Riverland Community College closes out its 2015-2016 theatre season with the hilarious Broadway musical Young Frankenstein, with music and lyrics by Mel Brooks and book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan.

It’s alive! Frederick Frankenstein, grandson of the infamous Victor Frankenstein, inherits his family's estate in Transylvania. With the help of a hunchbacked sidekick and a leggy lab assistant, Frederick finds himself in the mad scientist shoes of his ancestors as he brings to life a creature to rival his grandfather's. Eventually, of course, the monster escapes and hilarity continuously abounds. Every bit as relevant to audience members who will remember the original film as it will be to newcomers, Young Frankenstein has all the panache of the screen sensation with a little extra theatrical flair added. Young Frankenstein is suggested for ages 13 and up.

Riverland Theatre faculty member Susan V. Hansen directs Young Frankenstein. Vocal direction is by Kaye Perry, and the orchestra is conducted by Brian Koser. Stephanie Kasel is the choreographer. The set and lighting designer is Mark Spitzer. The costumes are by Madlain Vander. The production is stage managed by Kayla Byram.

“Mel Brooks’ film Young Frankenstein is a comedy classic,” said Riverland Theatre Director Lindsey Duoos Williams. “The American Film Institute named it one of the funniest American films of all time. The musical does a great job of capturing all of those hilarious moments from the movie, and then adds even more laughs with its clever songs. I think our audience members who enjoyed The Producers several years back will really like this show.”

The cast of Young Frankenstein includes Angelica Beckmann as Ensemble, Jake Berndt as Ensemble, Jodie Bratager as Ensemble, Nora Curtis as Ensemble, Livia Dyke as Ensemble, Joseph Gerber as Dr. Victor Von Frankenstein, Austin Hodnefield as the Hermit, Peter Hoffman as Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, Dathen Johnson as Ensemble, Rose Kinny as Ensemble, Katelyn Larson as Ensemble, Garrin Loveland as Igor, Charli Martin as Ensemble, Emily McAlister as Frau Blucher, Lindsey McAlister as Elizabeth Benning, Jacob Mueller as Ensemble, Claire Olson as Inga, Kristy Possin as Ensemble, Andrea Ramirez-Hernandez as Ensemble, Bry Thorson as Ziggy, Vic Wylde as Inspector Hans Kemp, Danny Ziebell as Ensemble, and James Zschunke as the Monster.

Set designer Mark Spitzer faced a huge challenge creating a Transylvanian castle on the stage of the Frank W. Bridges Theatre. Spitzer worked in partnership with the Riverland Art Department to locate a castle set created for a short film titled “The Frank” by Trace Beaulieu. The set was designed by David Weiberg and built by MNFX. Riverland’s Truck Driving program assisted in transporting the castle set to Austin from the Twin Cities. “The set for Young Frankenstein is exceptional,” said Williams. “Through this partnership with other Riverland programs, we were able to acquire a beautiful set that exceeds what we are able to build here at our facility. Mark has done an excellent job adapting it to our stage, and I think our audiences will be very impressed.”

Young Frankenstein will be performed April 21-23, 28, 29 and 30 at 7:30 p.m, and May 1 at 2 p.m. at the Frank W. Bridges Theatre.

Individual tickets to Young Frankenstein are $16 and currently on sale at www.riverland.edu/tickets 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The online ticketing system allows customers to choose their seats and pay by Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover. Tickets may also be purchased at the Riverland Box Office, located in room E107 in the East Building of the Austin campus. Box office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and one hour before performances. Riverland students receive two free tickets to each performance with a valid student ID. Contact the box office at 507-433-0595 or by emailing boxoffice@riverland.edu.

Young Frankenstein is suggested for ages 13 and up. Riverland Theatre strives to provide quality productions that are entertaining and challenging to both the audience and the artists. Because we reach such a diverse audience, some audience members may find some subject matter, language, or situations objectionable. If you have concerns about a specific production, we encourage you to become familiar with the material before attending the performance.

Riverland’s Theatre Department is a high-energy performance-oriented program. Plays produced vary from classical tragedy to modern comedy and from full-scale large cast musicals in intimate small cast plays. Students are encouraged to get involved in all areas of theatre production including, but not limited to, acting, stage managing, set building and painting. Strong academic offerings provide challenges in and out of the classroom.