Arts center goes Hollywood

Tom Titus

The two upcoming productions at the Orange County Performing Arts

Center share a common bond -- each was a popular movie before its

live-theater incarnation and both were products of the Hollywood of

the late 1960s.

“Thoroughly Modern Millie,” which opens Tuesday, was born in 1967

as a tribute to the girls of the flapper era -- Manhattan in 1922 --

when ladies were bobbing their hair, raising their hemlines, entering

the work force and rewriting the rules of romance.

Following a week later is probably the center’s most anticipated

production, “The Producers,” which director Mel Brooks put on film in

1968, long before “Blazing Saddles” and “Young Frankenstein” made him

a household synonym for outrageous comedy.

“Millie” captured six Tony awards, including best musical when the

stage version first hit Broadway in 2002. “The Producers” set a

record of 12 Tonys the previous year, along with 11 Drama Desk awards

and Best Musical awards from the New York Drama Critics’ Circle and

the Drama League.

Like “42nd Street,” also the subject of a recent revival,

“Thoroughly Modern Millie” focuses on the spirit of New York City and

the people who seek to discover themselves there. USA Today called

the show “a thoroughly delightful experience,” and Time Out New York

declared, “You can’t see this kind of whirling, transporting pop

entertainment anywhere else.”

As for “The Producers,” which had earned Brooks an Oscar for best

original screenplay, it took more than 30 years and about a dozen

movies before Brooks decided to adapt his earliest hit -- originally

starring Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder -- for the stage. Taking these

actors’ roles in the Broadway production were Nathan Lane and Matthew

Broderick, while Jason Alexander and Martin Short assumed them for

the Los Angeles production a year ago.

At the center, Susan Stroman -- a multiple Tony- and Olivier-award

winner whose production of “Contact” graced the center two years ago

-- is at the helm for “The Producers.” Michael Mayer is staging

“Thoroughly Modern Millie,” which features choreography by Rob

Ashford.

“Millie” will be on view from Tuesday through Aug. 1, while “The

Producers” opens Aug. 3 and will run through Aug. 22. Tickets for

both may be ordered by calling (714) 556-2746.

Coming up in September are two more musical attractions -- “Side

by Side by Sondheim,” featuring Orange County’s Teri Ralston, playing

Sept. 7 to 19, and a third visit from “Rent,” which will be seen from

Sept. 14 to 19. More on those productions at a later date.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Daily Pilot. His reviews

appear Fridays.