STUDY GUIDE

F E B RUA RY 6 - M A R C H 17, 2019

MUSIC AND LYRICS BY MEL BROOKS. BOOK BY MEL BROOKS AND THOMAS MEEHAN.
A NEW MEL BROOKS MUSICAL. DIRECTED BY JIM CORTI.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Producers Synopsis . . ..................................................................................page 3

Characters at Play............................................................................................page 7

History of The Producers..................................................................................page 9

The Satire of The Producers . . ............................................................................page 10

What Exactly is a Producer.. .............................................................................page 11

Other Jobs in Theater. . .....................................................................................page 12

Theater Superstitions.. .....................................................................................page 14

Post-Show Discussion......................................................................................page 15

Post-Show Activity .........................................................................................page 16

Cited Sources ..................................................................................................page 17

 THE PRODUCERS SYNOPSIS

1959, New York City. Producer Max Bialystock

is getting ready for the opening of his newest
show. And, it’s a total flop. In fact, it’s a flop in
a long line of flops. Max begins to daydream
about when he was “the king of old Broadway.”
He had huge successes and was praised by
thousands. Now he’s gone from being at the
top of his game to, well, almost the bottom.
Max has taken to sleeping in his office out
of desperation. On June 16th, 1959, Max is
sleeping on his office couch when he hears a
knock at the door from a Leopold Bloom.

Leopold Bloom is an accountant with Whitehall and Marks and is

there to examine Max’s financial books. Max is annoyed, but lets
Leo in. As Leo begins to look over Max’s books, there is a knock
on the door from one of Max’s many investors. Leo is quite taken
aback to see an older woman who refers to herself as “Hold Me-
Touch Me” has arrived for some intimate time with Max. Max
rushes Leo into the bathroom while trying to collect a check from
Hold Me-Touch Me. Despite being asked to stay in the bathroom,
Leo accidentally walks in on Max and Hold Me-Touch Me as they
are in a moment of passion. Max sends Hold Me-Touch Me away
with the promise of continuing their meeting later in the week.

Leo apologizes for interrupting Max but informs him there seems to be a problem with his books. “There’s
two thousand dollars unaccounted for,” Leo informs Max. Max tells him the funds have already been spent
and suggests Leo just move some numbers around to hide the missing money. Leo reluctantly agrees that
since the two thousand dollars is such a small amount, it can likely be hidden from the IRS with relative
ease. While moving the numbers around, Leo is struck with an amusing thought. “Hmmmm. Yes. It’s quite
possible. If he were certain that the show
would fail, a man could make a fortune.”
This sentence grabs Max’s attention and he
encourages Leo to continue his thought. How
exactly would they go about doing this?

Leo explains that if Max could raise, “a

million, put on your hundred-thousand-
dollar flop, and keep the rest.” Max can think
of nothing else. He decides that he and Leo
need to raise two million dollars-one million
for Max, one million for Leo-and put on the
worst show Broadway has ever seen. Leo is
quite nervous at the thought of this idea, and
no matter how much Max encourages Leo
with a, “we can do it,” Leo rushes away.
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While back at the office, Leo finds himself
among his accountant coworkers who are
all, “very, very, very, very, very, very, very,
unhappy.” Leo is unhappy too, especially
after being yelled at by his boss upon his
return to the office. It isn’t long before Leo
begins to daydream about what it might
be like to be a producer. It is during this
incredible daydream that Leo has the
realization, “stop the world, I wanna get
on!” Leo quits his job right there and rushes
back to Max’s office to begin his journey as
a producer. Max is quite happy to see Leo
again, and they spend the entire next day
and night reading through scripts, trying
to find the worst script ever written. Leo has just about reached his breaking point when Max believes
he’s found the perfect flop. In fact, he thinks, “This play has got to close on page 4.” The show is titled
Springtime For Hitler, A Gay Romp with Adolf and Eva at Berchtesgaden. They see that the author, Franz
Liebkind, lives locally and they quickly run to ask him for the rights to produce his show.

When they arrive, they find Franz Liebkind on his

roof feeding his beloved pigeons. Both the pigeons
and Franz are dressed in shocking attire. Liebkind
is wearing lederhosen and a German Army helmet,
while his pigeons are dressed in Nazi armbands and
German helmets. Max and Leo quickly begin to
faun over Liebkind’s show with Max declaring, “we
think it’s a masterpiece.” Liebkind is beside himself
and excitedly begins to share the news with his
beloved pigeons. Despite being extremely flattered
that Max and Leo want to produce his show, he tells
them he will not provide them with the rights to his
show until they recite The Siegfried Oath. Max and
Leo begrudgingly recite the The Siegfried Oath*, and
they have themselves a show! Next, they move on to
find their director.

