(by Andy McCain, Charleston Stage Resident Actor) For Christmas, I received Mel Brook’s film, The Producers, the original. I can’t begin to describe the brilliance in Gene Wilder’s portrayal of Leo Bloom, other than mesmerizing. I wanted to explore not just the character of Leo Bloom, but how he fits into The Producers . With Leo, audiences will see how he forms a true “bromance” with Max, his courage in making the right moves with a lovely Swedish over night star, and how he learns to cherish every aspect of what makes live theatrical entertainment so wonderful to watch. A few months ago I read, Jeffery Denman’s, A Year With The Producers: One Actor’s Exhausting (But Worth It) Journey From Cats to Mel Brooks’ Mega Hit. After reading this, I was reminded of how a musical of this magnitude requires every individual a part of the production to devote just every ounce of energy and dedication to making the show a success, and it worked. Leo will remind audiences of how it’s never too late to achieve even your wildest dreams. You Can Do It! We Can Do It!
(Center: Charleston Stage Resident Actor Andy McCain as Leopold Bloom)