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Photo courtesy of Margaret Jou

The Fremd Fall Musical cast will be performing a parody of the 1974 comedy, “Young Frankenstein,” on Oct. 18, Oct. 20, Oct. 26, and Oct. 27 at 7 PM in the Kolze Auditorium. A preview of the musical was shown to English classes on Oct. 4 and Oct. 5, featuring the work of the cast, orchestra, and technology crew.

The preview was a brief glimpse of what audiences could expect at the actual performance. The cast performed various numbers including “Happiest Town in Town,” establishing the mood and overall plot, “Together Again,” and “Join the Family Business,” a highlight of the musical.

The storyline of “Young Frankenstein” is centered around Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, a medical lecturer who is shocked to discover that he will inherit his notorious grandfather’s estate in Transylvania. Along the way, Young Frankenstein meets Igor and Inga, the servants, and the intimidating Frau Blücher. The Frankenstein family convinces Young Frankenstein to continue his grandfather’s legacy, but complications arise when Frankenstein creates a menacing monster.

Director Judy Klingner explains how the “Young Frankenstein” musical will generally keep the plot and script of the film, adding some unique styles of its own.

“The film screenplay was written by Mel Brooks, and he also wrote the music and lyrics for the musical. The musical has exactly the same script as the film, but it adds the songs, which are in the same style of Mel Brooks because he wrote it comedic all the way through,” Klingner said. “Most of the main characters have their own song or duet. I think my favorite is a company number called ‘Join the Family Business’ because it is an act we performed for English classes. It is a song that tells a story, has all kinds of creepy special effects that go along with it, and has the whole cast involved.”

This will be Klingner’s last time directing the Fall Musical at Fremd, and it has been a rewarding experience for her. Klingner explains her rationale when it comes to choosing musicals.

“When we choose musicals, we typically look at the talent we have, and then choose a show that will showcase their talents and help them grow as performers,” Klingner said. “‘Young Frankenstein’ had all of the right components to do that for these kids. Truthfully, it is around Halloween time, so it’s a great show to pick for this time of year. It’s a comedy, and comedies are a lot of fun to work on. We’ve had a lot of laughs during the rehearsal process, which has made this a very enjoyable last show for me.”

Senior Morgan Miller, who plays Frau Blücher, describes some challenges she came across when trying to portray her character. Overall, Miller enjoys being in the Fall Musical because it gives her an opportunity to express her love for theatre and comedy.

“Frau Blücher has the thickest accent in the entire show, so that was really difficult because I basically had to mix a German accent with a Russian accent. She’s also insane and sexual yet put-together, so it was weird finding a mix between the different accents and personalities,” Miller said. “I love making people laugh, so anytime it’s a comedy, I’m always there.”

Sophomore Avery Monacella is in the ensemble of the musical. Despite some difficulties along the way, Monacella believes that the musical has provided a valuable opportunity for the cast.

“My favorite part about performing in the musical is getting to know the cast and becoming part of a family because at the end of the day, your cast is the people who you spend hours with at the theatre,” Monacella said. “My favorite part of ‘Young Frankenstein’ is all the choreography. It’s crazy and super fun, and all the technology is extraordinary and will make an amazing product.”

Seeing Klingner direct her final Fremd musical proved to be a memorable experience for the cast, and Miller shares her thoughts and appreciation towards Klingner.

“Working with Mrs. Klingner is like working with a second mom. She’s so kind and forgiving,” Miller said. “Mrs. Klingner is always there for us, and watching her direct her final show is heartwarming because she’s so engaged all the time. We want to make this a good show for her, and we keep saying, ‘Do it for Klingner!’”

Klingner expresses her gratitude towards the “Young Frankenstein” cast and the Fremd community. Klingner is thankful for all the support at Fremd, and she is very proud of the achievements of the cast.

“I’ve been so fortunate to work with a lot of talented kids over the years, and I feel extremely lucky that we’ve had an administration that has allowed me to expand our program,” Klingner said. “I’m super proud of how much we’ve taught the kids at Fremd to appreciate theatre through the assemblies and productions that we’ve been able to produce here. Finally, I’m most proud of all the kids who always exceed my expectations.”

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