Max and Leo call upon whom they believe is one of the worst
directors, Mr. Roger De Bris. They are greeted by Roger’s “common-
law assistant” Carmen. Carmen calls for Roger who enters in a
stunning gown, all set and ready to go to the choreographer’s ball
that evening. Roger says that he’s read the script and loves it, but
he doesn’t think it’s the right show for him to direct. Before he says
no completely, he calls upon the rest of his production team to see
what they think. Max and Leo are greeted by Roger’s set designer,
costume designer, choreographer, and lighting designer, each one
with their own distinct personality. Despite Roger’s continued
protestations, Max tells Roger to,” think of...the Tony!” Roger and his
production team can think of nothing better, and Roger agrees to
sign on to direct.
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With their production chosen and director signed on, Max and
Leo move to the discussion of auditions and casting. While sitting
in Max’s office, they get a knock at the door, and in walks Ulla Inga
Hansen Bensen Yonsen Tallen-Hallen Svaden-Svanson. Ulla says
she would like to audition for the show. Ulla sings a rousing number
called, “When You Got It, Flaunt It.” Max immediately offers her a
role in the show and even gives her a job as their secretary while
they wait to cast the rest of the show.

Confident their perfect plan is falling into place, Max decides to

head to Palm Springs to hit up his investors for the two million
dollars. All of Max’s investors gladly hand over the money he’s
asking for, and Max and Leo are on their way to creating and
producing the biggest flop in Broadway history. Once back from
Palm Springs, Max and Leo get to work on casting the rest of their
show and putting a down payment on the theater. Franz Liebkind
becomes frustrated with the progress of the auditions and throws
a fit. He shows the room how he thinks the role needs to be played,
and Max declares, “That’s our Hitler!”

Finally, Max and Leo have everything in place for opening night. In a fit of excitement, Leo wishes the
creative team “Good luck!” Everyone comes to a complete halt backstage and explain to Leo the bad luck
it brings to wish anyone good luck in theater on opening night. And sure enough, moments later their
leading man, Franz Liebkind, breaks his leg offstage. Roger is convinced that they’ll have to cancel the
show, while Max decides to convince Roger
that he himself can take over the role. Roger
decides, “All right, you’re right. I’ll do it! By
God, I’ll do it!” With what they believe to be
their biggest crisis averted, Springtime for
Hitler has its opening night. After all of their
hard work and dedication, Max and Leo have
a… hit! They can’t believe it. They actually
have a hit. Critics are calling it, “A satiric
masterpiece,” and “A surprise smash!”

Leo and Max are beside themselves. Leo

feels there’s “no way out.” Not only can they
not pay back their investors, but they quickly
discover that Franz Liebkind is not pleased
with the way his show was received. Liebkind
is furious, screaming that “You made a fool
out of Hitler!” He begins shooting at Max
and Leo, as well as Roger and Carmen. Max
stops Liebkind and says who he should really be mad at is the actors. After all, the audience was laughing
because, “the actors were making fun of him.” Liebkind agrees, and is about to leave to “kill all zee actors,”
but before he can leave, the police show up. The police quickly find two binders, one marked “Show to the
I.R.S.” and the other marked “Never Show to the I.R.S.” Since Leo has hidden himself, Max is the only one
dragged away by the police. Ulla finds Leo in his hiding place and convinces him to take the two million
dollars and run off to Rio with her. Leo thinks that sounds a lot better than jail, and they both head to Rio
and leave Max in the wind.
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While in jail, Max receives a postcard from Leo explaining where he and Ulla have been. Max becomes so
furious that he has a complete mental breakdown. After his breakdown, Max heads to trial. He is quickly
found guilty, but right before sentencing, Leo enters the courtroom with Ulla. Leo tells the judge, “Your
Honor, this was all my scheme. I wish to turn myself in, and here is the two million dollars we stole.” The
judge says, “Gentlemen, it breaks my heart to break up such a beautiful friendship. So I won’t. Five years in
the state penitentiary at Sing Sing!”

Both Max and Leo go to jail and, of course, spend their time producing their next show. Both men receive
news from the governor, “Gentlemen, you are hereby granted a full pardon for having - through song and
dance - brought joy and laughter into the hearts of every murderer, rapist and sex maniac in Sing Sing.”
They leave prison as two friends and two successful producers.

