Students to bring Mel Brooks’ ‘Young Frankenstein’ to life

More than 40 years after making its theatrical debut, Mel Brooks’ comical film “Young Frankenstein” returns to the stage with a musical twist at Shadow Ridge High School.

The school’s spring musical is set to run at 6 p.m. April 22, 24 and 25.

“This is a movie that I grew up watching, and it was always a favorite amongst my family,” said Jimmy Carosone, director of the play. “It’s a fairly new musical, and not a lot of people have done it. This will be its debut in Las Vegas.”

Much like the movie, the musical is a parody of Mary Shelley’s Gothic tale “Frankenstein.”

It centers on Dr. Frankenstein (pronounced Fronkensteen), the grandson of the infamous Dr. Victor Frankenstein, who wishes to disassociate from the mad scientist.

As fate has it, he becomes entangled with his family’s estate in Transylvania and ultimately follows in his grandfather’s footsteps.

With help and hindrance from servant Igor, assistant Inga and fiancee Elizabeth, his experiment produces successful but unexpected consequences.

Although the script is intended to be rated PG-13, Carosone said students tailored it to fit “everyone from 5 to 95.”

“We may just be a high school performing this musical, but we have put our heart and soul into making it amazing,” said MacKenzie Rooney, who is set to play multiple characters.

Jordan Dube, a student of many hats, including stage manager, technical director and actor, admits that he wasn’t thrilled to do the play until students started rehearsing.

“I wasn’t too excited when I first heard we were doing this musical, but once I started reading the script and doing the run-through, I knew it was going to be good,” Dube said. “The musical shows more of the depth of its characters as opposed to the movie.”

Dube added that the set was designed to fit the gritty feel of an abandoned lab, and the music will range from creepy to romantic with upbeat ballads.

Actors will be dressed in period costumes from the late 1800s and early 1900s, according to Carosone.

Playing the part of The Monster is Malivai Meyer, a 6-foot-2 football player. Dr. Frankenstein will be played by Brady McDonald, who was chosen after performing a Christopher Walken monologue, Dube said.

“We have such amazing talent,” Carosone said. “When these students step on stage, I forget that I’m looking at teens. They’re all very professional and carry themselves well. You forget you’re in a high school.”

Choreographers and vocal teachers are set to prepare students to perform the two-hour play.

Ary Brewer, who is undergoing treatment for leukemia and was recently sent to New York City to see Broadway shows courtesy of Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada, was cast to perform the comical hunchback assistant Igor.

“The show is so fun and will put a smile on everyone’s face,” said actress Victoria Whitaker, who is set to play multiple characters. “I jumped on board as soon as I heard my high school was going to put on this show.”

Cassidy Perkins, who was casted as Inga, said the biggest challenge she has faced was learning to do the accent of the flirty assistant.

“Beside the challenges of her crazy confidence and personality, Inga has an accent. I am terrible at accents,” Perkins said. “This role is unlike any role I have had in the past. This character is confident and bold. All my previous roles have been unsure of themselves and their ambitions. It’s a challenge for me to play such a confident person, but I think I am learning a lot from her.”

In addition, Carosone is set to do a faculty performance of the musical with teachers and the principal as the cast at 6 p.m. May 1 at the high school, 5050 Brent Lane. The performance is also open to the public.

“This will be our first time doing this,” Carosone said. “We’ll have six days to rehearse, so a lot of teachers are nervous about it. If we’re good, then great, but if we’re horrible, it’ll still be success because kids will want to see us fail. It’ll show students that teachers have a life outside of the classroom.”

Principal Travis Warnick is set to play The Monster, and Carosone will play Dr. Frankenstein.

“This is a monster movie with a modern twist. People will be more than entertained,” Carosone said. “I’ve seen the run-through hundreds of times, and it’s still funny. There’s hardly a moment where people won’t be laughing.”

Tickets for all shows are $10 and can be purchased at the door or at showtix4u.com.

To reach North View reporter Sandy Lopez, email slopez@viewnews.com or call 702-383-4686. Find her on Twitter: @JournalismSandy.