------------------------------- February 11, 2016 whatzup Volume 20, Number 26 ith a cover story on Young Frankenstein and a feature story on a writer/actor whose fascination is a legendary giant turtle who may or may not have once called a Churubusco pond home, well, you February 25-28, 2016 Wcould say this is a monster of an issue. Too dumb? Okay, maybe. But if you Presented by take the time to read the aforementioned features, you’re going to find yourself wanting to fit both the Civic Theatre production of the Mel Brooks classic and Featuring Plus Creative and practical all for One’s production of Turtle Soup into your busy lives. If you do, you’ll ideas from gardening have a lot of laughs and us to thank for it. Well, not “us” for making these fun expert, things happen, but “us” for helping to make you aware of them. Energetic, entrepreneurial and fun! Melinda Cari is the star of the syndicated Photo by Mark Avery Myers That’s what we do here at whatzup World Headquarters here on beautiful show “Cash and Cari”, runs RePurpose Estate Services, operates Shriner Lake – we put what there is to do in our little corner of the world into the RePurpose Shop, and refurbishes Enter to win a 600 sq. ft. one handy little publication, and then we distribute that publication all over just about anything she can get installed paver patio her hands on! valued at $15,000 northeast Indiana, strategically placing them at locations where you’re likely to Deadline to enter is February 28 at 3 p.m.