*The Siegfried Oath is a comedic take on the Hitler oath. It’s also known as the Soldier’s Oath, and was a
commitment of loyalty to Hitler from German officers and soldiers during WWII.

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 CHARACTERS AT PLAY

MAX BIALYSTOCK
Blake Hammond*
Once “The king of old Broadway,” Max is a Broadway producer
down on his luck. He’s had flop after flop and can’t seem to get
back on his feet. He’s taken to living in his office and swindles every
dime he can out of his dearly devoted investors who all happen to
be rich, elderly women. When Leo Bloom walks in, he begins to
feel that his life is finally on a turn for the better. Leo gives him the
greatest idea he’s heard for a scheme that will set them up for life.

LEO BLOOM
Jake Morrissy
Leo is quite a nervous man who mostly keeps to himself. He is an
accountant for a company called Whitehall and Marks, and he
comes to Max’s office to do his financial books. He quickly becomes
swept up in Max’s eventful life, and Max tries to convince Leo they
should work together on the biggest financial scheme Broadway
will have ever seen. At first, Leo is far too overwhelmed to agree,
telling Max, “I’m afraid you’ve made a terrible error in judgement.
You’ve mistaken me for someone with a spine.” Once Leo heads
back to his office though, he can think of nothing else but
becoming a producer, and he decides to quit his job and join Max.

FRANZ LIEBKIND
Ron E. Rains*
Franz Liebkind is the playwright that Max and Leo are putting all of
their hopes in, having written Springtime For Hitler, A Gay Romp with
Adolf and Eva at Berchtesgaden. He spends much of his free time on
his roof, tending to his beloved pigeons. He has dressed them in Nazi
armbands and even taught them to perform the Nazi salute. More
than anything, he seems to be homesick, and he misses “the hills
and dales and vales and trails of old Bavaria.” He becomes extremely
excited at the prospect of his musical being put on Broadway.

*denotes members of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers.

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 CHARACTERS AT PLAY (CONT.)

ROGER DEBRIS
Sean Blake*
Roger is a New York theatrical director who Max considers to
be one of the worst directors in all of New York. Max and Leo
believe he will be the perfect director for their show. Roger
has a larger than life personality and up until this point, he
has been known mostly for directing “frivolous musicals.”
Springtime for Hitler might be his one chance to change all of
that, but he would prefer that no matter what, they “keep it gay.”

CARMEN GHIA
Adam Fane
Carmen is Roger’s “common-law assistant.” He stands by Roger
for every decision both professionally and personally. He is very
protective of his relationship with Roger and feels Springtime
for Hitler will be his shot at finally winning a Tony Award.

ULLA INGA HANSEN BENSEN YONSEN

TALLEN-HALLEN SAVDEN-SVANSON
Elyse Collier*
Ulla is a young woman from Sweden who hopes to make her
Broadway debut with Max and Leo’s production of Springtime
for Hitler. Max and Leo are both infatuated with her beauty,
and she blows them away with her amazing audition. Max and
Leo decide to find a place for her in the show, as well as in their
office. Ulla not only has amazing theatrical talents, but can also
tidy up and redesign a space like no one else.

*denotes members of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers.

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 THE HISTORY OF THE PRODUCERS

“We can do it, we can make our dreams come true.”

The title of James Robert Parish’s 2007 biography on Mel Brooks is titled, It’s Good to be the King. Not only is
that a lyric from The Producers and a famous line from the Mel Brooks film History of the World, but it is also
quite an apt way to describe Mel Brooks. Since the 50s, Mel Brooks has been leaving audiences in stitches.
Starting with his writing on television sketch shows New Faces and Your Show of Shows in the 50s, all the
way to voicing a character in Hotel Transylvania 3 in 2018. Despite countless credits as an actor, writer and
director, his very first film, The Producers, still has us all rolling in the aisles.

The Producers was released as a film in 1968,

PARAMOUNT THEATRE 2019 PRODUCTION
despite turmoil throughout the making of
the film. Brooks had a very specific vision for
the movie, and was less than kind to those
who might try to change or edit his vision.
While critical reviews of the film were mixed,
audiences loved it. Mel Brooks even won an
Oscar in Best Writing, Story and Screenplay for
the film. Audiences continued to enjoy the film
and its humor for decades, and while Brooks
was approached a few different times to turn
the show into a musical, he always refused. That
is, until he was persuaded by producer David
Geffen. Geffen convinced Brooks that creating 1968 TRAILER
a musical from the film would add to the legacy
of the film, and wouldn’t take anything away
from it, as Brooks feared it might.

