Last night, a few ghoulish characters took the stage at Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium and not one of them was gearing up for any sort of Halloween block party.
Broadway put the comedic quips of Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein to the test and impressed a crowd of about 1,300 students and Athens locals.
Although the show didn’t completely sell out, the cast kept the audience engaged, even allowing Dr. Frankenstein’s monster to run into the audience just before intermission.
Strobe lights, fog effects and flashy costumes added to the repertoire of effects that enhanced the comedic musical. Even the faux boob grab of Lexie Dorsett’s character, Elizabeth, as she sang, “Please Don’t Touch Me” added an unexpected jolt for audience members.
The production kept the laughs rolling and elicited a standing ovation even before the cast had completely wrapped up the ending bows.
In typical Young Frankenstein fashion, laughs continued to echo through the auditorium as audience members filed out of the building.
Highlights of the performance included:
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The pinnacle of applause came when Dr. Frankenstein and his monster performed their token tap number to “Putting on the Ritz.”
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Lexie Dorsett kept the audience entertained with each sassy punch line to her fiancé, Dr. Frankenstein, and created a strong opening with her rendition of “Please Don’t Touch Me”
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Pat Sibley’s bold rendering of “He Vas my Boyfriend” for her character Frau Blucher induced roaring laughter accompanied by loud applause.
sg409809@ohiou.edu
