At this time of year, when graduations are bountiful and school is out for summer, there’s a great deal of sentimentality that is found in looking at friendships: How people have grown and changed and loved and supported each other, and how will those friendships survive the changes that life brings. 

Everyone knows, however, that the best part of friendship is sharing a laugh, and that laughter and friendship is on full display in Summit City Music Theatre’s production of The Producers at Carroll High School, June 21-30.

Having fun together

The musical is based on Mel Brooks’ film of the same name, the story of the unlikely friendship of Broadway producer Max Bialystock (Jeff Cox) and accountant Leo Bloom (Gavin Thomas Drew) and their hilarious quest to make the most money possible with a flop.

Director Chapman Shields finds the dynamic relationship between Bloom and Bialystock as the heart of the show. 

“It’s a buddy comedy about these two friends, and it’s not a traditional love story about friends falling in love with each other,” he said.

What is ironic and a bit funny about this particular production of The Producers is that two of Summit City Music Theatre’s own producers are cast in the leading roles. 

“It’s very funny, actually,” Drew said of himself and the theater’s co-founder Cox. “Yep. Both of us have been producing things for Summit City for quite some time. It seems very fitting that we both got cast in these roles.” 

In a case of life imitating art, Drew and Cox, who last shared the stage in The Addams Family, have also become great friends. 

“We discovered we like trying to be funny together,” Cox said of their first collaboration. “Gavin, it’s easy to be onstage with him because you know, he’ll go with whatever curveball you throw or whatever curveball comes up. So it’s just you feel more at ease doing this type of show with him.”

Drew echoes this sentiment, saying “to do this show with Jeff Cox, who has been a very long time friend of mine, is just really, really special. I mean, we’re not solving any great problems in the world with this show. It’s just a comedy, it just exists for the laughs, but I’m enjoying it so much.”

The laughs are really what Shields and his cast are the most excited about. 

“It’s a great time right now with everything going on in the world to be able to just sit back and laugh,” Shields said. “A lot of theater is meant to move you or leave you feeling shame. This one is really designed to make you laugh.” 

“This script, it’s so funny that like, I am just in awe of the writing,” Drew said. “So it’s a lot of pressure to just keep this script as written.” 

Cox agrees. “I just think it’s relentlessly funny. I think that the interactions between Max and Leo as their relationships develop. It’s just really it just gets funnier as the play goes on.”

Laughter is best medicine

The cast and creative team all appreciate Brooks’ unique ability to channel hilarity but also variety. 

In order to capture the big production value, Summit City Music Theatre reached out to choreographer Mara Cover from Indianapolis to help with the staging of some of the iconic numbers. 

“There’s just so much variety in the show,” Cox said. “That is another thing that was really appealing about it. There’s just a ton of variety, you know, two tap dance production numbers, first real tap dance, and then there’s the little old ladies with the walkers doing their thing.” 

The production has a cast of 25, and Shields is very pleased with the efforts they’ve put forth. 

“It’s all there, everything you’d expect. We’re putting our own Summit City twist on it, of course, but Mara has it looking really cool,” he said.

Fun is not exclusively reserved for the audience. 

Drew admits it has been difficult at times to keep a straight face.

“We’re cracking up backstage and on stage,” he said. “If the trend holds, the audience will be rolling in the aisles.”

And that is just what Shields hopes his cast accomplishes. 

“Sometimes laughter is the best medicine,” he said. “So there could be somebody going through some stuff in life or just in general, the world’s crazy and not in a great place, but there are certain individuals who may really be struggling. There could be anything, from depression or divorce. This may be the medication for that. 

“If you come to this and don’t laugh, then we really can’t help you, but it’s designed for you to enjoy it.”