The Producers had an out of town tryout in

Chicago, IL at the Cadillac Palace Theatre on
February 1, 2001. It was instantly a hit and won
rave reviews from critics. The show transferred
to Broadway and opened on April 19, 2001.
The show again was a hit, starring both Nathan
Lane and Matthew Broderick. At the 2001 Tony
Awards, The Producers walked away with 12 2005 TRAILER
Tonys which is still the record for most Tonys
won by a single show. The Producers also broke
the record for largest single day box-office ticket
sales, making more than 3 million dollars in a
single day. The show ran for 2,502 performances
and closed April 22, 2007.

In 2005, a movie version of the Broadway

musical was created, also starring Nathan Lane
and Matthew Broderick. While it did not find as
much success as it’s stage musical counterpart,
it is still enjoyed by many.

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 THE SATIRE OF THE PRODUCERS

“Humor is just another defense against the universe.” - Mel Brooks

The Producers uses satire throughout, poking fun at nearly every character, even Hitler himself.
But, what exactly is satire?

Satire is defined as a literary device used to ridicule human vices. Satire can include using ridicule,
derision, burlesque, irony, parody or caricature.

Satire was being used as far back as 5th Molière used satire in his play
century in Athens. Aristophanes used Tartuffe, and even George Bernard
satire in several of his works, including Shaw considered himself a satirist.
Lysistrata.

Some current examples of satire

include:

The Simpsons
The Daily Show
The Colbert Report
Saturday Night Live

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 WHAT EXACTLY IS A PRODUCER?

“I wanna be a producer, show the world just what I’ve got.”

A producer is the person charged with the development of a show from start to finish. Often they will
be providing the money for the production, or more likely, they will be helping provide money to the
production from many different people. They also have final say when it comes to almost every decision in
the production, from designs to actors.

There are also different levels of producers:

ABOVE THE TITLE PRODUCERS:

Above the Title Producers get their name above the title of the show which they are producing. They also
may be investing their own money in the production, or be the person who puts together an investment
group of people. Perks include being invited to producer meetings, show memorabilia, and the ability to
purchase a Tony if the show they produce wins one.

ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS:
Associate Producers enjoy many of the same perks as above the title producers do except they are listed
below the title of the production. They also do not get the perk of being able to purchase a Tony Award if
the production wins one.

PRODUCERS:
Anyone else who would like to invest money into a show, but not as much as an above the title or associate
producer, is simply known as a producer. The perks of being a producer are attending the opening night
party, having the ability to order house seats for a show, and being able to call themselves a producer of
the production they are investing in.

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 OTHER JOBS IN THEATER

“I should ask my production team what they think.”

Most people are familiar with the actors and director of any particular production and now may be aware
of the producers as well. But there are many other people involved in the creation of a show.

“THIS IS MY SET DESIGNER, BRYAN.”

The set designer is the person charged with designing the look and feel of the set. They’ll work one on one
with a director, listening to the director’s overall ideas for the story, and they will then bring that world to life
through their set. The designer will also often need to work closely with a technical director. The technical
director will be in charge of constructing the actual set, and they’ll make sure the designer’s work can come
to life onstage.

The Producers Scenic Designer: William Boles

Paramount Theatre Resident Technical Director: Jason Pikscher
Paramount Theatre Resident Assistant Technical Director: Kelly Steimel

“AND HERE’S MY COSTUME DESIGNER, KEVIN.”

The costume designer will help bring characters to life on stage through their work. They too will talk and
work closely with a director to figure out the world the they are trying to create for these characters. After
those conversations, the designer will design the costumes for that world and after approval from a director,
will then make or build the costumes. At Paramount Theatre, most of the building and purchasing of the
costumes come from our very own costume shop.

The Producers Costume Designer: Jordan Ross

The Producers Assistant Costume Designer: Amanda Vander Byl
Paramount Theatre Resident Costume Shop Manager: Matt Guthier
Paramount Theatre Resident Costume Shop & Design Associate: Christina Leinicke
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 OTHER JOBS IN THEATER (CONT.)

