Serge Postigo brings the musical “Les Producteurs” to Quebec After having performed it nearly 400 times in Paris, Serge Postigo will transport the musical The producers in Quebec next year. The actor will play the main role, in addition to signing the adaptation, translation and direction.
In total, more than 300,000 spectators applauded the French incarnation of the producers, presented at the Théâtre de Paris from 2021 to 2023. But the version that will be presented in Quebec next year will be very different; Serge Postigo wipes the slate clean, starting from the original text – signed by Mel Brooks – to build his own.
“There must be coherence between translation, adaptation, and staging. So I start from scratch,” says Serge Postigo.
“It’s definitely special to do this for a show that I know by heart. But it allows me to look at this work again and prepare a tailored version for the Quebec public,” he continues.
Ode to Broadway in the 50s
In fact, the actor and director is aware that French and Quebec audiences are very different, especially when it comes to their familiarity with the work of Mel Brooks. Very little known among our cousins on the other side of the Atlantic, the name of the famous American author finds more resonance here, where his satires Robin Hood: hero in tights, frankenstein junior and others Dracula: Dead and very happy were more celebrated.
Therefore, we know the main lines of the musical. The producers, this story where an unscrupulous Broadway producer tries to replenish his coffers with the help of an accounting scam. But, evidently, this ploy will not have the expected effects, leading to hilarious scenes in the end.
The film, released in 1967, earned Mel Brooks an Oscar for best original screenplay. The producers It was later adapted for Broadway in 2001, with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick in the lead roles. Both actors later reprised these roles on screen for the hit film released in 2005.
“This show is an ode to the musical comedy of the 50s; That’s why I want to transport audiences to Broadway with all the hard-hitting humor of Mel Brooks. He makes fun of everyone: producers, Jews, Germans, women, gays… everyone takes him for granted. And that desensitizes the audience. There is something really interesting in all this,” reveals Serge Postigo.
Open hearings
Performance dates for The producers It won’t be announced until the end of the month. Because, for the moment, Serge Postigo is launching a call for auditions open to everyone. This process, once briefly controversial, quickly proved its value: it allowed the Quebec public to discover, among others, Joëlle Lanctôt. His career began with the role of Mary Poppins in 2016, which allowed him to dedicate himself to projects such as loss of feet, Ow mom!, and Rock of Ages.
Serge Postigo now hopes to find the rare pearls for this new show that will bring together 24 artists and 6 musicians on stage.
“I walk into the audition room with a completely open mind. I want to be surprised,” she summarizes.
- For all the details: lesproducteurs.com
