‘The Producers’ @ The Firehouse Theatre
—Carol M. Rice
The Producers is a musical comedy with tunes and lyrics by Mel Brooks and book by Brooks and Thomas Meehan, adapted from Brooks’ 1967 film of the same name. The original production hit Broadway in 2001 and won a record-breaking 12 Tony Awards. It later opened in the West End and has spawned numerous touring companies, plus regional and community theatre productions.
Max Bialystock is a washed-up producer who is visited by mousy accountant Leo Bloom, who’s come to do his books. Leo discovers a loophole in the accounting rules, and makes the offhand comment that a producer could make more from a flop than from a hit—and that gets the wheels turning in Max’s brain. He convinces Leo (who has always secretly wanted to be a Broadway producer) to join him in producing the worst musical ever made so they can make a ton of money. Only somehow, the show they put together turns out to be a hit.
Grant Hollowell is brilliant as Max Bialystock. Unlike other productions I’ve seen, he doesn’t try to channel Nathan Lane and instead makes the performance entirely his own. Hollowell’s uniquely understated interpretation of the role, coupled with his powerhouse voice, makes for a mesmerizing look at the crooked yet somehow likeable producer.
As Leo Bloom, Micah B. Hardt brings not only soaring tenor vocals but also a huge amount of energy to the stage. His frequent bouts of hysteria (they’re off-the-charts funny) can be calmed by a scrap of baby blue blanket that he’s never without, and his romance with Ulla is sweet and pleasant.
Savannah DeCrow is by far the sexiest Ulla I’ve ever seen. Batting her huge, expressive eyes as she slithers across the stage, DeCrow is a stunning triple threat, and her ridiculous Swedish accent only adds to the allure. She is an accomplished dancer with a ton of charisma, and her talent made me wish Ulla had more to do in the show—DeCrow felt underutilized despite also appearing in a couple of chorus numbers.
Toni Arroyo and Doug Fowler “Keep It Gay” beautifully as Carmen Ghia and Roger Debris. They make a comfortable yet flamboyant couple, and Arroyo especially shines vocally as they caper about the stage.
As the pigeon-loving disciple of Hitler, Jacob Catalano buys in completely to the absurdity of playwright Franz Liebkind. In the wrong hands Franz could be offensive (well, so could the whole show, I guess...) but Catalano gives him just the right amount of humanity and comedy.
The Producers is a show the ensemble can make or break, and I’m pleased to report that this bunch ties everything together perfectly. Playing dozens of parts, from usherettes to old ladies to Nazis to cops, everyone here is 100% committed to whatever role they’re playing at the moment. Meghan MacLellan, Evan Taiclet, and Hailey Wolfe are standouts, but everyone is excellent. Ensemble members include April Rose Bourg, Janie Carr, Breanna Duchatellier, Lucas Haupert, Cam Hayes, Josh Hepola, Bryson Morlan, and Juan Perez. The ensemble gave Hollowell’s show-shopping “Betrayed” a new level via their involvement, and the scenes in Little Old Lady Land featuring “Along Came Bialy” and “Act One Finale” were loads of fun!
Scenic designer Logan Uhtenwoldt has put together a simple yet effect set. The shiny, tiled back wall gave us an abstract (Art Deco?) skyline that, paired with Hank Baldree’s exceptional lighting design, provided color and change. Add in Dayna Rae Dutton’s spectacular – and numerous – costumes, and you have a perfectly pallette-coordinated spectacle for the show.
I was shocked to learn that The Producers marks Caitlin Martelle’s directorial debut, as the show was extremely well-done, polished, and professional – but I guess it’s not surprising if you’re familiar with her exceptional onstage work. Choreography by Jessica Deskewies was sharp, energetic, and appropriate for the talents of the cast. Rebekah Prim’s music direction featured strong solos and tight harmonies. Kudos to sound designer Michael Marbry for making the mic usage seem invisible.
This production team obviously understood the assignment of collaborating to put together a deceptively difficult musical. Even the potentially offensive stuff was handled well and rather than audience members huffing out angrily at the content, we were all laughing at the farce of it all.
Whether you’ve seen The Producers in the past (via the original 1967 or 2005 films or onstage), you think you’ve heard of it, or you aren’t familiar with it at all, I strongly encourage you to see The Fireside Theatre’s outstanding production. I’m actually trying to figure out if I can see it again before it closes at the end of the month.
WHEN: March 12-29, 2026
WHERE: The Firehouse Theatre, 2535 Valley View Lane, Farmers Branch, TX
WEB: https://thefirehousetheatre.com/