“NEXT, SCOTT, MY CHOREOGRAPHER…”

In musical theater, a choreographer is in charge of helping tell the story of the production through dance.
They will work closely with a director and musical director to make sure all of the dancing fits within the story
and music of the show. They often will work with an assistant and dance captain. These two people help
make sure that the choreographers work is communicated clearly to the performers onstage. Throughout
the run of the show, they see to it that the choreography stays looking sharp.

The Producers Choreographer: Brenda Didier

The Producers Associate Choreographer: Tiffany Krause
The Producers Dance Captain: Sawyer Smith

“AND, AH, FINALLY, LAST AND LEAST, MY LIGHTING DESIGNER, SHIRLEY MARKOWITZ."
Lighting is another incredibly valuable tool in the storytelling of a production. Not only does a lighting
designer need to make sure the actors and set are visible, they are in charge of helping create mood and
setting with their design. Along with other designers, they will need to speak and work directly with the
director of the production to understand their vision for the show. Once they have those meetings, they
work closely with their assistant to help bring that vision to life. At Paramount Theatre, they also work closely
with our lighting, sound and media supervisor as well as our technical director, to make sure their design
can work within the theater.

The Producers Lighting Designer: Jesse Klug

The Producers Assistant Lighting Designer: Aaron Lorenz
Paramount Theatre Resident Lighting, Sound, & Media Supervisor: Alex Buholzer

This is only a small taste of all the extremely talented people involved in
putting on a major musical production.

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 THEATER SUPERSTITIONS

“It’s bad luck to say ‘good luck’ on opening night.”

It’s true, theater professionals wouldn’t dare utter, “good luck” to someone before a performance. Instead,
we often say “break a leg!” But, why? Where did this superstition come from, and what other superstitions
are held in the theater community?

#1: SAYING “BREAK A LEG”

INSTEAD OF “GOOD LUCK”
There are a few different origins for this saying. One
possible origin comes from the days of vaudeville.
Theaters would have actors wait just offstage, unless they
were granted the privilege of performing that evening. If
they were able to step onstage, or “break” onto the stage,
they would get to perform that evening. “Breaking” onto
a stage was the only way they would be paid.

#2: THEATERS MUST ALWAYS

USE A GHOSTLIGHT
Almost every single theater will use a ghost light at
night after a performance is over. Logic might suggest
that a ghostlight is present to make sure that if someone
enters in a dark theater, they’ll still be able to see and
won’t hurt themselves by running into or tripping over
anything. Some people also believe that the ghostlight
serves the purpose of keeping at bay any spirits
lurking within the theater. Many theaters are said to
be haunted by spirits, and these lights are supposed to
provide them with enough comfort to keep them from
bringing harm to anyone working within the theater.

#3: NEVER SAY THE WORD

“MACBETH” IN A THEATER
Unless you are in an actual production of Macbeth,
theater lore suggests that you should never say the
word “Macbeth” inside of a theater. The origin of
this superstition varies. Some believe the first actor
to ever portray Macbeth died tragically during the
performance. Others believe that the play itself is so
violent that even mentioning its name in a theater
will bring unkind energy into your theater and onto
your current production. Don’t worry, though. If
you happen to slip up, you can exit the theater, spin
around in a circle three times, and spit. According to
legend, that should appease the spirits that be, and
your production should go on with no bad energy.
to pitch”

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 POST-SHOW DISCUSSION

1. The Producers is partly a love letter to Broadway. What nods to Broadway did you notice
throughout the show? What references were made to other productions or other theaters?

2. Director Jim Corti said he wanted New York to be visible in the background for much of the
show. Why do you think he asked for this design choice? How do you think it added to the
action/environment of the show to always be able to see the city?

3. From dancers jumping into the pit to show girls appearing out of filing cabinets, what technical
elements surprised you the most? What did you enjoy most about those moments?

4. There is a ton of comedy in this show, which moves at a breakneck speed. Which comedic
moments did you enjoy the most in this production?

5. Critics in The Producers love Springtime For Hitler, calling it a “satiric masterpiece.” What about
the show do you think led them to believe the show was satire instead of sincere?

6. The music and lyrics of The Producers was written by comedy legend Mel Brooks. The film version of
this story won him an oscar in 1969. What are some current examples of satire today? Do you see any
entertainment today that could have been influenced by Mel Brooks’ humor?

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 POST-SHOW ACTIVITY

Currently on Broadway there are 10 shows that were movies before they were musicals:
Waitress, Pretty Woman: The Musical, King Kong, The Lion King, Anastasia,
Mean Girls, The Band’s Visit, Aladdin, Kinky Boots and Frozen

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN.

