54 Below Celebrates Mel Brooks - New York City Article

54 Below Celebrates Mel Brooks
Feinstein’s / 54 Below
254 West 54th St
Monday January 13, two shows, 7:00 & 9:30PM

For years and years, the composer-driven “songbook” show that I have most wanted to see is a tribute to that most under-rated of songwriters, the one and only Mel Brooks. Even before The Producers conquered Broadway, there were those of us who were well aware that Melvin Kaminsky (who celebrates his 94th birthday in June) is not only one of the funniest men in the history of movies and television but a venerated tunesmith, who writes words and music for all manner of purposes, both serious and silly. This long-overdue retrospective promises to sample his songbook from “Springtime for Hitler” up through the brilliant, under-appreciated score to Young Frankenstein on Broadway, along with such gems as “High Anxiety” (Mel’s homage to Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen), the theme to Blazing Saddles (the 45th anniversary of which was recently honored on Gilbert Gottfried’s Amazing Colossal Podcast) along with “Tired” and “The French Mistake.” With any luck, maybe they’ll even treat us to his psychedelic anthem, “Love Power” (from the original 1967 Producers but not in the show) and the epic rap battle from History of the World. Pt. 1, “It’s Good to Be the King.” There’s an all-star cast lined up for this unique celebration, and I’m most looking foward to hearing host Richard Kind as well the subversively funny and erotic Lauren Molina and Lesli Margherita, and most of all Brad Oscar, who at different times played three different roles in the Broadway Producers, “Franz Liebkind,” “Max Bialystock,” and “Roger De Bris.” Thus, over two shows on January 13, we’ll all be celebrating Mel Brooks - and loving it.