By Guy Gardner
Theatre in the Park is heading indoors and things are about to get hilariously unhinged. We’re taking over the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center with Mel Brooks’ “Young Frankenstein,” running Oct. 3 – 19. Expect lightning. Expect lab coats. Expect one monster-sized comedy.
Based on the 1974 cult-classic film (written by Brooks and Gene Wilder), “Young Frankenstein” is a delightfully offbeat send-up of horror movies, old-school musicals, and the dangers of letting your assistant pick out brains.
Frederick Frankenstein…wait, it’s pronounced Fronkensteen… is a tightly-wound professor doing everything he can to avoid his family’s legacy of mad science. But when he inherits his grandfather’s castle in Transylvania, the temptation to reanimate the dead becomes a little too real. And by real, we mean hilariously disastrous.
He’s joined by Igor, a loyal hunchback with a shifting hump and terrible impulse control, and Inga, a bright-eyed lab assistant with a degree from the local community college. Together, they accidentally unleash a misunderstood monster, a whole lot of chaos, and more questionable choices than a reality TV show reunion.
Director Reed Uthe is all in. “I’ve been obsessed with classic monster movies since I was a kid. Then came “Young Frankenstein” with its perfect blend of horror and comedy. This show hits every nostalgic nerve for me. It’s been a dream to take that wild energy and translate it into live theatre.”
And live it is. The jokes are fast, the characters are bold, and the energy is high. From secret laboratories to violin-fueled mayhem, from angry villagers to slightly inappropriate love songs, the whole thing is gloriously over-the-top and somehow still grounded in heart.
“It’s about identity,” Reed says. “It’s about embracing who we are, the weird stuff we inherit, and how we shape our own path. The whole story is about finding your place – even if that place is at the head of a homemade operating table.”
Whether you’re a diehard Mel Brooks fan or just in desperate need of a night full of laughter, “Young Frankenstein” delivers. The cast is stacked, the jokes land, and the iconic scenes are reimagined with just enough local flair to make you feel like you’ve stumbled into the world’s funniest science experiment.
And best of all, the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center provides the perfect creepy-but-cozy backdrop. You’ll be close enough to hear the monster groan, the villagers shout, and Igor mumble something about his hump.
This show is rated PG-17, so if you haven’t exposed your young one to the brilliance of Mel Brooks’ comedy…you may want to leave them at home.
So grab your tickets, warm up your cackling voice, and get ready for a show that brings classic comedy to life in the most ridiculous way possible. “Young Frankenstein” is an unforgettable live experience, stitched together with heart, humor, and a very big brain.
It’s time. Throw the switch. Let the laughter begin.