Pick your favorite movie and decide how it might be turned into a musical. Once you’ve picked your show,
figure out how you would pitch it to producers to get them to invest.

Things to think about when choosing your film turned musical.

1. What about the story makes you think it would be a great musical? Example: Is it a story that’s already
super popular, is there already music in the movie?

2. Which scenes do you think could be turned into musical numbers? Example: The Lion King, Aladdin,
Frozen - they already have great musical numbers. If there’s not already music in your movie, which
scenes do you think lend themselves to the best musical numbers?

3. What kind of set do you think your show would have? Example: Waitress has a proscenium filled with
pies. Mean Girls does a lot of fun choreography within a school lunchroom.

4. Are there any fantastical technical elements that would draw a crowd to your show? Example: King
Kong and The Lion King use incredible puppets to help in their storytelling.

After you’ve chosen your show, you should be able to present it to a

producer using a short five-minute pitch.

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 CITED SOURCES

• “Choreographer.” Set Designer | AACT, aact.org/choreographer.

• “Design and Production.” Elements and Principles of Design | Imagined Spaces, artsalive.ca/en/eth/
design/costume.asp.

• Elliott, Robert C. “Satire.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 29 Dec. 2017, www.
britannica.com/art/satire#ref51151.

• Field, Hayden. “How to Become a Producer.” Backstage.com, 20 Nov. 2017, www.backstage.com/maga-

zine/article/become-producer-2792/.

• Fierberg, Ruthie. “Theatre Jobs: What Does It Take to Be a Broadway Producer?” Playbill, PLAYBILL
INC., 15 Oct. 2017, www.playbill.com/article/theatre-jobs-what-does-it-take-to-be-a-broadway-pro-
ducer.

• Imani, Faizah. “How to Become a Theatrical Producer.” Chron.com, 21 Nov. 2017, work.chron.com/be-
come-theatrical-producer-12594.html.

• Kashani, Tim. “Become a Broadway Producer: Everything You Need to Get Started.” Apples and Orang-
es Studios, 1 Feb. 2017, nycoc.com/1-step-to-becoming-a-broadway-producer/.

• Kashner, Sam. “The Making of The Producers.” The Hive, Vanity Fair, 29 Aug. 2016, www.vanityfair.
com/culture/2004/01/making-the-producers.

• Pfeiffer, Lee. “The Producers.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 15 Nov. 2013,
www.britannica.com/topic/The-Producers-film-1968#ref1101468.

• Robinson, Mark A. “13 Theater Superstitions.” Broadway Direct, Broadway Direct, 15 Mar. 2018, broad-
waydirect.com/13-theater-superstitions-halloween/.

• “Set Designer.” Set Designer | AACT, aact.org/set-designer.

• “Show History.” Music Theatre International, www.mtishows.com/show-history/1677.

• “TA Department of Theatre Arts.” Sound Designer | Department of Theatre Arts, theatre.uoregon.edu/
production/sound-designer/.

• “The Best Satire TV Shows.” Ranker, www.ranker.com/list/satire-tv-shows-and-series/reference.

• Trueman, Matt. “So You Want to Be a Theatre Producer?” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media,
20 May 2013, www.theguardian.com/culture-professionals-network/culture-professionals-blog/2013/
may/20/how-to-be-theatre-producer.

• Vlastelica, Ryan. “Where to Start with Mel Brooks' High-Quality Low Comedy.” TV Club, TV Club, 14
Sept. 2018, tv.avclub.com/where-to-start-with-mel-brooks-high-quality-low-comedy-1798285435.

• Vlastelica, Ryan. “Where to Start with Mel Brooks' High-Quality Low Comedy.” TV Club, TV Club, 14
Sept. 2018, tv.avclub.com/where-to-start-with-mel-brooks-high-quality-low-comedy-1798285435.
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 CITED SOURCES (CONT.)

• Wilstein, Matt. “Mel Brooks Talks Trump, Anti-Semitism, Political Correctness and the 'Best Movie' He
Ever Made.” The Daily Beast, The Daily Beast Company, 23 Apr. 2018, www.thedailybeast.com/mel-
brooks-ive-never-been-a-fan-of-political-correctness.

• Wright, KC. “9 (Serious) Theatrical Superstitions.” Backstage.com, 19 May 2015, www.backstage.com/

magazine/article/serious-theatrical-superstitions-10447/.

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