CURTAIN UP ON CLASSIC MEL BROOKS MUSICAL AT THE HAMMOND SCHOOL

A Frodsham-based theatre company are preparing to stage a production of an award-winning musical written by film and stage legend Mel Brooks.

Zodiac Theatre Group are set to stage iconic musical "The Producers" at The Hammond School, Mannings Lane in Chester from Wednesday 29^th October - Saturday 1^st November at 7.30pm. There will also be a matinee performance at 2pm on Saturday 1^st November. The show will be directed for Zodiac Theatre Group by Neil Silcock with musical direction by Craig Price and choreography by Stuart Maher. 

Adapted from the award-winning  1967 film of the same name, "The Producers" originally opened on Broadway in 2001 starring Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. The show ran for over 2,500 performances and won an record breaking 12 Tony awards. The show spawned a successful West End production, national tours in the US and UK, several productions worldwide and a 2005 film version. "The Producers" is also currently enjoying a critically acclaimed revival at The Garrick Theatre in London's West End starring Andy Nyman and Marc Antolin.

Featuring memorable songs including the outrageous "Springtime For Hitler", the gloriously camp "Make It Gay" and "If You've Got It, Flaunt it", "The Producers" tells the story of Max Bialystock, a down-on-his-luck Broadway producer and his mild-mannered accountant Leo Bloom who come up with a scheme to produce the most notorious flop in history, thereby conning their backers (all “little old ladies”) out of millions of dollars. Only one thing goes awry: the show is a smash hit! The antics of Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom as they manoeuvre their way fecklessly through finding a show - the gloriously offensive “Springtime For Hitler” written by a deranged Hitler obsessed Nazi (Franz Liebkind), hiring the worst director on Broadway, (Roger DeBris), raising the money and finally going to prison for their misdemeanours is a comedy masterclass. At the core of this insanely funny adventure is a poignant emotional journey of two very different men who become friends. 

The Zodiac Theatre Group production will feature Gareth Earl as Max Bialystock, Jack Parry as Leo Bloom, Ben Greenall as Franz Liebkind and Michael Schneck as Roger DeBris. 

Speaking about the production, a spokesperson for The Zodiac Theatre Group said:

"This is our first time at The Hammond School and we are delighted to be staging Mel Brooks' Tony Award-winning masterpiece "The Producers". This laugh-out-loud musical comedy brings big characters, big laughs, and even bigger showstoppers to the stage. Whether you’re a longtime fan or discovering this smash hit for the first time, you won’t want to miss the over-the-top antics, unforgettable songs, and non-stop hilarity that make "The Producers" one of Broadway’s most celebrated comedies."

The Zodiac Theatre Group will also be returning to The Hammond School in April 2026 with a production of the smash-hit Queen musical "We Will Rock You". 

Full details of "The Producers" can be found at: 

www.thezodiac.org 

...where tickets can be booked online.

Alternatively, contact the Box Office on:

01244 305 350