The Naples Players to Present The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein

NAPLES, Fla. - Feb. 11, 2016 - PRLog -- NAPLES, FL -- The Naples Players (http://www.naplesplayers.org) plan to delight audiences this season with the reimagined telling of the Frankenstein legend in The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein, March 2 – April 3 in Blackburn Hall at Sugden Community Theatre in downtown Naples.  Accomplished director and Naples Players’ choreographer, Dawn Lebrecht Fornara, will direct and Charles Fornara will serve as musical director.

         In this classic comedy masterpiece adapted from the iconic 1974 film of the same name, Dr. Frederick Frankenstein follows his grandfather’s legacy as he works to bring a corpse back to life. Aided by his charming lab assistant, Inga, and his hunchbacked loyal side-kick, Igor, Frederick succeeds in bringing his monster to life, but not without dangerous and often hilarious consequences.

Starring as the bright brain surgeon, Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, is James Little, a veteran Naples Players actor.  Little was most recently seen as con artist Lawrence Jamesonin Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and as the accountant, Leo Bloom, in The Producers.

Randy Jones lights up the stage as Dr. Frankenstein’s creation, The Monster. Jones last took to the stage as the black sheep nephew, Nigel Rancour, in the fall production of Something’s Afoot, and starred as Professor Callahan in TNP’s summer production of Legally Blonde the Musical.

Filling the role of Igor, Frederick’s hunchbacked servant, is Brent Nicholas. Nicholas made his first appearance last fall on the TNP stage as Clive, The Butler, in Something’s Afoot.

Elizabeth Marcantonio performs as Inga, the bubbly, and extremely attractive assistant of Dr. Frankenstein’s. Marcantonio performed in TNP’s 2014 productions of Gypsy and The Drowsy Chaperone.

The self-absorbedElizabeth Benning, fiancé of Frederick, will be played by Mary Anne McKerrow. McKerrow appeared on the TNP stage in summer 2013 as Madame Thérnardier in Les Misérables, and before that in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels as Jolene.

Debi Guthery performs as Frau Blücher, the harsh housekeeper and former lover of Victor Frankenstein. Guthery has been singing and entertaining audiences since 1995, having appeared in numerous Naples Players productions including Legally Blonde the Musical, The Drowsy Chaperone, 42^nd Street, Shout! The Mod Musical, and Hello, Dolly!.

Inspector Hans Kemp will be played by Jim Corsica, last seen on The Naples Players’ stage as Selsdon in Noises Off!, and Daddy Warbucks in Annie.

Joe Loiacono plays the original mastermind and evil scientist Dr. Victor Frankenstein. Most recently Loiacono played the role of the Superintendent in the 2014 TNP production of The Drowsy Chaperone.

Newcomer Ronald Pirrello makes his debut with The Players’ as The Hermit.  Pirrello previous performed with the PEC Playhouse Theatre in Greater Chicago, most recently as con-artist Lawrence Anderson in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

         Theatre-goers should note that Wednesday performances begin at 7:30 p.m. this year.  Thursday through Saturday performances start at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $40 for adults and $10 for students 21 and under, and can be purchased at the box office, by calling 239-263-7990, or by visiting www.naplesplayers.org. Sugden Community Theatre is located at 701 5th Avenue South, Naples.

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Young Frank Foursome in Frame:  (From left) Brent Nicholas as Igor, Elizabeth Marcantonio as Inga, James Little as Dr. Frederick Frankenstein and Randy Jones as The Monster in The Naples Players production of Young Frankenstein, March 2 - April 3 in Blackburn Hall at Sugden Community Theatre, 701 5^th Avenue South, Naples.